Oats ... Deliciously Beneficial - drinuM

 ... Deliciously Beneficial!



Oats, known in Maltese as ħafur, have recently become very popular. Oat flakes, oat drinks and puffed oats have been promoted for a healthier lifestyle. There are lots of reasons as to why oats are considered beneficial. First and foremost, the nutrient content of oats is good. The balance between carbohydrates, protein and fat meets human needs very well. The fat which occurs naturally in oats contains "good" fatty acids, with an elevated proportion of monounsaturated fat. Amongst the most common cereals, oats have the best protein content. However, the major significance of oats is that they have been proven to reduce cholesterol.

Oats: Proven to Reduce Cholesterol

Apart from their superb nutritional value, oats also contain water-soluble dietary fibre, known as beta-glucanes, which clinical studies have shown to reduce cholesterol in the blood, when eaten as a part of a healthy diet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided, in January 1997, to permit health declarations when advertizing products which contain soluble fibre derived from oats. There is strong evidence suggesting that people with a healthy heart tend to eat more wholegrain foods.


The Gluten Problem

Until a few years ago, people who suffered from Coeliac Disease were told to eliminate oats from their diet since oats contained gluten. However, recent studies have shown that oats do not really contain enough gluten to be harmful,  and thus this cereal can effectively can be consumed by patients with Coeliac Disease as well. 

Yet, unfortunately, the majority of oats available on the market are contaminated with other cereals such as rye, wheat and barley and thus such contamination is detrimental to such patients. People who cannot tolerate gluten should, therefore, seek medical advice and consume only oat products which are clearly certified to be gluten free. Naturally this certification would imply that in the production and manufacturing of the oat products, no cross contamination would have occurred. 

Milk Alternative

Oat drinks are also very good milk alternatives. People who are lactose intolerant, vegans or anyone who would like to reduce the intake of animal fats by drinking non-dairy drinks, can opt for oat “milk”. Oat drinks are easy to digest and are also a good alternative for those who cannot, or do not want to, consume soya or nuts. Ideally, consumers should choose those oat drinks which are enriched with calcium. Oatly and Naturgreen are two brands which I am aware of, which produce such drinks. There are also oat drinks flavoured with chocolate available on the market.

For further information please visit: http://www.csaceliacs.org/InfoonOats.php