Oatmeal: benefits and harm to the body

Today, a healthy lifestyle and the use of dietary products that are beneficial to the body and do not contain excess calories are becoming increasingly relevant. Related to this is interest in oatmeal, which is one of the most useful foods for dietary nutrition. Baking with the addition of oatmeal is more lush and less high-calorie. This product is also used for the preparation of cosmetic masks that improve the condition of the skin and hair.

Types of Oatmeal

The modern food industry produces several types of oatmeal:

1. Oatmeal. This is a traditional oat processing product. For its production, sprouted oat grains, previously dried, are taken.
2. Classic oatmeal made from the soft portion of grain.
3. Whole grain flour, for which grain is used together with the shell.

In dietetics, the most beneficial are considered to be oat and whole grain varieties.

It is interesting that in the production process the differences will be minimal. Everywhere grain undergoes heat treatment (steaming), in which there is a partial dextrinization of starch. Thanks to this, oatmeal is well absorbed by the body. In addition, pathogens die during heat treatment.

What is the difference between oatmeal and wheat flour

Oatmeal contains gluten about 3-4 times less than wheat flour. At one time, it was positioned as one that does not contain gluten, but in fact this is not a completely correct statement. Unlike wheat, which contains gluten, oats have another substance - avenine.

This is the main protein of this cereal crop (up to 80%). By the way, it is thanks to avenine that oatmeal and cereal have a tonic effect on the body. The problem is that avenine contains 25% glutamic acid, that is, it acts on the intestines in the same way as gluten. And although oats are often recommended to those who adhere to a gluten-free diet, this applies only to those cereals and flour that have undergone special processing and on which there is an appropriate mark.

Another difference between oatmeal and wheat flour is that it contains silicon that is beneficial for the body, which is absent in other species.

What is the difference between oatmeal and flour

Based on the foregoing, the main difference between oat flour and flour is the feedstock. Due to the fact that sprouted grain is used for its manufacture, crushed germ and bran shells enter it, it contains a higher content of vitamins and minerals. While flour is made from ordinary grain, and it contains less vitamins and minerals. But their energy value is about the same.

Which flour is better: rice or oatmeal

This question cannot be answered unequivocally. Both rice and oatmeal are considered dietary foods. And for a healthy person, the difference will be minimal. However, for people with celiac disease, that is, with gluten intolerance, there is still a difference. The fact is that rice flour does not contain gluten at all, and in oatmeal there is the avenine mentioned above, which can also lead to bloating and digestive disorders.

Composition and calorie content

The energy value of oatmeal is 369 kcal per 100 g. It contains proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Moreover, the latter in it more than in wheat.

Oatmeal is a source of essential amino acids. These are choline and tyrosine. The latter is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine. Its lack can lead to depressive states. Choline improves metabolism in all tissues, but has a particularly beneficial effect on the nervous system.

The composition of oatmeal also includes:

1. B vitamins that regulate metabolic processes, including folic acid.
2. Iron involved in the process of hematopoiesis.
3. Zinc with anti-inflammatory properties.
4. Magnesium, an antispasmodic.
5. Silicon, which is involved in many vital processes, it also prevents premature aging of the body.

In its composition, oatmeal is much more useful than wheat flour. That is why nutritionists recommend it.

What is useful oatmeal

General benefit

Oatmeal has the following properties:

1. Reduces the risk of cancer.
2. Reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol, thereby preventing the formation of plaques, which can cause cardiovascular disease.
3. Beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and hepatobiliary system.
4. Improves cognitive function due to the content of tyrosine and folic acid.
5. Normalizes the condition of the skin and hair.
6. Helps reduce weight.

Oatmeal can be used to prepare various dishes, so it will be very easy to include it in your diet.

For women

As you know, women are more likely than men to suffer from diseases of the thyroid gland. Oatmeal contains the amino acid tyrosine, which favorably affects the state of this organ. When iodine atoms attach to tyrosine in the body, thyroid hormones of the thyroid gland begin to be produced. So oatmeal is useful as a preventative measure for hypothyroidism. Tyrosine also regulates adrenal function.

Also, this product allows you to normalize blood pressure and the functioning of the central nervous system, including eliminating anxiety and irritability.

For men

It should be noted that 200 g of oatmeal contains 96% of the total daily requirement of the body for manganese. This element, along with zinc, is the most important mineral for men, as it helps to normalize the reproductive system and increases stress resistance.

Oatmeal also contains phosphorus, which is necessary to maintain normal metabolism and improve cognitive function. It has molybdenum and fiber, the use of which reduces blood cholesterol and prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system.

During pregnancy

In the diet of expectant mothers, oatmeal may well replace wheat. It will supply the body with all the useful minerals and vitamins that are especially important during the period of expectation of the baby, help smooth out hormonal fluctuations in the early stages of pregnancy, and strengthen bone tissue.

Of course, this does not mean that you need to eat as many pancakes and pancakes from oatmeal as possible. This is still a fairly high-calorie product, and excess weight during pregnancy can provoke not only problems with the cardiovascular system, but also difficulties in childbirth associated with an increase in the weight of the fetus. But when eating oatmeal in small quantities, for example, when adding it to sour-milk smoothies for a snack, on the contrary, it will help to keep the weight normal.

When breastfeeding

Although oatmeal does not contain gluten, but another protein, avenine, it is necessary to introduce it carefully into the diet of a nursing mother.The fact is that a child can react to it in the same way as wheat flour, that is, abdominal pain, flatulence, etc. Therefore, oatmeal is included in the diet carefully, watching at this time the reaction of the child.

For children

For children, oatmeal is generally very useful, because it contains many vitamins and minerals, as well as tyrosine, which improves mental activity and helps provide the body with energy and energy for the whole day. Oatmeal is important for the proper formation of the cardiovascular system, strengthening muscles and the musculoskeletal system, increasing natural immunity. That's why oatmeal porridge is a great breakfast option for a child. But only actively can it be given only to children who are already 1 year old. Prior to this, oatmeal is introduced into the diet gradually so that you can monitor the reaction. If the baby has symptoms of celiac disease, oatmeal will immediately have to be canceled.

It is very important to follow the sequence of complementary foods. They always start with rice, buckwheat and corn, which do not contain gluten. Only after this, the child can begin to give porridge from oatmeal. Prepare it as follows: bring to a boil 100 ml of water, fill it with 1 tbsp. spoon of oatmeal and mix thoroughly. Simmer porridge over low heat for 5 minutes.

If the child reacted normally to this product, after a while the amount of oatmeal can be doubled.

When losing weight

Oatmeal for weight loss is good because it contains tyrosine. This amino acid suppresses appetite, which allows you to reduce portions and get rid of extra pounds.

Oatmeal for weight loss is useful not only for this reason. Due to this composition, dishes from it are absorbed in the body gradually. Unlike other foods, there is no sharp increase in blood sugar after eating. But at the same time, oatmeal perfectly helps to satisfy hunger.

The high content of soluble fiber, due to which toxins are eliminated from the body, helps to stimulate the digestion process and get rid of extra pounds. Moreover, oatmeal improves the microflora of the large intestine, and this allows you to achieve a longer and more stable result than with express diets. In addition, with this diet, appetite is suppressed, a person does not feel hunger. He both psychologically and physically tolerates restrictions better than with other diets.

There are different dietary options for oatmeal. But most often they make porridge or jelly from it, which will be described below. One serving of such a dish contains about 25% of the daily norm of soluble fiber, so porridge or jelly can be consumed 4 times a day, and in breaks drink green tea or still water.

Another option - you can replace oatmeal with only breakfast and dinner, and at lunch you can afford a piece of boiled chicken breast and vegetable salad. Such porridge is prepared in the same way as described above for children. On such a diet, without harm to health, you can stay up to 4 weeks. During this time, you can lose 5-7 kg.

Oatmeal can also be added to smoothies made from unsweetened low-fat yogurt and fresh fruits. Then this dish will replace 4 meals as part of the diet. The maximum duration of such a mono-diet is 1 week. During this time, you can lose 4 kg.

Oatmeal jelly: benefits and harms

This dish is considered an excellent option for those who suffer from inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract or have recently undergone surgery and now need to be restored. Oatmeal jelly has enveloping properties and helps to provide the body with the necessary minerals and vitamins. He has no contraindications, except for celiac disease.

How to make jelly

For this dish take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flour, 1 liter of water, 5 g of rye sourdough. Oatmeal is poured 0.75 liters of water, put rye sourdough and left overnight. In the morning, they are still thoroughly mixed and filtered through a fine sieve. The resulting liquid is brought to a boil, then cooked over low heat for 3-5 minutes.So that the jelly does not burn, you need to stir it regularly.

Oatmeal in medicine

Due to the anti-inflammatory properties in folk medicine, oatmeal is used for diseases of the musculoskeletal system. For example, with osteochondrosis, it is recommended to make a compress of oat cakes. Oat and rye flour are mixed in equal proportions, knead the dough on water, bake fresh cakes and still hot apply to the problem area.

Oatmeal is also used as a medicine for heel spurs. Take 1 teaspoon of this component and mix with the same amount of honey. It turns out a cake that is applied to the affected heel, fixed with a bandage, put on a warm toe and left overnight. The course of treatment is 10 procedures.

Oatmeal in cosmetology

Due to its high content of vitamins and minerals, this product is widely used in home cosmetology.

For face

For skin based on oatmeal, the following masks can be made:

1. Nutritious. On 1 tbsp. spoon of oatmeal take 1 teaspoon of liquid honey and the same amount of sour cream. This mixture is applied to cleansed skin for 15-20 minutes, then washed off. The mask improves complexion and makes the skin more tender. But it is better for owners of sensitive skin to replace it with a decoction of chamomile so that there is no irritation.
2. Tightening mask. At 2 tbsp. tablespoons of oatmeal take one fresh egg white, a couple drops of almond oil and lemon juice. The mixture is applied to the skin and left to dry the protein, and then washed off.
3. For mature and aging skin. For 1 teaspoon of oatmeal, take a raw yolk, a spoonful of honey and the same amount of any freshly squeezed fruit juice. The mask is applied for 15-20 minutes, then washed off.

Also, oatmeal is added to scrubs from black dots.

For hair

Since oatmeal contains many B vitamins, and they are necessary for the density and shine of hair, it can also be used to make homemade cosmetics. For example, you can make the following masks:

1. For hair growth. Take in equal amounts of oatmeal and warm milk or water, mix and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Then, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of linseed or almond oil and the contents of a capsule of vitamin A. The product is applied to the scalp for half an hour, then rinsed thoroughly.
2. For oily hair. As in the previous recipe, pour oatmeal with warm water, insist, then add another 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the finished mass and mix thoroughly. The mask is applied to the scalp for half an hour, then washed off.
3. For dry hair. Take 2 tbsp. tablespoons of oatmeal, the same amount of warmed milk and 1 teaspoon of castor oil. The mixture is applied literally for 20 minutes and washed off with shampoo.

Oatmeal can also be used as a cleanser. It is used instead of shampoo. Take oatmeal and dilute it with water so that a sufficiently thick slurry is obtained. It is applied to the scalp and hair, then washed off with water. Oatmeal adsorbs dirt and excess sebum.

Harm and contraindications

Oatmeal has virtually no contraindications. It can be used for diseases of the digestive tract. From oat flour, for example, they make jelly, which is given during exacerbation of gastritis and pancreatitis. The only contraindication is that this flour should not be used by people suffering from celiac disease, since they will cause unpleasant sensations associated with bloating, flatulence, and digestive upset.

How to choose and store

If it is possible to evaluate the flour visually, then this must be done. It should be yellowish or cream, a grayish tint is allowed.To taste, it will be exactly the same as hercules flakes, a slight bitterness is possible.

It is better to buy flour, packed in paper rather than plastic bags, because it breathes, it does not have a musty smell. The bag must be tightly sealed and free of damage.

Oatmeal should be stored in a dry and cool place with an optimum humidity of 60–70%. This flour contains a lot of fat, so it is not recommended to store it for more than three months. Leaving it in an open paper bag is also not worth it, it is better to pour it into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Whole grain flour contains many natural oils. It is better to keep it in the refrigerator so that it does not become rancid.

How to make oatmeal at home

Although whole grain flour is considered to be most useful, at home it is easiest to make it from oatmeal, previously grinding them in a coffee grinder or blender. To obtain uniform grinding, the bowl of such a device must not be filled with cereal completely, but by 2/3. The degree of grinding here directly depends on the processing time of the flakes. The longer they are ground, the finer and finer the grinding.

Experienced housewives recommend that before grind the flakes, dry them in a not too warmed oven (up to about 70-100 degrees) for 45-60 minutes.

What can I cook with oatmeal: recipes

From oatmeal you can cook not only smoothies or jelly, but also pancakes, cookies, muffins and many other delicious dishes.

Biscuit

For classic oatmeal cookies you will need 120 g of oat flour and 100 g of wheat (it is better to take whole grain), 80 g of butter, 5 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar, 4 tbsp. tablespoons of honey, a pinch of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ginger powder, baking soda or baking powder, 50 ml of water.

The softened butter is ground with honey, cinnamon, ginger and sugar (the amount of honey and sugar can be reduced if desired). To the resulting base are added sifted flour of two types already with baking powder. Then add water and knead the dough thoroughly. It should be such that balls can be made from it, which are then laid out on a greased baking sheet, slightly pressed down from above. Bake dessert at a temperature of 190-200 degrees for 15 minutes.

Pancakes

To prepare the dish you will need 350 g of oatmeal, a glass of wheat flour, 4 eggs, 0.8 l of milk, 80 g of butter, 20 g of fresh yeast, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar, salt to taste.

The milk is heated, yeast with sugar added is diluted in it. After 5-10 minutes, the yeast should begin to foam. Meanwhile, oatmeal and wheat flour are sifted. Then milk with yeast is poured into it, mixed thoroughly so that there are no lumps, covered with a lid, wrapped in a towel and left for half an hour.

After this time, beat the eggs with the addition of a small amount of melted butter and mix with the dough that has come up, and then give a little more rise if you want to get plump pancakes. If not, you can bake immediately.

Fritters

For 80 g of oatmeal, take the same amount of wheat, 1 cup of milk, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar or sweetener based on stevia, quenched with vinegar soda, salt to taste.

Both types of flour are sieved into a large container, soda is added. Beat the egg separately with milk and butter, then mix all the ingredients so that there are no lumps left. The dough is left for 20-30 minutes. Pancakes are baked in a heated frying pan with a non-stick coating without oil for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Bread

For the test you will need 250 g of water per 50 g of flour, 1 tsp of salt, 1.5 tsp of sugar, 7 g of dried yeast, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of sunflower oil, 2 cups whole wheat flour.

In the prepared container, oat and wheat flour are mixed, dry yeast is added, and then sugar and salt dissolved in water and oil are poured. All this is thoroughly mixed for 5-7 minutes. It turns out classic yeast dough. To prevent its surface from drying out, it is recommended to cover it with a cloth. It should stand 60 minutes warm. After this time, the volume of the test should double.A ball is formed from it, transferred to a greased form, covered with a towel and again left for at least half an hour.

Before putting bread into the oven, it is greased with a brush dipped in water and sprinkled with oatmeal or sesame. Baking time - 40–45 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.

Syrniki

Cheesecakes - a great dish to start the day. To prepare them, you will need 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese (you can coarse, but then it will first have to be wiped through a sieve), 1 egg, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of oatmeal, 1 tbsp. tablespoons of semolina, sugar and vanilla to taste. If cheesecakes are served with jam or maple syrup, sugar can not be added to the dough.

If it is noticeable that there is a lot of whey in the cottage cheese, you need to squeeze it out first, otherwise the cheesecakes will lose their shape during cooking. Cottage cheese is mixed with semolina, oatmeal, egg, vanilla. If desired, add sugar, cinnamon, raisins.

Cheesecakes can be cooked in the oven - this is much more useful than frying. Then, pancakes are formed from the resulting mass, put them on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes, heated to 190 degrees. To top syrniki looked beautiful, they can be preliminarily lightly greased with kefir.

Cheesecakes can be fried in a good non-stick pan so as not to use a lot of oil. Then it is recommended to roll them a little in flour and keep them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes so that they do not lose their shape when frying. On each side they need to be fried for 2-3 minutes.

Cupcakes

For muffins, you need 150 g of oatmeal, 50 g of wheat flour, 750 ml of kefir (you must first get it from the refrigerator to keep it warm). Also take 1 egg, a handful of raisins, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of honey, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of freshly squeezed lemon juice, quenched soda or a baking powder for dough.

Combine the flour with soda or baking powder, pour kefir and mix thoroughly, and then pour lemon juice. After this, add a beaten egg, honey and raisins (you must not forget to rinse it before that). All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the finished dough is laid out in portioned molds. Only they need to be filled not completely, but about half, because the dough will still rise. A baking tray with cupcakes is put in an oven heated to 180 degrees. Baking time is approximately 30 minutes. You can control the state of the cupcakes by piercing them with a toothpick. If it is dry, without sticking pieces, they are ready.

Dough

From oatmeal you can make pizza dough. For this you will need - 1 cup low-fat kefir, 1 egg, 100 g oatmeal, 150 g low-fat cottage cheese, not more than 1 teaspoon of salt.

The cottage cheese is rubbed through a sieve so that there are no lumps, then it is mixed well with the egg and kefir. These ingredients are added to oatmeal, then the resulting dough is salted, thoroughly mixed and a cake is obtained from it, which can become the basis for pizza.

What can replace oatmeal

This product can be replaced with rice flour, it is no less useful, or buckwheat (but only it keeps its baking form even worse). In dietetics, oatmeal for smoothies and sour-milk shakes is replaced by almond.

Why oatmeal is bitter

Many believe that the presence of bitterness suggests that the flour caught stale. In fact this is not true. Even fresh oatmeal can have a slight bitterness, because it is inherent in the grains themselves and after their primary processing does not pass. But in the finished baking, it will no longer be. The fact is that substances that give this taste go away after heat treatment.

However, all this applies to finished flour. At the same time, if it was made at home from oatmeal, such a product does not bite.

If the flour deteriorates, then not a slight bitterness will be felt, but a heavy rancid taste. In this case, no heat treatment will help.

Interesting facts about oatmeal

1. For a long time, oatmeal was the cheapest food. Oats were inexpensive, they fed horses, and people who ate oatmeal were considered too poor. However, in the 19th century oatmeal appeared. Porridge of them was much tastier, it cooked faster, and the original product itself was easier to transport over long distances. So, cereals soon entered the diet of almost all people without exception. And then scientific research has shown that it is not only tasty, but also a healthy dish. Many models and Hollywood actresses admit their love for oatmeal and granola. And their example is worth following. Nuts and dried fruits added to oatmeal make it even tastier.
2. However, not all oatmeal is healthy. Instant cereals contain much less nutrients and more calories.
3. Oatmeal and flour can neutralize the unpleasant odor in the refrigerator - just leave a cup with this product overnight to absorb all the unpleasant odors.
4. Oatmeal, diluted with cold milk, removes the itching and inflammation associated with sunburn.

Photo of oatmeal