Nutrition Archives - The Vegan Vixen

Beta-Glucan: the Soluble Fiber that Makes Oatmeal a Power Food

10/23/201906/17/2020Billy Yunker

Oats are grains with numerous valuable nutrients. For human consumption as food, oats are processed, rolled, crushed and ground to produce flour, flakes, or oatmeal. Although oats can be consumed in their whole form as oat groats, they are hard to cook.

For health-conscious individuals, oats and its other food derivatives have become their primary source of cereal. Unlike wheat, barley, and rye, oats do not contain gluten, which is believed to be the cause of some disorders. Instead, oats are rich sources of fibers, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. This cereal, which is a popular main ingredient of a delicious porridge, contains carbohydrates and has enormous protein and fats content. This makes oats as one of the most nutritious foods out there.

But the one that makes oats a superfood must be a soluble fiber called Beta-Glucan. Beta-Glucan can also be found in other cereals. But because of the negative impact caused by the presence of gluten in some cereal, oats are the preferred source of this powerful soluble fiber. The following are a few of the many health benefits of Beta-Glucan.

Decreases Total Cholesterol Levels

The blood cholesterol level of an individual can determine his chances of heart disease. By reducing LDL cholesterol or otherwise called ‘bad cholesterol,’ the risk of cholesterol build-up or blockage of blood vessels is decreased.

With heart disease as the leading cause of death the world over, you should consider a beta-Glucan-rich oatmeal from now on. What about oatmeal for breakfast?

Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Hyperglycemia, the condition where there is an increased blood sugar, is characteristic of diabetes. In diabetic patients, the production of insulin is impaired, so glucose is not used by cells properly. Glucose is an essential source of energy for cells, organs, and the body as a whole.

Beta-Glucan helps in lowering blood sugar in obese and diabetic patients. It can also increase insulin sensitivity of cells which can help in the cellular absorption of glucose.

Enhances the Feeling of Fullness

Oats is a favorite food for overweight individuals who desire to lose weight. Beta-Glucan makes you feel full even after how many hours of consuming oat food derivatives such as oatmeal or porridge. Indeed, this method of losing weight is proven and has no harmful side effects.

There are many other health benefits of beta-Glucan and oat products as a whole. Consumption of oat products can promote the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. It is also believed that it is helpful in the management of asthma in children.

With all the benefits we get from Beta-Glucan, eating oat porridge or oatmeal in the morning really makes the most sense, after all.…

Benefits of Eating Your Greens

08/12/201812/08/2018Karen Groom

Ever since you were very young, it is very likely that other people will make you eat your greens. Your parents will always try to force you to make you finish it by saying that they are fantastic for you. Even though you won’t feel the effects right away, you should know that they are very healthy. When it comes to leafy green vegetables, it is true that they are very beneficial if you consume them.

If you want to have a proper diet and you want to eat right, you need to have a right amount of green vegetables incorporated into your meals. If you are not up for eating your recommended serving size of dark leafy greens that the nutritionists suggest, then you can opt for consuming supplements such as super greens tablets with spirulina or others. However, all in all, taking it will be very beneficial for your body.

In this article, we will discuss how eating your greens will benefit you. Here are some of the benefits of eating your greens:

Burn Fat

If you are looking to lose some weight, then you are in for a treat because luckily for you, green vegetables, especially the dark leafy ones, are very beneficial in burning fat. Nutritionists will always recommend you to consume greens since they are recommended as a weight-loss food too.

Other than their nature in being low calorie and packed with nutrients, green vegetables also contain nitrites. Nitrites have the ability to convert white cells that are fat-storing into brown cells that are fat-burning. This makes it promote extra fat burning capabilities in your body. And ultimately, it can lead to weight loss when combined with diet and exercise.

Sun Protection and Anti-Aging

It is all fun and games until you experience the negative effects of the sun. When going out to play under the sun, you need to equip yourself with sun protection. UV protection is able to be provided at a cellular level by eating your vegetables since they contain carotenoids that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

On top of that, consuming them will also help in promoting the anti-aging effect since greens are high in lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin K, and folate. Their essential fatty acid nutritional contribution, anti-inflammatory benefits, cellular support, brain protection, and antioxidants also contribute to influencing the anti-aging effects as well.

Promote Health

Of course what we have been told all our lives are true. Green vegetables do promote our health. They help build enzymes, protect against toxins, improve gut health, rejuvenate skin, feed your gut, feed your telomeres, help your heart, and gives your body folate. They also contain the vitamins and minerals that you should be consuming each day. Other than that, they also give you a boost in energy to do what you need to do each day.

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