Oats
Oats, formally named 'Avena Sativa', is a type of cereal grain from the 'Poaceae' grass family of plants. The grain refers specifically to the edible seeds of oat grass.
Oats contain diverse essential nutrients. In a 100 gram serving, oats provides 389 kilocalories (1630 kJ) and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) )of protein (34% DV), dietary fiber (44% DV), several B vitamins and numerous dietary minerals, especially manganese (233% DV). Oats are 66% carbohydrates, including 11% dietary fiber and 4% beta-glucans, 7% fat and 17% protein.
Health Benefits:
Oats contain several components that have been proposed to exert health benefits. The primary type of soluble fibre in oats is beta-glucan, which has been researched to help slow digestion, increase satiety and suppress appetite. Beta-glucan can bind with cholesterol-rich bile acids in the intestine and transport them through the digestive tract and eventually out of the body. Whole oats also contain plant chemicals called phenolic compounds and phytoestrogens that act as antioxidants to reduce the damaging effects of chronic inflammation that is associated with various diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.