If you've been diagnosed with hepatitis C, you may be looking for ways to improve your overall health. Eating well and getting enough exercise is always a smart approach to any chronic disease. While nobody claims that oatmeal will prevent or cure hepatitis C, it is valuable as part of a healthy diet.
Oatmeal Nutrients
After cooking, 3/4 cup of dry, unfortified oatmeal makes a very generous serving. While the 431 calories it contains may sound a little high, the 11.4 g of fiber will fill you up as the carbohydrates metabolize slowly. With 16.44 g of protein, 4.57 mg iron and a rich supply of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, you can be confident that you are eating well.
Breakfast
When shopping for oatmeal, scrutinize the package carefully. Many of the oatmeal products that are sold in packets have a large amount of sugar in a child-size serving. For example, a two-packet serving has more than 25 g of sugar, which is more sugar than the 22.66 g found in a 1.5 oz. chocolate candy bar. Starting your day with a high sugar breakfast isn't healthy, especially hepatitis C patients.
Health Benefits
Oatmeal has been associated with various health claims, most notably with lowering cholesterol. For example, an article appearing in the January 2008 "Science Daily" suggests that oatmeal reduces the risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. Close examination shows that these claims were made by a researcher paid by Quaker-Tropicana. A better analysis is the meta-analysis of 67 controlled trials that appeared in the 1998 "Journal of Clinical Nutrition" that concluded that while a small decrease in overall cholesterol was observed, high density cholesterol levels - also known as the "good cholesterol" were not were not significantly influenced. Nevertheless, oatmeal is part of a healthy eating program that will support you through treatment of hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C
Patients with hepatitis Ccan remain symptom-free for years, but most eventually develop chronic hepatitis C and are at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Patients without symptoms are not treated. Once the disease becomes symptomatic, antiviral agents such as ribavirin and immune modulators such as pegylated interferon alfa are the standard treatment. Depending upon how the patient responds, treatment may last between 24 and 48 weeks. Oatmeal is a sensible food to eat at any time, but especially during stressful periods during treatment
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Cereals, QUAKER, Mother's Instant Oatmeal (Non-Fortified), Dry
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Candies, SYMPHONY Milk Chocolate Bar
- USDA National Nutrient Database:Cereals, QUAKER, Instant Oatmeal, maple and brown sugar, prepared with boiling water
- National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C; April 2009
- "Science Daily"; Oatmeal's Health Claims Reaffirmed, Study Suggests; January 2008
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Cholesterol-Lowering Effects of Dietary Fiber: A Meta-Analysis; L. Brown, et al.; January 1999
