Oat Bran Cereal- The Healthy Food You Should Be Eating Every Day!
I will preface this article with the declaration that while there is no such thing as a superfood, there are some foods, oat bran cereal being a good example, that are excellent recommendations for your daily diet, whether your goal is weight loss, maintaining a healthy weight or optimizing your health. Oat bran cereal falls into this category and is an excellent addition to any diet, even for those on vegan and gluten free diets. Oat bran is not a very popular or even very well-known food, as most people are far more familiar with its close cousin, oatmeal. Which is a staple recommendation for weight loss and healthy diets. For decades in my own practice as a personal trainer in New York City, I recommended oatmeal as a first choice for breakfast for all my clients, and it proved itself time and time again in helping my clients maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day and as part of a dietary regime that has helped hundreds lose weight and keep it off. With a record like that, oatmeal is quite a tough act to follow, but I am always on the lookout for new and healthy additions to my own diet and that’s how I stumbled across oat bran cereal. One day I happened across a package of oat bran cereal and took a hard look at the nutritional profile. I was surprised by the fact that oat bran cereal was even higher in fiber, (almost twice as much), than oatmeal, whether it was rolled oats or steel cut oats. I added it immediately to my diet and was surprised that as much as I loved oatmeal, oat bran cereal filled me up more and I preferred the texture as well. Soon I had all my trainers eating it, then my clients. And more of my clients seem to prefer oat bran cereal over oatmeal and they report that it also keeps them fuller longer. Today, oat bran cereal is my recommended breakfast staple, and, in this article, we explore why oat bran cereal is better than oatmeal, how it works for weight loss and why you should be having it every day! Thanks as always for taking the time to read my work and do be sure to share this article with anyone who might find it to be of interest!
All oat products come from whole oats, which are a grain with a very hard outer shell that is indigestible. As such to derive any nutritional benefits from them, the outer hull must first be removed. When the hull is removed they are called oat groats, which comprise of oat bran, the endosperm and the germ. The outer layers of the oat groats form the bran and they must first be milled so that foreign materials are removed, and the groats are stabilized and isolated into a form suitable for cooking. [1] After being milled, there are several ways the oats can be processed, into steel cut oats, rolled oats or oat bran cereal. Steel cut oats are made by passing the groats through, (you guessed it!), steel cutters that slice the groats several times. Rolled oats are made by first steaming the groats and them pounding them flat with rollers. By making the flakes thick, you get regular oatmeal sometimes called, old fashioned oats. To make instant oatmeal, the oats are rolled thinner and steamed for a longer period, which cuts down the time needed to cook them, but unfortunately, also reduces the fiber content, which we shall see is one of the key benefits of any oat product. Oat bran is the course outer layer of the groats and has the most insoluble fiber content as it is the hull of the groats designed to protect the seed. [1] When this high fiber layer is ground we get oat bran cereal, which would naturally be higher in fiber than any other form of oatmeal.
Oat Bran Cereal As Part of A Gluten Free Diet
Today, avoiding wheat and products containing gluten is a bit of a trend, and there is an ever-growing demand for gluten free products. Gluten consumption must be avoided by those suffering from celiac disease, which is a well-defined medical condition. However, these cases make up a less than 1% of the world’s population. [19,20] On the other hand as many as 20-40% of adults who self-report food hypersensitivity in some studies blame gluten as a trigger of symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, joint or muscle pain and irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms.[21] Savvy marketing companies are also aware that the label “gluten free” increases consumers perception of the product being healthy, leading to increased sales and increased consumption, even though a food being gluten free has absolutely nothing to do with it being a reasonable addition to a healthy diet or not.
oat bran is 100% gluten free
That said and without going into the controversy surrounding gluten sensitivity, oat bran cereal, when obtained from uncontaminated sources is indeed gluten free, despite some misconceptions to the contrary. Cereals such as wheat, rye and barley contain proteins called prolamins, which is biological term for gluten, which can provoke negative symptoms in those with celiac disease. Gluten makes up as much as 80-85% of the protein content in wheat. In oats, however, the storage proteins are not prolamins but avenins, and make up only 10-15% of the protein profile. Avenins in oats are structurally different from prolamin proteins, [16, 17] and peer reviewed data has shown a low incidence of intolerances to oats.[17,18] So much so that oats are recommended as part of a gluten free diet to those suffering from celiac disease. [17,22] The European Union, then later the United States has allowed for oats to be labeled as gluten free as long as contamination from wheat, barley or rye is below 20 ppm.[17] Since oats are commonly grown, milled and processed alongside wheat and barley contamination often occurs, which could explain why early studies detected sensitivity issues among those with celiac disease consuming oats, but these findings were not repeated when controlled for the consumption of uncontaminated oats in normal quantities.[17] In the milling of regular oat products, manufacturing codes allow for as much as 2% “foreign objects.” [18] Thus, if gluten is an issue, it’s important to purchase oat bran labeled as gluten free and not “organic” as paying more for organic oats might not confer any real benefits. And only those labeled gluten free fall under the more stringent requirements for low gluten contamination levels.
The Weight Loss Benefits From Eating Oat Bran Cereal
One of the most difficult aspects of weight loss is controlling your appetite. On an energy restricted diet, your body eventually responds with a set of neuroendocrine changes that make you want to eat more in an attempt to regain any weight lost and to make matters worse, your metabolic rate is lowered in order to make weight gain easier.[2] Your body has no idea that you are not in danger of starving to death and that you live in a time and place where food supply is superabundant, and so, as a result of our ancestral genetic coding, we are designed to conserve energy as much as possible when energy intake is reduced for any prolonged period of time.[2] This creates a huge physiological barrier to losing excess weight and a vicious circle of weight loss that leads to an increased appetite, and slower metabolism, which consequently leads to weight gain. A cycle that can not only be incredibly frustrating but also create a sense of personal failure, when the causes are simply organic in nature. Given the huge variety of food choices available to us, it is very difficult to resist the drive to eat even when your body isn’t in weight-regain-mode after weight loss. One countermeasure that works long term is to consume a diet of foods with very high satiety values. Which are foods that inhibit hunger and keep you full for long after eating it. [3] In many popular diets, high fat foods are used to control satiety, but this can come at a price, since fats are higher in calories than carbohydrates like oats. Fats are far more energy dense with 9 calories per gram as opposed to only 4 calories per gram in carbohydrates, and high fat foods can very easily be over consumed. As many of us can attest that it’s not that hard to eat more cheese, or peanut butter than you should, whereas no one is going to overdose on oat bran cereal anytime soon. Making it a better choice for avoiding overeating while delivering far less calories in the process.
How Oat Bran Cereal Helps Control Appetite
Under normal circumstances, the average meal takes two to five hours to empty from your stomach. Your meal then takes about three to six hours to go through the small intestine and then can stay in the colon for twelve to forty-eight hours. [4] Beta-glucan, the fiber found in oat bran cereals, is a viscous fiber, which means it absorbs large quantities of water and forms gels in the process. [23] These gels decrease the amount of time it takes for food to empty from the stomach and the bulk created from its water absorption can increase stomach distention. [5] Increased stomach distention may sound like a bad thing, but it isn’t. The term doesn’t mean your abdominal region pops out prominently like a beer belly, but refers to an internal process where the organ naturally expands. Stomach distension triggers signals of fullness, which makes you feel like you have eaten enough both during and after meals. Making the high fiber content in oat bran cereal an invaluable tool in appetite control.
You can think about the fiber in oat bran cereal as being like a sponge that absorbs water and expands. That expansion fills you up and makes you eat less!
The fiber in oat bran cereal has also been shown to decrease the rate of glucose absorption in the small intestine and slower glucose release means lowered insulin response. Which is another plus for appetite control as slow and steady glucose and insulin response is correlated with increased satiety.[6] As food moves through the gastrointestinal tract, your body naturally secretes various hormones, such as ghrelin, polypeptide YY and glucagon-like-peptide that send signals to the brain to make us feel satisfied with our meal and stop us from overeating. These hormones also control food intake and overall energy balance and the decreased food transit time from a meal high in oat bran fiber means that there is more time for these gut hormones to be secreted and thus making it more likely that we will not overeat.[7]
The Health Benefits Of Oat Bran Cereal
That oat bran cereal is one of the highest fiber foods that you can find makes it a great addition to a healthy diet and its particular fiber, beta-glucan has a range of beneficial health properties. In 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted a health claim stating that a daily intake of just 3 grams of oat beta-glucan can lower the risk of coronary heart disease. [8, 9] Oat beta-glucan has also been demonstrated to reduce blood cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. [10,14] Oat bran also has potential anti-cancerous properties, as it reduces compounds in our bodies that are known causative agents of colon cancer. [11,12,13] From an athletic perspective, oat bran beta glucans have even been shown to increase endurance times and recovery after high intensity exercise better than other carbohydrate sources. [15] An important attribute not only for endurance type athletes, but also for those of us, like myself and my clients who engage in high intensity training protocols.
Oat bran cereal is also incredibly convenient. It’s lightweight and easy to carry and when I travel, all I need to do is add some water and I have a high fiber carbohydrate source. Some might think I am crazy, but when traveling and I am in a rush, I can even eat it plain, as it tastes that good! (But I will admit that my tastes are a bit on the shall we say eccentric side.) Now as wonderful as oat bran cereal might be, it is important not to fall into the panacea trap as no one food can make a poor diet a good one, nor can any one food magically make you lose weight of there isn’t an overall commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Oat bran cereal is only one of the many tools that you can use to help achieve your fitness goals, along with development of good eating habits, a strong exercise program and a diet of almost exclusively whole or minimally processed foods that promote satiety and lessen the likelihood of overeating. That said, oat bran cereal with milk, added sugar and salt defeats the purpose as a healthy food with unhealthy additives makes it just another junk food, and it’s critical to keep this in mind. No matter how much marketing might say otherwise. Plain oat bran cereal is an excellent dietary addition, but do be wary of any varieties with added sugars, as it will not have the same positive effects on appetite, and its health benefits might be compromised.
Not Bad For Training Only Three Days A Week!
Because it's three days a week with soul crunching intensity non stop for the past 33 years.
There's no gimmick to it and it means being uncompromisingly all in for your workouts and with your nutrition.
I don't think there's that much that special about me.
There's nothing enhanced, nothing boosted by testosterone and there weren't any special "supplements" along the way.
Just three days of blistering hard work each week and meticulous attention to what I eat.
Being 90% on point each week means you are 100% off after 10 weeks and I can't emphasize enough how much of a difference unshakeable consistency makes to your overall results.
Most of the natural athletes didn't get where they are by any genetic advantage, they just did what is so very rare- which is stick to their process 100%.
It's not easy as it's not always easy and certainly not always popular, but you owe it to yourself to see just how far you can go if you go all in!
Looking forward to seeing your results and as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#naturalbodybuilding #naturalbodybuilder #fitover40 #homegym #drugfreebodybuilding #gymselfie #hometraining #naturalbodybuildingmotivation
What I Eat To Stay Lean and Keep Building Muscle All Year Round.
If there every was a "secret" to how I consistently stay in shape (and almost 20 years since my last competition) the answer would be my diet.
Diet is the deciding factor in what your body looks like and your overall performance and I want to stress that while this is a layout of the foods I eat on a daily basis, it's not a blueprint for your YOU should be eating.
What it can be is an example of what it takes to maintain a certain degree of size and muscularity at all times as a natural athlete, and also the underlying principle to how I select my foods.
Which is that I don't eat junk foods or highly processed foods and I only drink water.
(No protein shakes, ever!)
If you can start with that, there's no doubt that you will be on the right track in terms of your nutrition.
So stay away from processed foods, know that I believe in you and as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#naturalbodybuilder #naturalbodybuilding #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuildingdiet #diet #whatieatinaday #mydiet #naturalbodybuildingvideos #naturalbodybuildingmotivation #drugfreebodybuilding #healthyeating #noproteinshakes #excelsior #bodybuilding #bodybuildingdiet
Post workout physique check in.
The contest gets closer and closer as the sun meanders across the sky, as my contest is and always will be, did I do everything I possibly could that day to improve?
Did I train hard enough?
Did I push it enough?
The dietary part isn't an issue.
It hasn't been for many years as I always make sure that my nutrition is on point, and there's no leeway on that front.
I don't feel good when I'm not eating optimally, and I respect myself enough to not settle into a place where not feeling my best is the norm.
And to be honest, it feels really good to put my head down at the end of the day knowing that I gave it my all.
Not that I was the best or was even necessarily successful at everything that I set out to accomplish, but knowing that I gave everything nonetheless.
It's a feeling I want everyone to have.
To sleep soundly knowing that you gave it your all.
That you didn't miss an opportunity to improve on what you are passionate about, because in so doing, you experience an eagerness to do the same the next day.
It's the ultimate contest and I invite everyone to submit their application forms, as it's one of the few competitions where everyone who does the work and shows up, is in the winner's circle.
Keep striving, keep pushing and as always, Excelsior! #naturallyintense
(Thanks @indi.anna.r or taking the shot, as I know your arm was probably shaking after that workout!)
#naturalbodybuilding #naturalbodybuilder #fitover40 #homegym #drugfreebodybuilding #gymselfie #hometraining #naturalbodybuildingmotivation
Motivation vs Discipline. What You Really Need To Be Successful!
I am often asked what was my motivation to keep going starting off as a skinny 125lb kid who no one believed could ever be a successful bodybuilder.
The answer is that motivation didn't have that much to do with it.
Motivation may have played a part in getting me started, but it was discipline that got me to where I wanted to be.
Motivation is fleeting and ephemeral, it's not always going to be there and on the days when you don't feel like eating right or training hard, you need a disciplined practice to see you through.
A disciplined practiced based on doing what you need to do to be successful regardless of the circumstances.
That's how I made it through all those tough times when I felt I wasn't getting anywhere, and it's what will help you as well.
So forget motivation, focus on building a disciplined practice, know that I believe in you and as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#naturalbodybuilding #nosteroids #fitnessgoals #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuilder #naturalbodybuildingvideos #excelsior #fitover40 #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuildingmotivation #disciplineovermotivation #disciplineequalsfreedom #discipline #motivation#fitness #mindset #selfdiscipline #fitnessmotivation #disciplinequotes #workout #disciplineiskey
Kevin's Ultimate Secret Six Pack Abs Tip!
If you ever wondered how I maintain a six pack all year round and have kept that six pack for decades on end, here's the secret.
This is one tip that will honestly get you on the path to a six pack.
There's no magic to it.
But if you follow this simple piece of advice, you will be able to do a lot more than get yourself a six pack, as it's a proven formula for success.
Give it a try and as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#sixpack #sixpackabs #6pack #6packabs #naturalbodybuilder #naturalbodybuilding #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuildingvideo #naturalbodybuildingmotivation #sixpacktips #drugfreebodybuilding #abs
Happy Archery Day, everyone!!!
Yeah, it's a thing and can't say how much it's my thing!
To be honest, I am a barebow shooter and almost never shoot my compound bow (the monster in my hands) but it's all really good fun!
If you haven't tried archery or are thinking about doing it again, go give it a shot (no pun intended!!!)
And as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#archery #archeryday #bowtech #naturalbodybuilder #naturalbodybuilding #fitover40 #blackandwhite #bowtech
Do You Have Good Genetics for Natural Bodybuilding?
I don't believe it's the question that needs to be asked.
Far too many, myself included, who went on to be successful natural bodybuilders would never have been the men and women you would expect to have the genetics for bodybuilding.
But we put in the work, the years, the dedication and the consistency, and so what matters isn't the question of genetics, but rather do you have the passion, the drive and the discipline to train hard and focus on your diet nonstop for years on end to realize your potential?
That's the real question, and yes, there are men and women who have great genetics for natural bodybuilding, but there are even more who would be amazing onstage but don't know it because they didn't believe enough in themselves to put in the time to see how far they could go.
So I am here to say that I believe you have it in you to do amazing things, so if it's your goal, or even if you just want to improve the way you look, stick with it and don't quit!
Know that I believe in you and as always, Excelsior!!! #naturallyintense
#naturalbodybuilding #nosteroids #fitnessgoals #bodytransformation #nodrugs #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuilder #naturalbodybuildingvideos #excelsior #fitover40 #personaltrainer #naturalbodybuildingtips #naturalbodybuildingmotivation #beleiveinyourself
Nope it's not a contest cut- it's just another day on the Path.
There are two ways to get cut, the fast way that requires going to extremes and which is inevitably temporary.
Or the Path-based way. Whereby your lifestyle and sustainable healthy practices get you there and keeps you there.
It takes time. It takes patience but it's an extremely honest endeavor.
If you put in the work and stay consistent with your training and following a processed food free and healthy diet, excellence is just a matter of time.
It takes time but as long as you draw breath, you have the time and you can do this.
So take the Path-based way and as always, Excelsior!!!
#naturallyintense
And my thanks to my son @reid_443 for snapping the shot, and the approval rating! 😂
#naturalbodybuilding #naturalbodybuilder #fitover40 #homegym #drugfreebodybuilding #gymselfie #hometraining
Please note that all material is copyrighted and DMCA Protected and can be reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the author.
Featured everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to CBS News, Kevin Richardson’s Naturally Intense High Intensity Training have helped hundreds lose weight and transform their bodies with his 10 Minute Workouts. One of the top natural bodybuilders of his time, Kevin is also the international fitness consultant for UNICEF and one of the top New York City personal trainers.
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- Roberto J. Rona, FFPH’Correspondence information about the author FFPH Roberto J. RonaEmail the author FFPH Roberto J. Rona, Thomas Keil, MD, Colin Summers, BSc, David Gislason, MD, Laurian Zuidmeer, PhD, Eva Sodergren, PhD, Sigurveig T. Sigurdardottir, MD, Titia Lindner, MD, Klaus Goldhahn, Jorgen Dahlstrom, PhD, Doreen McBride, MBA, Charlotte Madsen, DVM. The prevalence of food allergy: A meta-analysis Rona, Roberto J. et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2007
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