We love the mighty oat. There is a good reason porridge, overnight oats, and all things oats are so popular for breakfast or indeed any time of the day.
Oats - why are they good for you?
A lot of scientific research has gone into the humble oat. Here are a few good reasons to include oats in your diet. (We use them in our Carrot Muffin Mix and our Super Oat Flapjack Mix for these very good reasons!).
1. Oats are rich in protein, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. OK, that's a good place to start!
2. Oats contain Beta-glucans and Beta-glucans contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Nice!
3. Consumption of beta-glucans from oats or barley as part of a meal contributes to the reduction of the blood glucose rise after that meal. This means fuller for longer, less nibbling between meals and less spikes in blood glucose which can leave you craving a sugar hit.
4. Oat grain fibre contributes to an increase in faecal bulk. Nobody likes to talk about fibre (and dare I say it poo - but hey I've got a two year old and this is a daily topic for him, so why not us!?...). Up that fibre people, its an important part of our diet.
5. Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. That is reason enough for me - get into those oats folks!
They also happen to be tasty, versatile and easy to make in many different ways. The oats we use in our products are certified gluten free, organic and are grown and milled in the UK. Take a look at our recipe page for making flapjacks, muffins and crumble using oats.
* Note for these wonderful benefits from eating oats / beta-glucans you need a daily intake of 3 g of beta-glucans from oats, oat bran, barley, barley bran, or from mixtures of these beta-glucans.
