by One of the recommendations to reduce blood glucose levels is to consume more fiber. For this, there is a food that meets all the requirements: oats.
Oatmeal is one of many people’s favorite cereals because it is easy to prepare, inexpensive, and can be eaten at any time of the day. Besides, one of the health benefits is that it can lower blood sugar levels. Oats do not contain gluten, which is why it is a cereal that is well tolerated by most people with celiac disease.
For its content in fiber and phytochemicals, helps in the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, blood pressure regulation, weight control and gastrointestinal health.
Oats Nutrition Facts
According to the Spanish Nutrition Federation, oats contain the following nutritional data:
- Energy: 361 calories
- Proteins: 11.7 grams
- Fiber: 5.6 grams
- Calcium: 79.6 grams
- Iron: 5.8 grams
- Magnesium: 129 milligrams
- Zinc: 4.5 grams
- Sodium: 8.4 grams
- Potassium: 355 milligrams
- Match: 400 milligrams
- Thiamine: 0.52 milligrams
- Riboflavin: 0.14 milligrams
- Vitamin B6: 0.96 milligrams
- Vitamin E: 2 milligrams
How to prepare oatmeal for diabetics?
There are some special recipes for diabetics, which can be prepared as follows:
1. Oatmeal and fruit porridge
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole oat flakes
- 1 cup skim milk
- ½ apple cut into slices
- ½ banana cut into slices
- ¼ cup of washed and disinfected blackberries
Preparation
- In a small saucepan, add the oat flakes along with the milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the oats have a creamy texture.
- Once ready, transfer the oats to a bowl and decorate with apple slices, banana slices and blackberries to taste.
2. Oat porridge with walnuts and almonds
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flakes
- 2 cups of water
- ½ cup almond drink
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped almonds
Preparation
- In a small pot add the flakes along with the water and cook over medium heat (while stirring) for a few minutes until the oats are hydrated.
- Then add the oat drink, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and mix again until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Remove the oats from the heat and serve in a bowl and add the pieces of nuts.
3. Oatmeal, apple and cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flakes
- 2 ½ cups of vegetable drink
- 1 apple cut into cubes
- Cinnamon powder
- Walnuts
Preparation
- In a small saucepan add the oat flakes along with the milk and cook over medium heat until the oats are cooked and have a thick texture, do not forget to stir the mixture during the process.
- Then add cinnamon to taste and apple pieces. Mix again until the ingredients are integrated.
- Remove the oats from the heat, serve in a bowl, sprinkle some more cinnamon and garnish with some nuts.
How to lower glucose quickly?
Oatmeal is a food associated with benefits for people with diabetes, since it is a food rich in a type of fiber called beta-glucans.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO, “beta-glucans could help control blood glucose at physiological levels, so they recommend eating oats.”
Although the exact mechanisms by which this happens are not so clear, “It is believed that they could be due to a delay in gastric emptying, retention of carbohydrates in the fiber matrix and an increase in the time of insulin release”explains the organization.
In summary, the FAO indicates that oats can help diabetics in different ways, since it lowers fasting glucose, improves insulin sensitivity and reduces the concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, of interest in prediabetes situations.
