Master Plants Cookbook by Margarita Restrepo

Author:Margarita Restrepo
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780762460250
Publisher: Running Press
Published: 2016-07-29T16:00:00+00:00

OATS

AVENA SATIVA is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the name “oats” (usually in the plural, unlike other grains). While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed.

ANCIENT HISTORY

The modern oat draws its ancestry from the wild red oat, a plant originating in Asia. Before being consumed as a food, oats were used for medicinal purposes, a use for which they are still honored. In Europe, oats constituted an important commercial crop, since they were a dietary staple for the people of many countries, including Scotland, Great Britain, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries.

BENEFITS

•Oatmeal contains a special type of antioxidant called avenanthramide. Avenanthramides fight off free radicals that attack high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, which is known as the good cholesterol. They also protect LDL cholesterol from oxidizing from copper, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

•Avenanthramides not only protect against heart disease, they also prevent the arteries from hardening. Those antioxidants suppress the production of molecules that allow monocytes to adhere to the walls of the arteries. When paired with vitamin C, the cardiovascular benefits of oatmeal are enhanced; therefore, it is important to include oranges, kiwi, persimmon, or other Vitamin C–rich foods when eating oats.

•Children introduced earlier to oats are less likely to develop persistent asthma.

•Postmenopausal women should eat six servings of oatmeal or other whole grains on a weekly basis. Studies show that men can also reduce their risk of heart failure if they eat one bowl of whole grain cereal or oatmeal per day.

•Oatmeal is a good source of magnesium, which regulates the body’s insulin and glucose levels. Oatmeal also contains beta-glucan fiber, which protects against heart disease and revs up the immune system.

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