Should you eat oats every day? Know all about its side effects and benefits (2024)

FAQs

Should you eat oats every day? Know all about its side effects and benefits? ›

Oats contain fiber. Eating a diet high in fiber, such as 3.6 grams of oats daily, reduces the risk for heart disease. High cholesterol. Eating oats, oat bran, and other soluble fibers can somewhat reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol when consumed as part of a diet low in saturated fat.

Oatmeal is likely safe for most people, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, when consumed as food. However, it may cause gas and bloating in some.

Foods with a high glycemic index cause more rapid spikes in blood sugar, while foods lower on the glycemic index provide a slower release of energy and can help stabilize blood sugar ( 11 ). For this reason, steel-cut or rolled oats may be the best choice to support better blood sugar control.

Blood sugar spikes

Oats, despite being a complex carbohydrate, can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, especially when consumed in large quantities.

Their results have outlined that oats are a valuable source of nutrients without gut inflammation, but other aspects, such as noninflammatory associated symptoms and the benefits of modulating the gut microbiome, have not been studied.

For many people with diabetes, consuming oatmeal doesn't have a lot of cons. Eating oatmeal can spike blood sugar levels if you choose instant oatmeal with added sugar or consume too much at once. Oatmeal may negatively affect health in those with gastroparesis, a health condition that causes delayed gastric emptying.

To follow this 7-day diet, people start off with eating just oatmeal for all three meals of the day for the first two days, followed by eating oatmeal for at least two meals of the day for the next two days. Finally, dieters consume oatmeal for just one meal of the day for the remaining three days.

Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.

Many people with celiac disease are told to avoid eating oats because they might be contaminated with wheat, rye, or barley, which contain gluten. But in people who haven't had any symptoms for at least 6 months, eating moderate amounts of pure, non-contaminated oats seems to be safe.

Does oatmeal clog your gut? ›

Oats are high in dietary fiber, so eating oatmeal may help someone prevent or manage constipation or difficulty with passing stool. A person who has fewer than three bowel movements per week may have constipation.

Nuts and seeds can be a great grain-free substitute for oatmeal if you're following a paleo diet. In addition to being rich in heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein, foods like almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and pecans are all high in plenty of essential vitamins and minerals ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ).

There is no particular time to eat oats. You can consume the oats at lunch and dinner too. This cereal, however, is consumed in breakfast mostly. It contains fiber, magnesium, complex carbohydrates, etc, which help in keeping your tummy full for a longer time, thus, reducing overeating.

The healthiest breakfast foods include a protein, healthy fat and source of carbohydrates, according to Smolen. For a healthy breakfast, consider eating foods like oatmeal with nut butter, avocado toast with an egg, chia seed pudding or a greek yogurt parfait with nuts and berries.

There is no exact number of oatmeal servings that is considered too much for a healthy person. If you have chronic medical conditions that are affected by your diet, you may want to check with your medical provider on how much oatmeal is a good amount for you.