Come, says Puss, without any more ado,
'tis time to go to breakfast; cats
don't live upon dialogues.
-L'Estrange
Readers of this blog know that oats aren't just for breakfast anymore. We eat them twice a week at dinner in Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie, which is a super food grand slam all by itself. But let's face it, oatmeal for breakfast is probably the best opportunity we have on a daily basis to get this important super food.
Oats are classified among the foods primarily responsible for providing soluble fiber to the body. Other common foods doing so include peas, beans (like pintos), barley, prune juice, plums, berries, bananas, apples, pears, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. The importance of soluble fiber, which is fiber which dissolves in water, is that unlike insoluble fiber, it ferments in the gut and produces short chain fatty acids which do a veritable host of important things for you.
Short chain fatty acids help control blood glucose levels, working on both the pancreas and the liver. They nourish the cells lining the colon walls. They suppress the synthesis of cholesterol and reduce levels of LDL and triglycerides. They increase the colon's acidity which in turn protects the lining from polyp formation while improving mineral absorption. Increased acidity also stimulates production of crucial elements of the immune protection system and improves the health of the colon's mucosal layer which helps inhibit inflammation and irritation.
As you can see, the health of your gut doesn't just make you happy in the toilet. It affects your over all health, touching on issues as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and compromised immunity generally. You can improve your odds against these by making soluble fiber a daily habit. And oatmeal for breakfast is a fast and easy way to start doing that. The basic recipe includes quick oats and oat bran, which can be supplemented from day to day to keep it interesting and boost the levels of optimum nutrition. To accomplish that I always add some kind of berry and an ounce of nuts, and often some cinnamon and a tablespoon of raw wheat germ and/or ground flaxseed meal. As listed, the ingredients in the recipe below provide about 15 grams of dietary fiber. Everyone needs 25 grams per day, men even more. Eating this sort of breakfast gets you well on your way each and every day.
If you have more time, use whole oats and simmer them on the stove for about six or seven minutes. For a really delicious form of oats, try the steel cut variety toasted in a cast iron pan in a little butter and then cooked in milk on the stove for about thirty minutes, stirring constantly. I buy my oats in all their forms in bulk at Apple Valley stores, and I buy organic if they've got them.
Fiber-Packed Morning Oats
.25 cup quick oats--2 grams dietary fiber
.25 cup oat bran--6 grams dietary fiber
1 cup water
dash of salt
stir into a bowl and microwave for about two minutes
then add:
.5 cup fresh blueberries (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)--2 grams dietary fiber
1 oz. (=.25 cup=30 grams) walnuts (or 1 oz. almonds)--2 grams dietary fiber
1 T raw wheat germ--1 gram dietary fiber
1 T ground flaxseed meal--2 grams dietary fiber
dash of cinnamon
sweetener if desired (I use Splenda)
stir and add a little water if necessary, and microwave if needed another minute or so
