Happy Monday! I am just so excited that it is ALMOST spring break. I woke up early this morning because I have a phone interview at noon for one of my dietetic internships. I wanted a great breakfast to get me going this morning and boost my brainpower. I decided on some good old fashion steel cut oatmeal. If you haven’t tried steel cut oats they are a little heartier and chewier that rolled oats, which are basically just steel cut oat, but flattened so they cook faster. Steel cut oats do take a while to cook, but I have a secret. If you soak your oats in the water that you plan to cook them in the night before, they cook up in 5 minutes flat!
One of the biggest claims to fame that oatmeal has is that it lowers blood cholesterol. How is this done? Oatmeal is especially high in beta-glucans, which is a type of soluble fiber. These beta-glucans bind to cholesterol molecules in the digestive tract and remove it from the body. Oatmeal is especially good at lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) that is why oatmeal may be good for your heart.
To give my oats a little more bang I like to add all sorts of goodies. This morning I cut up some fresh apples, added some raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chia seeds, and maple syrup. The walnuts and chia seeds give me some protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are also heart healthy.
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