Oat flakes are a healthy local superfood. Oats are considered one of the most valuable cereals. The fiber, antioxidants and complex carbohydrates make oat flakes a superstar among cereals.
The grain is grown as a seed oat and is one of our staple foods. Oats are a whole grain product because they are made from the whole grain and only non-edible parts are removed.
Preparing oats for a healthy breakfast is also super easy. It's hard to imagine our breakfast tables without the flakes.
What exactly are oats?
Oats are a type of grain and a staple food. Staple foods include not only grains, but also tubers, legumes and fruits. Since they are made from the whole grain of the seed oats, they are also considered a whole grain.
During the production process, the outer layers and inedible parts of the oats are removed, leaving behind a high-quality kernel. This kernel contains a high proportion of carbohydrates, protein and unsaturated fatty acids, as well as soluble fiber.
This makes oats particularly suitable for a healthy start to the day and as a nutritious alternative to snacks between meals.
Incidentally, oat bran is obtained from the outer layers of the oats, which differs from the flakes in appearance and properties.
Are oat flakes always healthy?
Are oat flakes healthy? Oats are absolutely healthy. Thanks to the gentle production process, oat flakes retain almost all of their nutrients. So it is not for nothing that they are a healthy basis for muesli, porridge, oatmeals and other dishes such as granola bars or overnight oats.
Oats and porridge are particularly suitable for breakfast. It is important to note the amount of added sugar in ready-made mixtures, which is of course less healthy.
Do you need more reasons to eat oats? Then here are six reasons why oats are healthy.
Discover breakfast from Verival
Oats are also gluten-free and vegan, so they are well tolerated by many people who suffer from coeliac disease. This makes them an ideal component of various nutritional plans and diets. They are also suitable for people with allergies.
Another advantage is that oats are easy and versatile to prepare. Porridge is a great way to wake up, especially at breakfast time. Read on to find out how many oats you should eat each day.
Nutritional information about oats
An overview of the nutritional information about oats per 100 grams (average values):
- Calories / Energy: 368 kcal.
- Protein: 13.5 g.
- Carbohydrates: 58.7 g (of which 0.7 g sugar)
- Fat: 7.0 g (of which 1.24 g saturated fatty acids)
- Dietary fiber: 10.0 g (of which 4.5 g beta-glucans)
Oats – calories, nutritional information and ingredients
Nutritional information – sugar content of oats
The following table shows the energy value and the amounts of simple sugars and disaccharides found in 100 g of oats.
| Energy (kcal) | Glucose (grams ) | Fructose (grams) | Sucrose (grams) | Total sugars (grams) | |
| Oats, whole grain, raw | 332 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 1 g | 1.1 g |
| Oats, whole grain, cooked | 118 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0.4 g | 1.1 g |
| Oats whole grain flakes/bran cooked | 83 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0.2 g | 0.8 g |
| Oats whole grain flakes/bran raw | 354 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0.7 g | 0.8 g |
| Oat flakes with dried fruit | 342 kcal | 4.1 g | 6.6 g | 2.5 g | 7.3 g |
| Oat flake biscuits | 410 kcal | 0.1 g | 0 g | 20 g | 0.5 g |
Source: Fachgesellschaft für Ernährungstherapie und Prävention (German Society for Nutritional Therapy and Prevention) 1
Oatmeal calories – how many calories do oat flakes have?
Oat flakes contain relatively many calories because they have a high energy density. 50 grams of oat flakes (about one serving) contain about 170 calories. But, just one serving of oat flakes is enough for a filling meal. Therefore, oat flakes are also a great way to lose weight.
Fiber supplier in the diet
Dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates are essential in our diet. They are what qualify oats as healthy. In our daily diet, it is a challenge to supply our body with all the important nutrients.
As a true superfood on the menu, oats make a valuable contribution here. They promote digestion and can help with constipation.
Click here for a comprehensive article that focuses only on oatmeal fiber.
Healthy eating with oatmeal
Oats are an important part of a healthy diet. Oatmeal is particularly popular for breakfast or in granola bars.
Oats have been shown to help you lose weight, build muscle, and have many health benefits for the human body. You can also prepare many delicious recipes with oats. 1
Here you will learn how you can lose weight with porridge and other oat-based dishes, what oats are exactly, and which delicious porridge preparations and porridge recipes you can easily make yourself with these delicious cereal flakes.
Do oats help you lose weight?
Lose weight and live healthy with oats. Sounds exciting? Then you should definitely include oats in your diet.
With oats for breakfast, you provide your body with high-quality energy right from the start of the day. In addition, oats have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.
Thanks to its long-chain carbohydrates and a variety of fiber, oats lead to a quick feeling of satiety. It also boosts fat burning. Oats and oats are therefore ideal if you want to lose weight. Here are five reasons why you should eat your breakfast warm.
However, it always depends on how consistently the diet is followed. Incidentally, certain basic rules apply to all diets and are crucial for success. What would a diet be without a challenge?
A diet that is too one-sided can lead to a nutrient deficiency. So you shouldn't just eat variously prepared oatmeal dishes while dieting. However, you can definitely effectively prevent cravings with oats and oatmeal if you “just” integrate them into your normal diet.
Oats and oat flakes are an ideal substitute for a snack or a small sweet treat between meals. In sports nutrition, they are an ideal source of strength due to their great nutritional value. Have you ever calculated your BMI? With the Verival BMI calculator, it's quick and easy.
You can also use the calorie calculator to determine your daily calorie requirement. This can make losing weight a lot easier. Give it a try!
Calorie calculator – calculate your needs
Are oats good for your gut flora?
Oats are good for your gut flora. Oats contain soluble fiber that can act as prebiotics, promoting the growth and activity of healthy gut bacteria. Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that serve as food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
The dietary fiber in oats, especially beta-glucans, can improve gut health by regulating stool consistency and increasing transit time in the gut. This supports healthy digestion and helps prevent constipation.
In addition, the dietary fiber in oatmeal can also help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. They also help lower cholesterol levels, which in turn can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It is important to note that a balanced diet is important overall to support intestinal flora. However, oats can be a healthy option to promote the diversity of intestinal bacteria and support good intestinal health.
Intestinal health - learn more about intestinal flora!
Oats for diabetes
For people with diabetes, oats are part of an ideal diet. In practically every guide to nutrition for diabetics, oats are at the top of the list. The high beta glucan content in oats is considered to save insulin or protect insulin.
Blood sugar rises to a much lesser extent after eating oats, oat flakes and oat products. The beta-glucan in oats even inhibits this effect. Since the natural insulin production in diabetics is inhibited, does not work well or is no longer present (depending on the form of diabetes), this is a more than positive effect of oats.
A study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states: “Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Lowering blood cholesterol levels with oats can reduce the risk of (coronary) heart disease.” 2
Want a quick and tasty oatmeal recipe? Here you will find the basic recipe for porridge:
Can oats lower cholesterol?
Oats are cholesterol reducers and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oats actively help to keep blood lipid levels balanced. Cholesterol and triglycerides are vital components of blood.
Nevertheless, high cholesterol levels contribute to the fatty degeneration of blood vessels. The long-term consequences are deposits in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. Here, too, the beta-glucan is the beneficial component in oats.
The beta-glucan 3 in oats binds bile acid in the body in addition to water, which fulfills the function of a fat solvent in the body. This process naturally consumes cholesterol.
One portion of muesli, porridge or oatmeal contains about three to five grams of beta glucan. Eating these oat products regularly will have a measurable positive effect in just a short time.
Why are oats good for athletes?
Nutrition is a decisive factor for performance in sports. Oat flakes are an excellent breakfast food due to their balanced nutrient distribution. Thanks to their high nutritional value, oat flakes are also an ideal sports food. They provide the body with high-quality vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1, B2, B6, vitamin B12, K and E) and important minerals, while at the same time having a high satiety effect.
This means that even small amounts of oats are enough to create a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Thanks to the complex carbohydrates, no fat storage is activated. Oats are power flakes, so to speak. Whether in muesli, as oat porridge, as porridge or in a bar.
The preparation and type of oats depends on the time between eating and exercising. It also depends on whether you should eat the oats before or during exercise. Every body is different here.
Oats are a long-chain carbohydrate. These are ideal if you have a few hours to digest them before exercising. Meals with a high oat content, such as our Verival Oats porridge, are a good choice.
If you're in a hurry, short-chain carbohydrates are better. These include sugar (dextrose as well as household sugar).
After the fitness session, the body needs carbohydrates and protein again.
Did you know that oats are called “Haferflocken” in German? Overnight oats or oatmeal are nutritional classics and are considered the forerunners of bread.
You're hooked on oats!
Everyone knows this quote. The so-called “oats” are not only healthy, they also give pure energy. This does not only apply to us humans. Workhorses were given an oat bag before heavy work and during breaks. This gave the workhorses a good supply of energy. It is the same for us humans. Oats are also very popular in endurance and strength sports.
What are oats good for?
In addition to their high nutritional value and quick satiety effect, oats are characterized by other scientifically proven benefits:
- oats are good for the stomach and intestines and aid digestion
- oats lower blood sugar levels
- oats help lower cholesterol levels
- The copper and vitamin B in oats help to ensure healthy hair and nails (as an ingredient in skin care products, they can also contribute to healthy and clean skin)
- Beta glucan in oats is good for the heart2
In terms of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, oats are a superfood:
Oats are rich in vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin K and vitamin E. They also contain iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese and selenium. And you can enjoy all of this in a delicious porridge, oat meal or muesli.
Where do oats come from?
As the name suggests, oat flakes are made from oats. To do this, the straw, any inedible elements and the husks are removed from the raw grain using machines. It is then treated with steam and dry heat.
The dry heat in the manufacturing process is important to get the typical nutty flavor out of the oats in the end product. The heat inhibits the activity of certain enzymes that could cause a bitter taste if the oats are stored for a long time.
The oats are then given their typical shape by being pressed between two rollers. There are different types of oat flakes (small flakes and large flakes), which differ depending on the manufacturing process.
Large flakes or wholegrain oat flakes, as found in muesli, for example, are made from the whole grain. Small-cut flakes or delicate oat flakes are made from already crushed oats. The latter will swell more quickly if you soak them. However, these should not be confused with the oat bran obtained from the outer layers. In addition to oat flakes, there is also oat flour, which is ideal for baking and cooking.
What is the difference between oat flakes and oat bran?
Oat flakes are obtained from the kernels of the raw grain and rolled flat. We already know that. On the other hand, oat bran is made from the outer layers and the germ, which are crushed for this purpose.
Although the outer layers and the germ make up only about 30 percent of the total oat grain, they contain about 85 percent of the vitamins, 80 percent of the minerals, 60 percent of the protein and 85 percent of the important dietary fibers. The latter are also particularly good for maintaining a healthy intestinal flora.
So it's not just the production process that distinguishes oat bran from rolled oats. There are also differences in terms of appearance, taste, and nutritional value.
What the flakes and the bran have in common is that they are considered healthy superfoods. Whether as porridge, oatmeals, in muesli or as an ingredient in bread or granola bars, they can be processed in a variety of ways. You can incorporate oat bran into your diet just as you would oatmeal. But here, too, it is always important to do everything with moderation and purpose. A balanced diet is important.
If you want to eat oat bran for breakfast as an alternative to oat flakes, you can try this recipe, for example: chocolate pudding oats with walnuts.
How are oat flakes prepared correctly?
You can prepare oat flakes in many different ways. Just find out which way you like best and let our oat flake preparations inspire you. We have put together a few tips and tricks for the right way to prepare oats.
Why should you soak rolled oats?
Rolled oats are just as digestible dry as they are when softened in water or milk. You can also use milk alternatives such as almond milk, rice milk or oat milk with the flakes. Soaking not only changes the consistency.
It also reduces the phytic acid content. This means that our body can absorb it better. A lower phytic acid content makes it easier to digest. This acid binds minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc, preventing our body from absorbing them.
A reduced phytate content can be achieved after only 30 minutes of soaking and enables better absorption of important nutrients by your body. This is particularly important for raw food enthusiasts, as the body can otherwise be deprived of important nutrients in the long term due to the relatively unbalanced diet of nuts and legumes.
Apart from that, it is basically entirely up to your taste whether and for how long you soak oats or oats before preparation. And whether you use water or milk, whether cow's milk, soy milk, almond milk or coconut milk.
Adding water instead of milk has the following advantages: you avoid the unwanted fats in milk. If you are lactose intolerant, not only water but also alternative plant or nut drinks are suitable.
Cooking rolled oats
In contrast to soaking, cooking rolled oats has no effect on the phytate content. In addition, vitamins are lost through heating. Oats for muesli or overnight oats are not cooked.
Heating is only necessary if you like porridge. Incidentally, it is up to you whether you use water or milk for your oats.
Video tutorial on how to prepare oats – porridge
Oats for breakfast
One of the things that makes oats so special is that they have a long shelf life and are quick and easy to prepare. You can mix them with other ingredients to create your own personalized muesli or, if you don't want to go to the trouble, you can buy ready-made muesli varieties. There are a whole range of healthy breakfast recipes that you can prepare yourself at home.
Muesli made from oat flakes – discover it now
Like muesli, granola is made from a variety of ingredients, including oat flakes. However, in contrast to muesli, the flakes in granola are roasted with honey or raw sugar until they are brown and crispy. Granola is often made into bars, but it also tastes great for breakfast when mixed with milk.
If you have acquired a taste for porridge and oats, you can choose between sweet and savory, and between water and milk. Just like the classic muesli, porridge is versatile and there are almost no limits to how it can be prepared. However, the basis is and remains oats.
If you don't feel like preparing breakfast in the morning (even if it's as quick and easy as with muesli or porridge), then overnight oats might be the right alternative for you.
As the name suggests, the oats are soaked overnight with other ingredients, and all you need to do in the morning is reach into the fridge.
Recipes – delicious homemade oatmeal recipes
If you need a little inspiration when it comes to preparing oatmeal, we have a few simple and versatile oatmeal recipes for you:
Conclusion: people should simply eat more oatmeal!
- 1.Redaktion Fet. Nachschlage-Tabellentool Zuckergehalte in Nahrungsmitteln. Fachgesellschaft für Ernährungstherapie und Prävention. Published January 29, 2020. Accessed May 27, 2020. https://fet-ev.eu/tabellentool-zuckergehalte-lebensmittel/
- 2.Mathews R, Kamil A, Chu Y. Global review of heart health claims for oat beta-glucan products. Nutrition Reviews . Published online July 30, 2020:78-97. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz069
Frequently Asked Questions
How healthy are oats really?
Oat flakes are high in carbohydrates (≈70 %), protein (≈15 %), unsaturated fatty acids, soluble fiber (≈10 g/100 g), glucans such as the mucilage lichenin, vitamin B1, vitamin B6 and vitamin E, zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, the beta-glucan contained in oats can lower cholesterol levels and has positive effects on blood sugar levels. Oats keep you full for a long time and also aid digestion. Adding nuts and seeds to your overnight oats provides you with healthy plant-based proteins.
Should you eat oats every day?
There is no harm in eating oats every day. A wide variety of oats are available in the form of porridge, muesli, Bircher muesli and overnight oats. The carbohydrates in oats prevent hunger pangs and regulate blood sugar levels. The nutrients in oats not only stimulate the metabolism, but also prevent excess fat and toxins from accumulating in the body.
Do oats make you fat?
Generally speaking, oats don't make you fat, so the answer is no. Oats are high in carbohydrates, which make you feel full, so they can even help you lose weight. A portion of oats with half a cup of water has only 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of protein.
Do oats have a lot of calories?
If you replace butter, sausage and cheese at the breakfast table with oats such as porridge, you will actually save calories. Oats contain a lot of calories (about 350 kcal per 100g), but they are also an important source of energy that will keep you full all morning. Just a small amount of oats is enough to prepare a filling meal. Why not try the porridges from Verival.
What can you eat oats with?
Oat flakes are particularly versatile. You will find oat flakes especially in breakfast dishes such as porridge, overnight oats, muesli and Bircher muesli, as well as in numerous shake recipes. At Verival, you will also find many other oat flake recipes, such as muesli bars, oat flake burgers and much more.
Are oats good for losing weight?
Oats for losing weight. Oats have a high carbohydrate content and therefore keep you full for a long time. They also provide a lot of protein and contain important vitamins, as well as beta-glucan, which lowers cholesterol levels. In addition, your metabolism and digestion are stimulated, which has a positive effect on weight loss.
