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Last Updated: Aug 20, 2023
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Oats For Diabetes - Are Oats Good For Diabetes?

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Dr. Sanjeev Kumar SinghAyurvedic Doctor • 15 Years Exp.BAMS
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Oats have long been a common breakfast choice for many! As there are multiple health benefits of oats and can be great go-to food as long when consumed in moderation.

Are oats good for diabetes?

If you suffer from diabetes, what you eat matters a lot. It becomes vital to choose nutrient-rich, high-fiber food over processed carbs with added sugar.

When managing blood sugar, it’s also important to keep a check on the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming, since carbs directly affect blood sugar levels.

A bowl of oats can fit into a healthy meal plan for diabetic patients. Eating foods that are high in fiber and nutrients but low in unhealthy fat and sugar can help maintain a healthy blood sugar level, as well as improve your overall health.

Oats can be a great addition to the diet of diabetic patients for the management of this disease in a healthy way.

Are oats good for type 2 diabetes?

A switch from white toast to oats are definitely a healthy choice for your diabetes. They're more satiating and also ensure you start your day the right way.

For all those who are suffering from type 2 Diabetes, oats have been proven to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

However, make sure you are eating unsweetened oats & not the flavor ones, using low-fat milk or water for preparation and adding healthy toppings over it!

Benefits Of Oats For Diabetes

Oats have several health benefits for people with diabetes:

  1. Controls blood sugar level: Consuming oats regulates the blood sugar level due to their low glycemic index.
  2. Heart-healthy food: Oats aid in lowering cholesterol in diabetic patients and overall improve the heart health.
  3. Reduced dependency on insulin: The power-packed food, if eaten instead of carbohydrate-rich breakfast foods can reduce the dependency of insulin injections.
  4. Quick and easy to make: If cooked right, oats can be a convenient and go-to meal option.
  5. High fiber: Oats make you feel full for a longer duration of time, thanks to the great amount of fiber in it.
  6. Keeps your digestion on track: It’s a good source of long-term energy and regulates the digestive system.
Oats are low in glycemic index (GI), thus they are slowly digested and metabolized, preventing a rise in blood sugar.

Oats For Gestational Diabetes

Eating healthy food is important during pregnancy, especially if you have gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar during pregnancy that usually gets cured after giving birth to a child. However, when you’ve just been diagnosed with this condition, it can be hard to know where to start.

It is vital to choose healthy carbs and high-fiber food during pregnancy if you have gestational diabetes. Oats is one such superfood to be included in the dietary regime of pregnant women to control their blood sugar levels.

Apart from this, consuming oats also provide an array of essential nutrients including selenium, iron and vitamin E required to support a healthy pregnancy.

Best Oats For Diabetics

A particular variety of oats can be better than the rest when it comes to the type 2 diabetes diet. To put it simply, the more processed your oats, the less useful they are for diabetic patients. Oats come in a variety of forms like:

  • Rolled (Slow-Cooked) Oats: These are steamed and then flattened to produce flakes.
  • Quick (Instant or Microwavable) Oats: This variety of oats are also rolled into thinner pieces to cook more quickly, which increases their GI.
  • Steel-Cut (Irish) Oats: These usually take a long time to cook and are larger in size as compared to rolled oats.

Out of these, the Steel-cut type is the best variety of oats for diabetes since it undergoes minimal processing. Rolled oats in comparison to steel-cut oats have a higher glycemic index and can rather increase your blood sugar levels.

Conclusion:

A hearty breakfast staple, oats are a healthy option for diabetic patients if consumed in the right proportion and cooked with healthy ingredients, especially because of the presence of soluble fiber in it that aids in controlling blood sugar levels.

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