Weight Loss Help: Top 10 Superfoods - #1 Oats

Finally, my number one selection... Oats! I selected oats as the top superfood for two reasons. First, they provide a ridiculous amount of health benefits and, second, they are one of the most inexpensive foods available. If you buy oats in bulk, you can actually spend $.07 per 100 calories. Not only that, but oats are incredibly versatile. You can use them to make oatmeal, to thicken soups and my personal favorite, to blend into a smoothie. The reason why I love blending oats into a smoothie, is because oats are at their highest nutrition value when they are raw. Putting them in a smoothie allows me the opportunity to get the most nutrition out of my oats in a quick manner. The best part is, when combined with a ton of fruit and yogurt, you can barely even tell that the oats are there!

Oats have been cultivated for over 2000 years. They are thought to have come from the wild red oat plant, which originated in Asia. Oats were originally used for medicinal purposes. In the early 17th century, Scottish settlers introduced oats to Northern America. One of the main reasons oats are so cheap, is because they, unlike most plants, can thrive in poor soil conditions.

If you are thinking of starting a weight loss diet, you really need to consider adding oats to your grocery list. They present a wide range of health promoting factors that will help you improve your personal health and lose some weight in the process. Not only that, but they are more than affordable. Oats are an extraordinary superfood, start eating them today!

In 1997, the FDA decided that any food containing a sufficient amount of oats, could display a label on it's container that stated the food's ability to help in reducing the risk of a person developing heart disease. This statement further solidified the nutritious capabilities that oats possessed.

One of the biggest reasons why oats are considered so healthy is their fiber content. We've talked a ton about fiber throughout this series. Therefore, it shouldn't surprise anyone that the number one superfood on this list would be a fiber-rich food. Oats contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan. This fiber is crucial to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. In fact, the FDA's main reasoning behind placing the heart healthy label on oat-related foods, was because oats cholesterol-lowering properties.

Just three grams of beta-glucan fiber, or soluble fiber, per day has been proven to help people with high cholesterol levels. In one study, people with a cholesterol level above 200mg/dl who consumed three grams of soluble fiber from oats each day, on average, lowered their cholesterol levels anywhere from 8-23%. This is incredible when you consider that each one-percent a person drops their cholesterol level is equal to a two-percent decrease in his or her risk of developing heart disease. Not only should you eat fiber, but you should eat plenty of it! For recommended daily fiber intake, check the chart found in this series' opening page.

If you've been reading along with this series, then you already know that the fiber found in oats will not only reduce your risk of developing heart disease, but will also help you lose weight. Fiber content is a key ingredient in weight loss. Meals that contain a good amount of fiber will make you feel fuller more quickly and leave you satisfied for much longer. This allows you to eat less food throughout the day, which, in turn, helps you cut calories and shed unnecessary weight.

Research has suggested that the regular consumption of whole grains, like oats, can greatly reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In one study conducted on 41,186 African American women over the course of eight years, it was shown that the risk of Type 2 diabetes was 31% lower amongst those who ate whole grains on a regular basis. This is because whole grains, like oats, are a rich source of magnesium. In the study, it was also concluded that 19% of the reduction in risk of Type 2 diabetes was contributed solely to the magnesium levels in the whole grains!

Recently, it was discovered that oats are a very good source of antioxidants. Dr. Rui Hai Liu and his colleagues at Cornell University concluded that oats and other whole grains, contain similar amounts of antioxidants and phytonutrients when compared with fruits and vegetables. Dr. Liu discovered that the process of discovering antioxidants in foods was flawed and discovered that foods like oats were being overlooked when it came to antioxidant levels. Oats contain the antioxidant, selenium. Selenium works with vitamin E and can help maintain asthma symptoms and further aid in heart disease prevention. Also, selenium is involved in DNA repair and associated with the reduction in risk for developing cancer.

As you can see, the list of health benefits that come with eating oats is enormous. I advise anyone looking for a powerful way to boost their weight loss goals to add oats to their diet. They're incredibly nutritious, cheap and can be used in a ton of different ways. You should definitely start eating more oats today.

When shopping for oats, I recommend buying in bulk. As discussed in this article, oats can be incredibly cheap when bought in bulk. There are a ton of places online that you can buy food in bulk, or you can go to your local whole foods grocer and check their bulk bins aisle.

Oats can generally last a long time if stored properly. It is recommended that you store them in a sealed plastic container at a temperature of no more than 75 degrees.

This oats recipe is from AlejandraGomez at allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup oats
• 5 large tomatoes, halved and sliced
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cups water, divided
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Pour in the olive oil, and let it heat up. Add the oats; cook and stir until toasted.
2. In a blender or large food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 cup of water, and cilantro. Blend until smooth. Pour into the pan with the toasted oats. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Mix in the salt and chicken bouillon. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Enjoy hot or warm.

This meal serves four and can be ready to eat in 25 minutes.