What Is Oat Bran?
Oat bran is the fine film that covers the whole grain. It is highly nutritious and as many health giving benefits. It is obtained by grinding the oats and sifting them. The end result is rich in Beta-glucans and contians up to 16% dietary fibre. Oat bran is in the whole grain but it can be purchased seperately and made in to a hot cereal or used for other purposes.
What Are the Health Benefits Of Oat Bran?
Many health benefits can be associated to the consumption of oat bran. Oat is a poplar breakfast cereal already in health concious groups but oat bran is not very popular.
One of the most important benefit of oat bran is it's high content of fibre. Fibre has many benefits to gut health keeping us regular and removing toxins from the body. This fibre is high in beta-glucan that binds to bile acids lowering cholesterol supporting a healthy cardiovascular system.
A small bowl of porridge made using 40 gr of oat bran will give you 4.8 gr of fibre boosting your overal dietray fibre intake that is more then 10% of the governement recommendations of 30 gr of fibre per day!
One third of the fibre is soluble fibre that binds in the stomach makeing you feel fuller and reducing the absorption of fats and sugars from the meal.
Soluble fibre also holds more water in the stools making them bulkier and easier to pass reducing constipation related inflammation in the body by keeping you regular.
It is a beneficial food for people with type 2 diabetes as it has slow release carbohydrates that does not negatively impact blood sugar levels.
Consumption of oat bran feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut that fement to fibres producing shor chain fatty acids such as Buteric, acetic and propionic acids that feed the coloncytes improving gut health.
Nutrients In Oat Bran
Oat bran has a rich nutritonal profile it contains good levels of B vitamins, and is a vegetarian source of choline. It is rich in magnesium providing 230mg per 100 grms. It is rich in mangenese, and contains phosphorus, iron and selenium.
How To Add Oat Bran To Your Diet?
You can cook it in to a porridge with water or your favourite milk.
Cook as a congee with broth and add vegetables and seasoning.
Add to cakes, biscuits and breads to increase their fibre content.
Use as a binder in meatballs and sausages.
Use as a stuffing instead of breadcrumbs.
Use oat bran as a coating for fried food such as fish or chicken.
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