How Healthy Are Quaker Oats?
Quaker Oats make for a delicious way to start the day, providing high fiber content and energy boost. In addition, their low sodium content benefits heart health.
Oatmeal is an excellent source of iron; one cup of instant oats provides 40% of your recommended daily iron intake.
1. Good source of fiber
Fiber is an essential nutrient, helping to lower cholesterol levels, boost heart health, promote regular bowel movements and help you feel full for longer. Unlike sugar, however, fiber doesn’t provide your body with any calories – although the amount in your diet depends on several factors including food choices made and frequency of consumption.
Ideally, oatmeal should be consumed in its original state: plain. While Quaker offers many flavored varieties that contain too much sugar and artificial colors that could compromise your health, other ways exist. You could try eating organic instant oats instead, often sold in large packets with nutrition labels on the back; these options typically do not contain caramel coloring which has been shown to cause cancer in animals as well as possibly being carcinogenic for humans.
If you prefer your oatmeal with milk, consider selecting one with less fat. A classic packet without added sugar or salt provides zero grams of saturated fat and 3 percent of the daily value for sodium for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Oats can also be added to many recipes or snacks, such as fruit smoothies, baked beans or bran cereal with milk. Other good sources of fiber are whole grains (three bean salad and bean burrito), beans (think three-bean salad) nuts and vegetables.
Consuming enough fiber every day is vitally important, as doing so can lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure due to higher sodium intake. Eating at least the recommended number of servings can lower these risks significantly.
2. Good source of protein
Protein is essential in all stages of life and helps build muscle, maintain a healthy weight, improve metabolism and increase satiety. A half cup of steel cut or rolled oats provides approximately 150 calories with 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein – to enhance its nutritional value and make breakfast even more satiating, add chia seeds or almond silvers for additional protein and fibre; to boost its caloric intake further, people may also add milk or yogurt for extra calories or add milk/yogurk yogurt for even greater caloric gain!
Oatmeal is an excellent source of soluble fibre, which absorbs water to bulk up stool and help prevent constipation by softening stool so it moves through your digestive tract more easily. A diet rich in dietary fibre may also reduce hemorrhoids risk and fecal incontinence risk while improving conditions such as diverticular disease or irritable bowel syndrome.
Protein can also be obtained through lean sources like skinless chicken breast and beans; one 3-ounce serving contains 22 g of protein while a cup of black beans provides 15 g. Other sources of protein-rich foods include sardines (one can contains approximately 60 grams), as well as salmon with skin, which provides calcium, B vitamins, and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Marketing Lens reports on the Quaker Oats Company’s long and distinguished history of producing breakfast cereal and other food products, dating back to its establishment in 1966. Over time, its product lineup expanded to include frozen waffles and Gatorade sports drink before ultimately being acquired by PepsiCo for $14 billion in 2001. Today, its remaining oat-based products may not be as well known compared to its flagship offering from 1966.
3. Good source of iron
Oatmeal is a nutritious source of iron. A cup of unfortified oatmeal provides about 2.2 mg, enough to lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease, reports Healthline. Oats also contain beta-glucan fiber which supports healthy gut bacteria while increasing feelings of fullness – and may even protect against high blood pressure!
Quaker Oats Company has a long and varied history that often borders on surreal. Established as a family business in 1900, in 2001 it was sold to PepsiCo for inclusion in their Frito-Lay salty snacks division and eventually actor Wilford Brimley began appearing in television commercials for their brand beginning in 1980s.
Oats can be added to your diet in various ways, from adding them as a topping on bread to using them as sweetener in cookies and smoothies – there are even recipes online dedicated to this purpose!
If you suffer from IBS, oatmeal should only be consumed in small doses and monitored carefully for several hours after ingestion. If any adverse reactions arise, do not repeat its consumption.
There are other sources of iron that are excellent sources, including legumes such as beans and chickpeas; dark leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard greens; as well as fortified breakfast cereals and breads. You can also purchase over-the-counter supplements like ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate or ferrous gluconate to add additional iron into your diet; just remember not to exceed recommended dosage levels as too much iron can have serious side effects.
4. Good source of calcium
Quaker Oats contain a healthy dose of calcium for optimal bone health and are low in sodium to promote kidney health. People living with kidney disease should consult their healthcare provider prior to making significant dietary changes.
Quaker Oats Company produces an assortment of oatmeal and cereal products. In addition, they make other food items including pet food and drink. As a publicly-owned corporation that has been in operation for over 100 years, its main competitors include Heinz, General Mills and Nestle – three major competitors which compete with Quaker Oats on both quality and price.
One cup of cooked Quaker Oats provides four grams of soluble fiber, which has been known to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels while helping promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. Furthermore, this food also supplies important vitamins like iron and magnesium for good health.
In the 1940s and ’50s, MIT researchers conducted experiments that involved giving institutionalized boys oatmeal coated with radioactive iron tracers and milk with radioactive calcium tracers laced with radioactive calcium tracers in order to test radiation’s effects on human bodies while also showing that oatmeal could rival Cream of Wheat’s nutritional claims. Their goals were both achieved, leading Quaker Oats to match those claims from Cream of Wheat ads with its own advertising claims.
One cup of cooked quaker oats provides the body with approximately 300 mg of calcium. However, to ensure optimal levels of this essential mineral in your body it’s important to consume other sources like low-fat yogurt and fortified dairy. Also avoid overeating salt which depletes calcium stores from your system; those living with bone disorders like osteoporosis should consult with their physician regarding an optimal calcium and other nutrient intake plan.
5. Good source of phosphorus
Quaker Oats are an excellent source of phosphorus in addition to protein. A three-ounce serving contains 173 milligrams. Other foods rich in phosphorus include meat and fish – 3-ounce serving of halibut contains 242 milligrams while salmon has 252 milligrams – these foods’ bioavailability allows the body to use it quickly and easily; vegetables also provide ample sources of phosphorus (for instance one cup of cooked lentils contains 94 milligrams), along with rich in other essential vitamins such as fiber, vitamin C folate and iron.
Phosphorus is essential to proper bodily functioning, yet too much phosphorus can pose health risks. Too much can contribute to kidney disease, bone disease and cardiovascular conditions – chronic kidney disease patients should take special care with their phosphorus intake; consulting a registered dietitian or doctor about ways to adjust diet and monitor phosphorus and potassium levels can also be invaluable.
Quaker Oats can be an ideal food choice for people living with kidney disease as they contain low levels of phosphorus and sodium. Furthermore, Quaker oats make an excellent vegan/vegetarian option due to not containing animal products.
Quaker Oats cereal contains oats that contain soluble fiber, which has been proven to lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk. A study done at Fernald State School in 1949 discovered that boys who regularly consumed Quaker Oats had less cholesterol than those who didn’t consume the cereal; later research has also indicated soluble fiber may help slow the absorption of fats and sugars by the digestive tract.