Oats: Unique and Powerful Food
for Gut Health and Preventing Disease
Oats may seem like a simple food, with a warm bowl of oatmeal being the most common way to enjoy them.
But, the health benefits of oats are complex, exciting, and one of my favorite ways to feel “full,” eat warm food, and nourish your health.
Not only are oats low in anti-nutrients, such as phytates, but they are also a source of quality protein, minerals, vitamins, and soluble fiber.
Plus, they are an excellent source of health-promoting, plant compounds called phytochemicals.
Oats are particularly beneficial for heart health, gut health, weight control and obesity, fighting inflammation, and diabetes, and even potentially for fighting cancer.
Did you know your morning oatmeal could do so much for your health?
Let’s take a look at exactly why oats are so healthy, as well as some possible concerns about the oatmeal you may be eating.
In this article:
The health benefits of oats
The healthiest form of oats
How to eat oats
Why you should buy organic
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The Health Benefits of Oats – Why Are They So Good for You?
Researchers have recognized oats as one of the most promising functional foods of the future, with many opportunities.1
Oats differ from other whole grains largely because they are one of the richest sources of soluble fiber beta-glucan, which I’ll discuss more throughout the rest of this article.
Oats also contain a high amount of antioxidants, including a unique type of antioxidant called avenanthramides, which exist almost exclusively in oats.
Other antioxidants in oats include vitamin E, flavonoids, and sterols. Vitamin E is beneficial for preventing premature aging and chronic disease.
(Note: however, taking synthetic vitamin E is associated with negative outcomes. As is generally the case, getting our vitamin E from whole foods is the way to go!)
Oats Are A Staple Food in Our Signature Health Program
Oats are a staple food in our signature health program, the GreenSmoothieGirl Detox, which we do as a guided group with thousands of people every January.
On this guided detox, most of the food is fresh, green smoothies, fresh juices, and satisfying, oxygenating, alkalizing plant foods.
Oatmeal is one of the cooked foods that add to the “bulk” needed for good elimination and feeling satisfied and “full.”
I use oatmeal in the GreenSmoothieGirl Detox due to its use in a famous protocol by Dr. Max Gerson, a legendary doctor who, after curing his chronic migraines, fled Nazi Germany and helped thousands of people in the U.S. with his program that my own detox leverages “best practices” from.
In early 2011, I traveled to speak in the Pacific Northwest with my friend, author, nutritionist, and raw-food celebrity David Wolfe. He said in one of our lectures:
“If I were going to eat cooked food, I would eat organic sweet potatoes and oatmeal.”
The Gerson Therapy, whose track record against cancer far exceeds the success of modern oncology, features 11 glasses daily of raw vegetable juices, with some green apple juice allowed as well.
This is so useful because green and vegetable juices are so nutrient-dense, and they let the body rest from digestion. To put its energy into rebuilding and repairing the immune system.
The Gerson Therapy has also featured, for over 70 years now, lots of oatmeal – as well as well-cooked white Russet potatoes and a few other cooked foods.
Oats Give You Energy
Oats are a good source of complex carbohydrates – the good kind – which give you a steady release of energy.
Oats also have high amounts of B vitamins, like niacin, thiamine, and folate, which can boost energy levels in your body.
Unlike processed, sugary cereals, whole oats don’t result in a sugar crash later. The high amount of fiber helps you feel full longer, preventing overeating throughout the day, which can lead to fatigue.
Fiber is also crucial for healthy digestion – the soluble fiber in oats feeds your good-for-you bacteria and prevents constipation, which drains your energy.
Oats Boost Your Immunity
As mentioned earlier, oats contain beta-glucan.
White blood cells – the warriors of our immune systems – have special receptors for the absorption of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan stimulates the white blood cells and helps them fight off infections.
Beta-glucans also accelerate the healing of wounds and help the body fight a variety of infections caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites.2
In addition, the zinc and selenium in oats help in fighting infections. Selenium stimulates the production of antibodies in the immune system, which help protect you from toxins and other substances the body doesn’t recognize.
Oats may also help fight off respiratory infections. Research has found that babies who start eating oats earlier are protected against childhood asthma.3
Oats for Heart Health
Perhaps the most well-known health benefit of oats is for heart health.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, with one of the major risk factors being high blood cholesterol.
A meta-analysis of 18 studies found that the highest whole-grain intakes, including oats, were associated with a 21% reduced risk of heart disease, compared with the lowest intakes.4
A critical trial reported that a single serving of oatmeal could oppose the disturbances of endothelial function – which plays a key role in keeping your blood moving smoothly through your body – observed after the consumption of a high-fat meal.5
Oats and Cholesterol
At least 50 studies show that beta-glucans in oats are effective at reducing both total and LDL cholesterol levels, with beta-glucan being identified as the major active cholesterol-reducing component of oats.6
If you want the cholesterol-lowering benefits of oats, organic, unrefined, and whole-oat-based products are more effective than processed oat products, where the oat tissues are highly disrupted.1
Oats for Gut Health
If you want a healthy digestive system, oats are high in soluble fiber, which cleans the gut as it travels through it. Additionally, the fiber helps with bowel regularity and prevents constipation.
Whole oats also have beta-glucan, high lipids, and phenolics, which play an important role in gut health. 7,8
Oats for Weight Loss and Obesity
Oats are a filling food. Consuming filling foods helps you eat fewer calories and lose weight.
The beta-glucan in oatmeal also delays the time it takes your stomach to empty of food, increasing the feeling of fullness.
When researchers looked at the effect of oatmeal on appetite, they found that oatmeal increased fullness and decreased the desire to eat for the next 4 hours.9
Oats for Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control
The beta-glucan in oats helps improve insulin response and possibly reduces blood sugar, too.
Research shows that for people with type 2 diabetes, oats have a positive effect on blood sugar control.10
Oats May Help Fight Cancer
Data from various studies have shown that oats can be effective in fighting cancer.
Specifically, the avenanthramides in oats have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.11
Most of the research concerning avenanthramides and cancer demonstrates their effectiveness in inhibiting cancer cells proliferating, inducing malignant cell death, and reducing migration of colon cancer cells, without harming healthy colon cells.12
A study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer found that a diet high in oats was associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer in both men and women.
In particular, the beta-glucans in oats can boost immune health, which is critical in cancer prevention and treatment. Studies also suggest that beta-glucans help stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells and inhibit the growth of tumors.
Oats and Breast Cancer
A Finnish study reported that women with persistent high consumption of oatmeal during adolescence and midlife had a reduced risk of breast cancer in old age.
What’s the Healthiest Form of Oats to Eat?
With oats, you have many options, such as:
Oat groats
Steel-cut oats
Rolled oats
Instant oats (I recommend against these)
Flavored oats (I recommend against these)
Oat groats are whole oats that have been hulled to remove their inedible hulls, leaving the germ, endosperm, and bran intact.
Steel-cut oats are made by chopping oat groats using steel blades, keeping the germ, endosperm, and bran intact. They take about 10 to 20 minutes to cook.
My daughter makes her steel-cut oats before bed, in her Insta Pot, and in the morning, eats it with a scoop of our Sprouted Flax, making her breakfast delicious with a bit of cinnamon. A habit like this is worth its weight in gold, for your health.
Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are steamed and pressed flat after the oat hull is removed. Steaming and processing oat groats in this way has been shown to result in a modest to moderate loss of avenanthramides.
Instant oats are the most highly processed type of oats. They take the least amount of time to cook, may be mushy, and have the fewest nutrients. They also typically have added salt and sugar. I do not eat them.
Oats are so nutrient-dense that all forms will have some benefits for your health. But, you want to watch out for added sugars in processed oat products.
How To Upgrade Your Oatmeal with Even More Nutrition
Whole oats alone make an excellent breakfast choice. You can also upgrade your oatmeal with other ingredients, such as:
Flax seed – I call it a “miracle food” because it’s affordable, and is proven to stabilize your mood, lower your blood pressure, balance cholesterol, give you healthy skin and nails, and protect your bone, heart, and brain health. Try adding our Sprouted Ground Flax to your oatmeal.
Sprouted Tri-Omega – Made with sprouted flax, plus sprouted chia and broccoli seeds, this product is a powerful source of essential fat omega-3s, which all your cells need daily. Tri-Omega Superfood is great for adding to your oatmeal, or your smoothie.
Protein powder – make your oatmeal even more filling by adding protein powder. Either our Organic, Complete Meal Superfood Plant Protein or our Grass Fed Bone Broth Protein are excellent choices.
Nut butter or nuts – nuts add a delicious crunch and texture to your oatmeal, like almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Dr. Tim Specter recommends keeping a jar of various nuts and seeds, to sprinkle on your oatmeal, yogurt, or salad – which helps achieve his goal of eating 30 plants per week, for a healthy, diverse microbiome.
Fresh or frozen fruit, like bananas, blueberries, and strawberries.
Coconut flakes.
Spices, like cinnamon.
Other Ways to Eat Oats: 5 Healthy Oat Recipes for You
Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie – an easy, on-the-go solution for busy mornings
My Wholesome, Whole-Foods Granola – perfect for children and adults
Banana Oat Granola Bars – these granola bars can be made the day before and eaten all week long
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – these no-bake cookies are so delicious, I usually make a double batch
Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Cookies – a delicious and healthful dessert cookie
Oats can also be consumed in soups and oat pasta, and can also be incorporated into many meals.
Warning: Dangerous Toxins Found in Oats
Oats, like many other crops, may contain pesticide residues if not grown using organic methods. I highly recommend buying only organic oats.
An investigation by the Environmental Working Group found troubling concentrations of the toxic agricultural chemical chlormequat in all but one of the 13 non-organic oat-based products sold in the U.S.
Quaker’s Old Fashioned Oats had the highest amounts. You can see the results from their independent test.
Chlormequat has been called eerily similar to glyphosate. In animal studies, it has caused a host of harm to the reproductive and nervous systems, as well as other health problems, suggesting harm to human health.
Why is chlormequat in oat products? Because in 2018, under the Trump administration, the EPA started to permit this chemical in imported oats. Then, the agency started allowing even higher levels in 2020.
Overall, buying organic oats products is your best bet for reducing your exposure to pesticides and potential toxins, such as chlormequat.
Oats Are an Excellent Choice for Breakfast – and Beyond
Oatmeal for breakfast is an excellent choice – for lasting energy and for feeling full. After all, what you eat in the morning sets the tone for your day.
No matter how you eat them, consuming more oats as a regular part of your diet is an excellent idea for your gut health and weight control – and for preventing diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even cancer.
When you consider all the nutrition packed into oats, a bowl of oatmeal isn’t so simple after all! But, don’t forget to buy organic to reduce your exposure to pesticides and other toxins that may be in oat-based products.
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Resources
Paudel D, Dhungana B, Caffe M, Krishnan P. A Review of Health-Beneficial Properties of Oats. Foods. 2021; 10(11):2591. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112591
Daou, C., & Zhang, H. (2012). Oat Beta‐Glucan: Its Role in Health Promotion and Prevention of Diseases. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 11, 355-365.
Virtanen, Suvi M et al. “Early introduction of oats associated with decreased risk of persistent asthma and early introduction of fish with decreased risk of allergic rhinitis.” The British journal of nutrition vol. 103,2 (2010): 266-73. doi:10.1017/S0007114509991541
Tang G, Wang D, Long J, Yang F, Si L. Meta-analysis of the association between whole grain intake and coronary heart disease risk. Am J Cardiol. 2015 Mar 1;115(5):625-9.
Katz, D.L., Nawaz, H., Boukhalil, J., Giannamore, V., Chan, W., Ahmadi, R., and Sarrel, P.M. Acute effects of oats and vitamin E on endothelial responses to ingested fat. Am. J. Prev. Med. 20:124-129, 2001.
Paudel, D., Dhungana, B., Caffe, M., & Krishnan, P. (2021). A Review of Health-Beneficial Properties of Oats. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 10(11), 2591. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112591
Valeur, J., Puaschitz, N. G., Midtvedt, T., & Berstad, A. (2016). Oatmeal porridge: impact on microflora-associated characteristics in healthy subjects. British Journal of Nutrition, 115(1), 62-67.
Gamage, H. K., Tetu, S. G., Chong, R. W., Ashton, J., Packer, N. H., & Paulsen, I. T. (2017). Cereal products derived from wheat, sorghum, rice and oats alter the infant gut microbiota in vitro. Scientific reports, 7(1), 14312.
Rebello, Candida J et al. “The role of meal viscosity and oat β-glucan characteristics in human appetite control: a randomized crossover trial.” Nutrition journal vol. 13 49. 28 May. 2014, doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-49
Hou, Qingtao et al. “The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients vol. 7,12 10369-87. 10 Dec. 2015, doi:10.3390/nu7125536
Turrini, Eleonora et al. “Overview of the Anticancer Profile of Avenanthramides from Oat.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 20,18 4536. 13 Sep. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijms20184536
Thanks for this quick analysis! After I found out groats I can’t go back to rolled oats 🙂.