Benefit of Oats

The common oat (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other grains). While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed. Oats make up a large part of the diet of horses and are regularly fed to cattle as well. Oats are also used in some brands of dog and chicken feed.

Probably the oldest known oat grains were found in Egypt among remains of the 12th Dynasty, which was about 2,000 B.C. These probably were weeds and not actually cultivated by the Egyptians. The oldest known cultivated oats were found in caves in Switzerland that are believed to belong to the Bronze Age.(1)

Oats are chiefly a European and North American crop. These areas have the cool, moist climate to which oats are best adapted. Russia, Canada, the United States, Finland, and Poland are the leading oat producing countries. Oats are adapted to a wide range of soil types, thus temperature and moisture conditions are the usual limiting factors as to where oats are grown. Perhaps no other country uses oats as much in their cropping system as does Scotland. Some winter oats are produced in the United States, but most are spring oats produced mainly in the north central states.(1)

Benefits of oats:

Oats are a common breakfast dish and are an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber and thiamin. They also contain antioxidants that are believed to protect the circulatory system from diseases such as arteriosclerosis, which affects the arterial blood vessel.

There are many variations of oats, and each one characterized according to the way in which they have been processed. Steel cut oats are whole, crushed grains of oat, which has been cut into smaller pieces. Steel cut oats are less processed and have a nuttier flavor. They are also commonly referred to as coarse-cut oats, Irish or Scotch oats.

One hundred grams of dry, rolled oats contain about 380 calories, 67 grams of carbohydrates, 16 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat. They also contain 0.7 milligrams of thiamin, 0.7 milligrams of vitamin E, 4 milligrams of iron and 474 milligrams of phosphorous.(2)

Oats also is great for nervous system as it has large amount of Vitamin B complex. it is also high in calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Tips on eating Oats (3)

1. Eating oat regularly will lower your blood cholesterol level

2. Buy and eat oats if you're feeling sad. It’s a natural antidepressant - will make you feel calmer and normally used to treat depression, anxiety and nervous disorder

3. Unrefined oatmeal can be eaten on regular basis to reduce stress while cooked oats will relieve fatigue

4. Because of its high fiber content, the other benefit of oats is in protecting us from bowel cancer.

Creative uses (3)

1. A bowl of oat porridge with a spoonful of honey makes a calming breakfast for a child in the morning before an exam

2. If you suffer from constipation, try eating raw oats before looking for any drugs.

3. Oatmeal bath ( a form of water therapy) will help heal eczema and other skin conditions

4. Make it your choice of cereal if you want to reduce your cholesterol level. Take it daily.


1. http://www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/agron212/Readings/Oat_wheat_history.htm
2. http://health.learninginfo.org/oats.htm
3. http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/oats.htm