And feed gut bacteria that can lower your risk of cancer and boost your mood<\/p>\n
Oats, like all plants, are also a source of prebiotic fibre that feeds essential healthy bacteria in our gut. \u201cThey are an easy way of getting prebiotic fibre in addition to fruit and vegetables,\u201d says Southern, who explains that \u201chealthy bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids [SCFAs] as waste products, which have many benefits, from reducing inflammation linked to an increased risk of some cancers, to sending signals to your brain, which might improve mood\u201d. A trial on 210 participants in the journal Frontiers in Immunology found consuming 80g of oats for 45 days \u201csignificantly increased\u201d the abundance of bacteria including Akkermansia muciniphila and Roseburia as well as increasing the availability of SCFAs.<\/p>\n
Eating oats lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes<\/p>\n
Oats, comprised of about 60 per cent carbohydrate, also contain resistant starch, \u201ca form of prebiotic fibre that passes through our gut undigested\u201d, Southern says. \u201cOur body finds it harder to break down than refined carbohydrates such as white flour, meaning we extract the sugar from oats more slowly, which leads to improved insulin sensitivity and more balanced blood sugar levels.\u201d A major review in the journal Nutrients found that higher oat intake was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes when the highest and lowest oat consumption groups were compared. Another study in Nutrients found resistant starch has anti-inflammatory effects that have \u201cthe potential to promote healthy ageing\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2022 One in five people are now at risk of diabetes. Are you among them?<\/a><\/p>\n Cooled oats \u2014 including flapjack \u2014 may have additional health benefits<\/p>\n Studies have shown levels of resistant starch increase when food is cooled after cooking because of a process called retrogradation, in which starch molecules change structure to a form more resistant to digestion. A meta-analysis of cereals including oats in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition found \u201ca significant decrease in starch digestibility\u201d after cooling \u2014 one reason that flapjack is a healthier sweet alternative than chocolate. \u201cThe cooking process probably increases resistant starch,\u201d Southern concedes. \u201cMore importantly, you can add seeds and nuts to flapjack to further improve the nutritional content while still treating yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Eating oats for breakfast instead of later in the day could lead to less fat storage<\/p>\n NATALIA GDOVSKAIA\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Why overnight oats are the ultimate healthy breakfast<\/p>\n While you can eat oats raw, \u201cconsuming them with liquid will help absorption and gut motility\u201d, says Southern, who recommends filling a third of a jam jar with oats, covering it with a layer of seeds, then filling the jar to two thirds full with milk or water before bed for easy overnight oats. \u201cIt takes two minutes and is easily transportable to take to work.\u201d She adds milk and chia, sesame and pumpkin seeds to hers and sprinkles it with cinnamon. Soaking, like cooking, reduces levels of compounds called phytates found in oats and other whole grains, which bind to minerals such as iron and zinc in the digestive tract, making them less easily absorbed from food. \u201cThis only really matters if your diet is not diverse but is useful to be aware of if you\u2019re pregnant, when iron deficiency is common,\u201d Southern says.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/4a172515-8e72-4e62-b5ad-3001b1b16521.jpg\")
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