If you’ve recently scrapped all grains from your diet in an effort to go “low-carb,” you’re not alone. In our microbiome research here at CG we’re finding that loads of people have done just that – with disastrous results for their microbiomes.
Remember, your gut bugs eat fibre. And fibre comes from carbohydrates. Not just any carbohydrates – highly-processed simple carbs are still to be avoided. But complex carbs, like the ones we get from whole grains and pulses, are absolutely critical to the health of your gut bugs.
So, which carbs are good carbs?
Allow us to re-introduce you to old-fashioned, trusty, reliable oats!
Despite a reputation for blandness, oats are anything but boring. Both low-GI and naturally gluten-free, oats are a nutrient-dense, versatile whole grain that provides the foundation for your gut health journey.
Oats are one of the five ‘good grains’ we advocate for gut health here at Chuckling Goat. To read more about the other “good grains,” check out this blog post: What you should be eating every day instead of bread, rice, pasta or potatoes!
But what makes oats so special? Well..
5 ways oats can help improve your health
Research shows that oats can help you –
- Reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5810204/
- Regulate your blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity2https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-021-00875-9
- Reduce inflammation3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146107/
- Increase satiety and aid weight loss4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146107/
- Reduce constipation and improve your gut health 5https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/
Oats and your GUT health
Oats are a rich source of beta-glucans, a type of soluble fibre, that nourishes and promotes the growth of your good gut bacteria.6https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/ and can help reduce symptoms like constipation by improving gastrointestinal motility7https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/what-are-the-differences-between-starch-fiber-sugar-12534877.html.
The resistant starch found in oats is also fermented by your gut bugs to produce butyrate, a short-chain-fatty-acid that helps reduce inflammation!8https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140804100346.htm.
We know that your gut microbiome is closely linked to the health of your skin, hair, bones, hormones, immune system, endocrine system and so much more! Oats nourish your gut bugs = your gut bugs nourish you!
The benefits don’t stop here! As well as those gut-loving carbohydrates we’ve already mentioned, oats contain a rich variety of nutrients. 100g – just under 1 cup – of oats will provide you with 10.1g of fibre – 33% of your recommended daily intake – as well as 13g of protein, 6.5g of fat, 52mg of calcium, 4.25mg of iron, 138mg of magnesium.. the list goes on!9https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173904/nutrients
With 100g of oats also providing you with 15-20% of your recommended daily energy intake (379kcal / 1590 kJ), why not show your gut bugs some love and start your day with some energy-boosting, gut-loving oats, after all – happy gut bugs equal a happy you!
References
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