Nutritional Facts

Oatmeal: Chosing your oatmeal can be a confusing thing! For years, oatmeal was oatmeal to me. I knew some cooked faster than others, but I didn’t really know what made them different. I have studied up on it since we have made oatmeal a regular part of our diet. It is recommended that we each eat a cup of oatmeal each day.

Instant oatmeal is pre-cooked and then dried. It has added sweetener (usually sugar or high fructose corn syrup) and a variety of fruit bits or spices. This is great for a quick snack or breakfast if you don’t mind the sugar.

Quick cooking rolled oatmeal is cut into small pieces and then steamed and rolled through metal rollers to flatten them out. This type cooks up in about a minute and is a healthier choice than the instant. There is nothing added so you will likely want to dress it up a bit.

Old Fashioned oatmeal is also steamed and rolled, but it usually has bigger and thicker pieces. Since it is bigger, it needs to be cooked a little longer than the quick cooking. Old fashioned oatmeal cooks in about 5 minutes.

Steal cut oatmeal is the best choice, healthwise. Steal blades chop the oats and this gives the oatmeal a nice chewy texture. This type has a slower digestion which helps keep blood glucose levels in better control. Steal cut oatmeal can be cooked in about 10 minutes, but could take up to half an hour, depending on the cut.

Be sure to check the cooking instructions on your package of oatmeal, as cooking times will vary. The times that I have given are what I have experienced myself, with the types and brands that we have purchased.

There are many ways to top your oatmeal if you don’t choose to eat it plain. Most days I put some Apriva sweetener and some milk or cream. I also like to put some pumpkin pie spice in it when it is just about finished cooking. You can also put sliced fruit, cinnamon, butter, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, or go savory rather than sweet and try some garlic, onion or some Italian seasoning. Try one or more of the listed toppings, or be creative and make up some new ones!

Oatmeal is also used in breads, meatloafs, meatballs, and other dishes.

Besides oatmeal having a wonderful flavor and warm goodness, there are many health benefits as well. As a diabetic, I like that it doesn’t mess up my blood glucose levels.

Oats are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is soluble in water, and when mixed with water it forms a gel-like substance and swells. Soluble fiber has many benefits, including moderating blood glucose levels and lowering cholesterol. Insoluble fiber does not absorb or dissolve in water, and it passes through the digestive system in close to its original form. Insoluble fiber offers many benefits to intestinal health, including reducing the risk and occurrence of colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and constipation.

According to the American Cancer Society:

Insoluble fiber’s cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.
Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.
Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch. This may be beneficial to diabetics because, when you slow down the digestion of starch, you avoid the sharp rises in your blood sugar level that usually occur following a meal.
It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.
The phytochemicals in oat may also have cancer-fighting properties.
Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

Legumes (Beans and Peas) Most of us like one type of bean or another, but not many of us eat enough of them. Adults should try to eat a cup of cooked beans every day. Besides tasting good, beans provide a lot of nutrients and they also have a number of health benefits.

Legumes are high in complex carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber while being low in fat and sodium, and cholesterol free. Legumes are also rich in folic acid, copper, iron, and magnesium.

Soluble fiber in beans help lower levels of damaging LDL cholesterol in the blood, which aids in lowering heart-disease risk. Those of us that are Diabetic are futher helped because beans slow down carbohydrate absorption, helping to keep greater control of blood glucose numbers.

Beans also provide insoluble fiber. This type of fiber helps us to feel full faster and can keep constipation and other digestive issues at bay.

Some of the common type of beans:

Black beans are medium-sized, oval beans with black skin. They have a slightly sweet flavor and are used in soups, beans and rice, and many Mexican, Caribbean, and Latin American dishes.
Black-eyed peas are medium-sized, oval beans that are cream colored with a black dot. They have a sharp flavor and smooth texture and are usually served with rice or eaten as a side dish.
Garbanzo beans, also called chick peas, are medium-sized, round beans that are beige in color. They have a nutty flavor and firm texture and are used in soups, salads, Mexican dishes, and Middle Eastern dishes like hummus and falafel.
Kidney beans, also called Mexican red beans, are large and kidney-shaped with a strong flavor and soft texture. Kidney beans are used in soups, salads, chili, Creole dishes, and traditional rice and beans.
Lentils are lens-shaped seeds found in the fruit pods of an annual herb grown in southwestern Asia. There are two common types of lentils – one is small and brown and the other is larger and yellow. Lentils taste great in side dishes, soups, and stews.
Navy beans are small, white, oval beans with a mild flavor and powdery texture. They are used to make baked beans, soups, and stews.
Pinto beans are medium-sized, oval beans with a spotty beige and brown color. They turn completely brown when cooked and are used to make refried beans and other Mexican bean dishes.

Beans are easy to find, canned or dried. Dried beans provide more nutrition though, and are quite easy to prepare. They need to be soaked in plenty of water (5 cups of water for each 1 cup of beans) for about 8 hours, or overnight. It is best to drain the water and rinse the beans a few times during this long soak. After the beans have soaked it is time for them to be boiled on the stove. Be sure to start with plenty of fresh water! Let the beans cook until they are the right texture and tenderness, about an hour.

If you need your beans sooner than this, you can do a quick preperation by boiling the beans for a few minutes and then let them sit, covered, on the stove for a few hours and then boil till done.

Once you have cooked and seasoned your legumes, they are good to be used in soups, casseroles, salads or many other side dishes and dips. Experiment with herbs and seasonings with a variety of bean types to find what you like best!