Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist, Blogger, Award Winning Author
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Super foods, the ultimate health food - Oats

Written by Catherine Saxelby on Thursday, 26 February 2009.
Tagged: ancient grains, breakfast, carbohydrates, diabetes, fibre, glycemic index, grains, health, low GI, nutrition, super foods

Super foods, the ultimate health food - Oats
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If you want to live to 100 and be in good shape, start eating more oats. It's the grain with everything - it's high in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that will keep your cholesterol down, it's got a lowish GI so will help you keep diabetes at bay, it's a good alternative if you can't eat wheat.

And it's so good for you - you can top up your B vitamins, especially thiamin and niacin, as well as minerals like phosphorus, potassium and magnesium (which helps steady the rhythm of the heart).

Oats - the champion grain

Oats are a winner amongst all grains. They're low GI, so their carbohydrate is slowly absorbed into your system, giving you energy for hours after eating. Their fibre is the soluble type of fibre that prevents breakdown products of cholesterol from re-entering the system via the intestine. The result is less cholesterol being made in the body.

Gluten-free (almost)

Oats are one of the few grains to be free of gluten (although most oat crops are often contaminated by stray wheat grains and so unsuitable for gluten-free diets). They carry small amounts of good fats, more than wheat or rice. And they're packed with nourishment, giving you B vitamins, vitamin E as well as protein and minerals. Finally they're easy to incorporate into family meals.

Nutrition stats

Per serve:

Half a cup cooked porridge oats (weighing 130g) supplies: 2g protein, 1g fat, no sugar, 11g starch, 1g dietary fibre and 260 kilojoules (62 Calories).

Per 100g cooked:

1 per cent protein, 1 per cent fat, 0 sugars, 8 per cent starch, 1 per cent dietary fibre and 200 kilojoules (48 Calories).

Types

You'll find this nutritious grains in many different forms but all have a similar nutrition profile. Here I've outlined these differences in descending order from least processed to more processed to help you make sense of them all.

Oat groats (whole oat grains)

Oats whole groatsOat groats are the result of simply harvesting oats, cleaning them and removing their inedible outer hulls. They take the longest to cook. These are the least processed of all oat foods. Note: a groat is just another term for a grain kernel.

 

 

Steel cut oats (Scotch, Scottish, Irish or pinhead oats)

Oats steel cutSteel cut oats start out as whole oat groats and then are chopped into two or three chunks by a steel blade. They look like a lighter form of bulgur wheat - broken grains that have been cut up to allow water to penetrate which speeds up the cooking. They take a long 30 to 40 minutes to cook depending on how chewy you like your porridge. But if you soak them overnight, they cook up in only 5 minutes. GI of 52.

Scottish oatmeal

Instead of cutting oats with a steel chopper, the Scots traditionally stone-grind them, creating broken bits of varying sizes, which some say results in a creamier porridge than steel-cutting. Haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is a large sausage made of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep or lamb, mixed with oats and suet and seasoned with onion, herbs and spices.

Rolled

Due to their natural fat which can go rancid, oats are generally heat-treated and rolled for longer storage. This also helps them cook more quickly. Rolled oats come in three forms:

1. Traditional rolled oats (old fashioned or jumbo)

Oats regularThese are whole oat grains that have been steamed for a few minutes, thus partially cooking them, then passed between rollers to flatten them out. These thicker oats take 20 to 30 minutes to cook depending on how chewy you like your porridge. Rolled oats also are used to make biscuits (such as the famous Anzac biscuit), crumble toppings and puddings. GI of 57-60.

2. Quick-cook rolled oats

Oats quickQuick cooking rolled oats look and taste the same as traditional oats. But they're cut into small pieces before being steamed and flattened thinly, so they cook quicker in 5 to 7 minutes. Quick cook oats have a higher Glycemic Index as their starch has been processed so are not as long-lasting for you as the traditional type. GI of 65.

 

3. Instant oats

Oats instantInstant oats are rolled oats that have been pre-cooked then dehydrated. They take processing to the final step and require no cooking, just heating for a couple of minutes in the microwave oven or by mixing with hot water. These kind of oats are not suitable for baking because they will turn into mush. GI of 66.

 

Whatever you use, finish off your cooked oats with a light sprinkle of brown sugar or honey with some milk. As a healthier alternative, you can throw in a handful of sultanas or raisins toward the end of cooking or peel and dice a small red or green apple at the start and add to the oats when you add the water or milk. The fruit softens and cooks whilst you're cooking the oats.

Oatmeal or oat flour

Oats oat flourThese are oat groats that have been milled coarsely or finally in to oatmeal (a whole grain) or oat flour (bran and germ removed). It adds a pleasant creamy moist texture to slices and biscuits when mixed in with wheaten flour(about 25 per cent oats to 75 per cent wheat) but alone makes a poor loaf because of it lacks gluten. Oatmeal is nice to thicken up soups and slow-cooked dishes.

Muesli or granola

Muesli is made up of around 50 per cent rolled oats, which is usually uncooked but sometimes is toasted in an oven before the nuts, seeds and dried fruit are added. Muesli bars have only 25 per cent oats. GI of 40-52.

Oat bran

Oats Oat branOat bran is the outer bran layers milled from the oat grain. It hit the headlines back in the 1990s as a treatment for lowering high cholesterol and was popular at the time as an addition to sprinkle over your cereal or cook up in a type of porridge. It is very high in soluble fibre as it's concentrated but it is much more pleasant to eat than wheat bran which tastes dry and flakey. GI of 50.

Figures from low GI Shoppers Guide book and the GI database on www.glycemicindex.com

Easy ways to enjoy oats

  • Make porridge oats your wintertime breakfast. Add finely-sliced pear or a handful of sultanas halfway through cooking. I like to grate a small apple (with the skin) and add that halfway through for a nice change. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon instead of sugar.
  • Make your own natural muesli by mixing together 2 cups rolled oats with 1/2 cup each of pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds and sultanas. Toss in 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots or dried apples or sultanas or another fruit you like.  
  • Sprinkle oats over home-made muffins and banana bread.
  • Substitute 1/3 of the flour in any cake recipe for oats.
  • Bake an oaty crumble topping over stewed apple or apricots. Mix equal quantities of oats and self-raising flour and rub in butter or margarine with the fingertips. See if my Apple and Rhubarb crumble hits the spot.
  • Try my Bircher Muesli where you soak oats overnight then mix in with fruit in the morning for a filling substantial breakfast.

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Reviews

  • Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.

    I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:

    • from Italian (Italy grows the reddest full-flavoured tomatoes) to Australian
    • per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 3½ ounces (the standard for comparing food products)
    • by serving size (varies between brands but is generally 100–175 g in size)
    • by ingredient list, jar size and where made (with each product’s website as the source)

    The bottom line

    When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!

    Read more
  • Product Review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.

    You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.

     

  • Product snapshot: Khorasan Macaroni

    Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni

    14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …

  • Product Review: super-high-oleic-safflower-oil

    Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil

    11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    “What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask.  Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.

  • Product Review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.

    After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.

  • Product review: Lite n' Easy

    Product review: Lite n' Easy

    20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.  

     

  • Product review:  Birds Eye Plant Based range

    Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range

    15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Birds Eye. 

Healthy Weight Loss

  • Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?

    Read more
  • The lifestyle diet craze

    The lifestyle diet craze

    15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?

  • Protein shakes for weight loss

    Protein shakes for weight loss

    9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.

    Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to beat those cravings

    20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet

    14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.

  • What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.

    This post is sponsored by Chefgood 

  • Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

     “This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?