Oats: composition, benefits, properties

As one of the oldest crops, oats are of great value in the food industry and human culture. It also occupies an equally important position in medicine and animal husbandry as a nutritious feed for livestock. For women and girls who care about their health, oats are well-known as an excellent tool for maintaining natural beauty.

Oats and their composition

As a culture, oats began to be cultivated 4 thousand years ago in Mongolia and the northeastern provinces of China. Being a relatively unpretentious plant, it quickly became widespread and formed the basis of nutrition not only in Asian states but also in European and Eastern ones.

Despite the historical origin, the largest producers of oats today are Russia, Canada, Australia, the USA, Poland, and Spain.

The high nutritional value of grain crops has served well in the difficult years of the development of many states, so today, the level of attention to it remains the same. No wonder grandmothers remind their grandchildren that oatmeal helps them grow big and strong.

Meanwhile, the composition of oats is really impressive. About 10 grams of fiber per 100 grams of the product immediately put this culture on par with dietary ones. A large number of useful carbohydrates and proteins in the composition of oats confirms this fact. But this is only the beginning. The culture’s main wealth consists of its potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium content. Sodium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium are added to them.

Of particular importance in the composition of oats is the presence of B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin B6. A nice addition will be vitamin E and many vital amino acids. Most of all, leucine, arginine, phenylalanine, and valine are in oats.

Medicinal properties of oats and their use

Oats are widely used in various spheres of human existence. Food production and cooking are key. This grain crop is the basis for producing “oatmeal” cereals, special oatmeal, and oatmeal. Each of these products is used to make various dishes – oatmeal, jelly, bread, cookies, unusual but very healthy, oat coffee, muesli, and even oat milk, famous for its nutritional value and healing effect. On holidays, oats delight us with oat beer and rich kvass.

Oat grain is also actively used to manufacture concentrated animal feed, widely used in agriculture.

Oats are of great importance in medicine. Especially characteristic of this culture is such medicinal properties as healing, relieving inflammation, reducing allergic reactions, reducing the intensity of pain, as well as manifestations of harmful addictions. Oat extracts, medicines, and collections based on this culture help cleanse and get rid of toxins. Therefore, they are often used as an additional therapy for severe diseases of the liver, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract.

The benefits of oats

Oatmeal is one of the most hypoallergenic. This status makes it a staple in baby food. Porridges, oatmeal soups, jelly, and oatmeal cookies – all benefit the children’s stomach and intestines, strengthening them and increasing the overall level of immunity. The list of nutrients found in oats contributes to the steady growth and development of the child. However, for adults, the use of this cereal crop does not pass without a trace.

The amino acids and antioxidants contained in oats are involved in healing and renewing cellular structures; therefore, use is important to maintain the body’s ability to regenerate actively. The strength of immunity increases along with this, not allowing a person to become limp during seasonal exacerbations of infectious diseases. To help your body, eating oatmeal or drinking oatmeal jelly at least once every three days is enough.

For people suffering from constant ailments in the gastrointestinal tract, oat products will do a good job. Coarse-grinding porridge will relieve constipation and improve digestion. Well-ground cereals in liquid porridge or oatmeal jelly will help strengthen the walls of the stomach, heal incipient ulcers and relieve heartburn.

Oat products are widely used for the treatment of viral hepatitis, in the correction of iron deficiency anemia, and in pulmonary tuberculosis.

The property of oats to regulate blood sugar levels makes it an additional therapy in treating people with diabetes. The diet of patients includes infusions of unrefined grains. And for children with diathesis, they prepare kulesh – oatmeal soup.

The benefits of oats when it comes to cleansing the body are undeniable. At the same time, the matter does not end with the release of the intestines – the blood also becomes cleaner. The production of “good” cholesterol is normalized, blocking the deposits of “bad,” which leads to the strengthening of blood vessels, reducing the risk of plaque and blood clots.

Regular consumption of oatmeal products can significantly reduce weight and stabilize digestive processes. Despite this, you can also increase your appetite.

Oat mask, cosmetic use

Oat products are great for cosmetic purposes. They are especially good for teenage, oily skin prone to rashes and acne. Oat extracts and infusions nourish adult skin with vitamins and minerals, tightening and protecting against environmental influences, including solar radiation.

At home, you can make a simple mask of oatmeal. For nutrition, it is best to use raw materials crushed in a blender mixed with honey or sour cream. If you need an extra scrubbing effect, it is best to use coarse oatmeal for the mask. On the face, these products should be kept for about 15-25 minutes, after which they should be washed off with warm water and washed with your usual means, but not with soap.

For cosmetic purposes, oatmeal is also used as a full-body scrub. Infusions on the grains of this culture are well suited for compressing, relieving pain and irritation, and tightening the skin, enriching it with vitamins and minerals.

Oatmeal diet

Due to the dietary properties of oats, it is often used not only in a therapeutic diet but also as a method of emergency weight loss. A week on oatmeal can reduce weight by 2-3 kg, and sometimes more, but you need to proceed with caution, as excessive enthusiasm can lead to indigestion, heartburn, and diarrhea.

Starting an oatmeal diet, ensure you do not have an acute gastrointestinal tract, liver, or kidney diseases. Do not start it if you feel weak and unwell with a high temperature. It is best to use oatmeal soup or liquid porridge, as well as jelly – this has a beneficial effect on the stomach, gently cleanses the intestines, and does not cause discomfort in the stomach. The duration of such a diet should be at most a week.