Oatmeal, oat porridge, oatmeal, oat bran – the possibilities of using the cereal oats (Avena) for human nutrition are many. In the Middle Ages, people even brewed beer from oats. Today, this cereal is mainly used as feed for animals, especially horses like the taste of oats. No wonder, because compared to other cereals such as rye, wheat or barley, oats are particularly rich in nutrients.
Oats: rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Oats are considered the most nutritionally valuable cereal, mainly due to their high protein content of nearly 13 percent. In addition, the proteins in oats are predominantly composed of essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are building blocks of proteins that the body cannot build itself. These essential amino acids include isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine and valine. In addition to the 13 grams of protein, 100 grams of oats also contain circa:
- 15 grams of water
- 7.1 grams fat
- 59.2 grams of carbohydrates
- 10.6 grams of dietary fiber
- 2.9 grams of minerals
The minerals contained in oats include potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc and phosphorus. The cereal also has important vitamins to offer, especially vitamins from the B group and vitamin E. Since oats have many calories – 100 grams bring it to about 337 kilocalories (kcal) – oat products are especially popular with athletes: they provide a lot of energy, but hardly burden the stomach.
The healing effect of oats
Especially in naturopathy, the grain oats is said to have a healing effect, but a positive effect on certain diseases has also been scientifically proven. In naturopathy, especially green oats, which are harvested shortly before flowering, are used: As a tea, green oats rid the body of metabolic waste products, and as a bath additive, it helps with skin impurities and ensures soft and supple skin. Likewise, such a bath is said to relieve rheumatism and aching limbs. Due to many dietary fibers, the grain is considered in naturopathy as an aid for gastrointestinal complaints. The indigestible dietary fibers form a protective layer on the stomach and intestinal mucosa and thus keep the acidic gastric juice away from the mucosa. In addition, thanks to the ingredient beta-glucan, two servings of oatmeal a day are said to help reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, oats are even used to help regulate blood sugar levels.
Oats: gluten present only in small amounts
Compared to other grains, there is very little gluten in oats. Gluten is a mixture of substances made up of proteins that, for example, ensures that bread can rise during baking and continues to retain its shape after baking. Hypersensitivity to the gluten protein can lead to chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestine. This is called gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Symptoms of celiac disease include weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. Although oats contain only a small amount of gluten, it is problematic that oats are often contaminated with other cereals that have a high gluten content. Therefore, oats should not be consumed in case of gluten intolerance. In the meantime, non-contaminated oats are also offered in stores, but here too, caution is advised, because individual reactions to the non-contaminated oats are difficult to assess. As a rule of thumb, people with gluten intolerance should consume a maximum of 50 grams of non-contaminated oats daily, and only under medical observation.
Things to know about oats
The cereal oats, as well as numerous other cereals, belongs to the plant genus of sweet grasses. However, oats differ from other cereals in that they do not form ears, but panicles. The flowering period of oats is between June and August, and the grain is harvested around mid-August. Oats prefer high rainfall and a temperate climate, but guarantee more stable yields than, for example, spring barley, even in unfavorable weather conditions. Oats were probably already cultivated during the Bronze Age, and later the cereal was particularly popular with the Germanic tribes.It was not until the 17th century, when the potato became popular in Europe, that oats slowly lost their importance. Today, oat cultivation plays only a minor role compared to other cereals.
