Benefits of Oatmeal

Chandi Schwab
Oatmeal is one of my favorites, I eat it all different ways but my favorite is with nice cold skim milk and peaches or bananas on top.I also love it with Cinnamon and honey. I eat oatmeal almost every day and love the fact that it is so satisfying.I feel full and I don't ever have a stomach ache after I eat it. It gives me great energy as well. Check out some more reasons why oatmeal is a good food to have in your pantry.

1.Lower blood cholesterol: Oatmeal contains a soluble fiber known as betaglucan, and betaglucan helps to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood stream. The way this works is the oatmeal sort of gathers the bad cholesterol to itself while traveling through the body, then takes the bad cholesterol with it as it exits. Just a bowl of oatmeal a day can help your body.
2.Losing weight: That fiber in oatmeal also helps with weight loss. The oatmeal makes your stomach feel full, and the oatmeal itself normally only has about 150 calories per half cup. And, of course, the extra fiber intake allows your body to more easily pass along food.
3.Energy: Oatmeal has a good number of carbohydrates, and while in some circles carbs have become a dirty word for those who are dieting, you body needs carbs to keep up its energy levels. That’s where oatmeal can come in handy. Low fat and relatively low calorie, a single bowl of oatmeal can help to boost your energy levels (very important in the morning) while not loading your body with fat. Just don’t over do it and eat nothing but tons of oatmeal, because those carbs will add body weight eventually.
4.Fighting cancer: Oatmeal is no cure for cancer, because a cure has yet to be discovered, but oatmeal does contain plenty of insoluble fiber which helps the body to fight against bile acids, and their toxicity, which helps to lower the risks of cancer. At least according to the American Cancer Society.
5.Memory: Oatmeal has plenty of vitamin B, which is important for the brain and nervous system to function properly. Help keep your mental faculties alert and active by having a little oatmeal each day.
6.Dry skin: Have dry, itchy skin? Applying an oatmeal pack or mask can help. The natural, lubricating fats in oats allow oatmeal to be a great moisturizer and can leave a thin layer of protection on the skin. How to make an oatmeal mask? Ground up some oatmeal in a coffee grinder until it’s quite fine. Mix in a bowl with warm water and honey, then let that sit for five minutes. Wash your face, and while it’s still slightly damp, rub your oatmeal mixture onto your skin. Leave it on for ten minutes, then wash off with water. Easy!
7.Acne: Since oatmeal is good for dry skin, it’s also good for acne and cleaning the skin. Cook up some oatmeal, let it cool, then apply and let it sit for about ten minutes. It’s really that simple. And oatmeal and a little water are much cheaper than many of the face cleansers on the market.
8.Neurodermatitis: In case you don’t know, neurodermatitis is a skin disease that can leave one with itchy, sometimes inflamed skin. Oatmeal baths are supposed to be good for relief of neurodermatitis, which makes sense because oatmeal is good for dry skin. But don’t just take my word for it. Ask your doctor. And no, oatmeal baths aren’t just a giant bowl of oatmeal; it’s a regular bath with a bag of oatmeal dumped into it. Again, ask your doctor for advice and directions.
9.Hair: Yep, oatmeal is good for the hair. Don’t believe me? Mix up some oatmeal, then apply it to your hair while in the shower. Rub it in just as you would a shampoo, then let it sit for a minute or so. Wash it out completely, dry your hair, and then feel your hair. I’d bet your hair will feel soft and strong, and it’ll be clean, too. Lots of shampoos have oatmeal in them.
10.Colon cleaner: Ooo, gross! But cleaning the colon helps the body in many ways, including reducing the risk of cancer. Remember all that high fiber content in oatmeal? Well, it’s also good for helping to keep the colon clean by forcing along food particles out of the system. I know, you don’t like thinking about it too much, but it can improve your health.




Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (with Honey)

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients

•1 cup whole wheat flour (a pinch more depending on the moisture of the mix)
•1 1/2 cups of Large Flake Rolled Oats (smaller flake is ok too)
•1/2 tsp baking soda
•1/2 tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp salt
•1 Tbsp Cinnamon (I actually use about 3 Tbsp--got to love cinnamon)
•1/2 tsp Nutmeg (optional)

Wet ingredients

•1/2 cup honey
•1/2 cup oil (corn, grapeseed or olive) * you can also use some applesauce to replace some of the oil if you wish*
•1 Tablespoon Molasses
•1 egg (beat with 1 Tbsp Water)
•1 tsp Vanilla
(Add in craisins, dark chocolate chips, raisins,or nuts, if you desire)

Preparation:
1.In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.
2.In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together. Hint: when measuring out the honey, spray the measuring cup with oil or baking spray--your honey won't stick).
3.Mix the wet stuff with the dry stuff. Add the raisins and walnuts and mix. If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit of flour. If it isn't binding together very well, you may wish to add an egg white.
4.COOL the mix for 20 minutes in the fridge.
5.Preheat the oven to 335 degrees (lower temperature due to the honey in the recipe which will burn more easily).
6.Drop by teaspoonfuls onto your baking sheet (I recommend lining the baking sheet with parchment paper). Press down with a fork to ensure even cooking.
7.Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until golden on the bottom of the cookie. The cookies freeze very well and make a great snack! Enjoy.