Health – Instant Oatmeal

Everybody knows that oats are oats no matter what form they are in. This is true when it comes to nutrition. Whether the oats are instant, quick, regular or steel cut they all have the same nutrition. But there is something that changes when you choose to use the “instant” oatmeal. So what changes if the nutrition is the same?

In 1999, researchers at Boston’s Children’s Hospital [Boston, Massachusetts] experimented with teenage boys’ breakfasts. They fed them typical instant oatmeal and then tracked their snacking later in the day. As boys do, they dug into snacks a fair amount as the day went on. Then, the researchers repeated the experiment with one change: instead of instant oatmeal, they used the regular variety. Oatmeal is a very healthful food, rich in complex carbohydrates that, during the process of digestion, release natural sugars into the bloodstream for energy. When oatmeal is made “instant” the oats are chopped very finely. This not only makes it cook very quickly, but it also digests a bit too quickly, resulting in a rapid rise and fall of blood sugar and a fast return of appetite. Regular or “old-fashioned” oatmeal leaves the oats more or less intact, causing them to release their sugars into the bloodstream bit by bit, keeping the blood sugar steady and holding hunger at bay.

Researchers claim that oatmeal also makes an excellent breakfast for people who are trying to lose weight. Calorie for calorie, oatmeal wins out over sugary corn flakes by helping them feel more satisfied and full, therefore eating less as the day progresses. Ludwig DS, Majzoub JA, Al-Zahrani A, Dallal GE, Blanco I, Robert SB. High Glycemic Index, Overeating, and Obesity. Pediatrics. 1999; 103:656.

There you have it. A simple change in a simple food can make a big difference in keeping the blood sugar steady and keeping the snacking down. It seems that the more we refine our foods, the more our bodies react in ways that are not really normal. Instead of trying to quickly get breakfast on the table by buying the more refined grains, it would be much healthier for the body to take a few minutes longer and prepare the less refined grains so the body can be satisfied until the next meal.

Just as a side note, in Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss (Back to Eden Books, Lotus Press, P. O. Box 325, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin 53181, 580, 581), a story is told about oats: “The Great Northern Railroad had a very urgent piece of road to make. They hired a big crew of men and worked them fourteen hours a day. Instead of giving them ordinary water to drink, they gave them oatmeal water and the paper stated that not one man was laid off on account of sickness. It stated that never before had there been such a wonderful experience in the history of railroads.

“Oatmeal water should be more frequently used than it is. It is a very good medicine for the sick. To make oatmeal water, use the finely flaked oats and put two heaping teaspoonfuls in a pan with a quart of water. You can make it stronger or weaker to suit your taste. Put it on the stove and let it simmer for half-an-hour. Then beat it with a spoon or eggbeater and strain it through a fine sieve. This makes an excellent drink for anybody, especially the sick. If desired, you can add just a pinch of salt and a little soybean milk.

“Another recipe for making oatmeal water is: take a heaping tablespoonful of oatmeal to a quart of water and let it simmer for two or two and a half hours in a tightly covered pan, and then strain it. This makes a very refreshing, cooling drink after it is cooled off in the icebox.”

Oatmeal is very nourishing for the body whether instant, quick or regular. Just remember there are differences between instant oatmeal and old fashioned oatmeal and you need to choose the one best for your health and fits your lifestyle.