A large bowl of steaming oatmeal, paired with milk (or eggs) and vegetables (or fruits), makes for a well-balanced and heart-healthy breakfast. Research from the Royal Academy in London has shown that consuming 50 grams of oats every morning can reduce the overall effectiveness of cholesterol in the blood by up to 87%, decrease the mortality rate of heart disease by 60%, and help lower blood pressure.
Oats are packed with nutrients:
1. **Protein**: In every 100 grams of oats, there are 14 grams of protein, which is 1.6 to 22 times higher than rice, white flour, and corn, nearly comparable to beef. The content of lysine is twice as much as that found in rice and white flour, and it also contains methionine, tryptophan, leucine, phenylalanine, and arginine.
2. **Unsaturated Fatty Acids**: Every 100 grams of oats contain 7 grams of fat, which is 6 to 7 times more than rice, and the content of unsaturated fatty acids is significant, with linoleic acid reaching up to 3% of the seed's total weight.
3. **Vitamins and Dietary Fiber**: Every 100 grams of oats contain 10.6 mg of vitamin B, 1 mg of niacin, 69 mg of calcium, 392 mg of phosphorus, and 3.8 mg of iron. The content of vitamin E is also higher than that in rice and white flour. The soluble dietary fiber in oats is 10 to 15 times more than that in wheat.
4. **Phytochemicals and Antioxidants**: Phytochemicals, antioxidants, and soluble fibers can reduce the side effects caused by high-fat foods by clearing cholesterol and preventing vascular blockage. Like many plant-based foods, the phytochemicals and antioxidants in oats function similarly to vitamin E in many ways and can synergize with vitamin E to effectively protect the heart.
5. **Stabilizing Blood Sugar**: Although 100 grams of oats provide the same amount of calories as an equivalent amount of pork or lamb, after eating oatmeal, the starch does not immediately break down into glucose, thus not causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Therefore, people with diabetes can consume oats safely. (By Cao Xiaozhi)