Does oatmeal help you lose weight?

By Steve Cohen
  • Oatmeal can assist with weight loss because it contains soluble fiber, keeping you feeling fuller. 

 

  • Steel-cut or rolled oats are the most nutritious and filling oatmeal to add to your diet. 

 

  • Avoid processed or instant oatmeal, and don’t add too much sugar to your oats for the most health benefits. 

 

Oat-based meals are popular in many countries worldwide and benefit weight loss due to a healthy combination of fiber, complex carbs, and protein. Oatmeal is rich in nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol and lead to improved gut health. 

Because oats decrease your sugar spikes and decrease your insulin, they make you feel full, so you stop eating. But not all types of oatmeal are equal. 

There are various types of oatmeal, including steel-cut or Irish oats, Scottish oats, rolled or old-fashioned oats, and quick or instant oats. If you were searching for the least processed forms, steel-cut and rolled oats are your best bet and also identified as the healthiest.

Here are the benefits of eating oatmeal regarding weight maintenance: 

 

Weight loss benefits of oatmeal 

 

Oatmeal comprises a healthy combination of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and plant-based protein, making it valuable for weight loss. A half-cup of dry Old Fashion Oats has 150 calories, three grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, five grams of protein, and one gram of naturally occurring sugar. It contains four grams of dietary fiber with two grams of soluble fiber. 

Oatmeal keeps you full and helps regulate bowel movements:  Dietary fiber, specifically soluble fiber, softens stools, making them easier to pass. It also regulates your hunger by producing a feeling of fullness.

Oatmeal helps your blood sugar from spiking: One benefit of rolled oats is it qualifies as a low glycemic index food. The glycemic index (GI) ranks foods based on how much they increase blood sugar. Consequently, a low GI indicates that oatmeal keeps your blood sugar from going too high during and after meals, which may assist you in managing your hunger longer. Increased blood sugars can also trigger fatigue and headaches.

Maintaining your blood sugar in a healthy area, especially if you are diagnosed with diabetes, may inhibit long-term health problems such as heart disease. The glycemic index of rolled oats is approximately 55, which, in comparison, is about 25 points less than whole wheat bread.

Oatmeal helps control insulin: As your blood sugar levels increase, your pancreas makes insulin, which helps cells absorb glucose. Foods with a low glycemic index, such as oats, are digested more slowly, which produces a gradual rise in blood sugar. Insulin allows cells to absorb blood sugar which the body converts to the fat. Low insulin levels are associated with weight loss.    

Oatmeal may help improve your immune system: One type of soluble fiber, beta-glucan, is found in oats and helps trigger your infection-fighting blood cells. Staying healthy allows you to be active. Keep a regular exercise schedule to lose or maintain weight.

Set yourself up for continued success. Focus on your positives will help you accelerate your weight-management plan.

Posted in Weight