Enjoying a bowl of prepared oatmeal is a great way to jump-start your morning, or to gain extra nutrition at any time of the day. If you eat just one cup of oatmeal, you’ll gain protein, carbs for quick energy, B vitamins and all of the essential minerals. You’ll also gain fiber that has great health benefits.
Oatmeal is made from ground oat groats, which are oat grains that have been hulled, but retain the germ, bran and endosperm that are typically lost during milling. Groats can be turned into rolled oats that contain the whole groat flattened, or into steel-cut oats, which are groats cut into smaller pieces. Quick-cooking and instant oatmeal are pre-cooked and dried.
Basic Nutrition
One cup of regular oats prepared with water contains 166 calories, 6 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 3.5 g of total fat, which includes 0.7 g of saturated fat, but no cholesterol.
Fiber
The same serving of oatmeal has 4 g of dietary fiber. Based on dietary intake recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, this represents 10 percent of the daily intake for men and 16 percent for women. Oats are one of the best sources of soluble fiber, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol and helps keep blood sugar balanced by preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar after eating.
Vitamins
A bowl of oatmeal provides B vitamins and small amounts of vitamins E and K. It has 0.2 mg, or 16 percent of the daily intake, of thiamine. You’ll also gain about 3 percent of the recommended daily intake of riboflavin, niacin and folate. Thiamine, riboflavin and niacin convert food into energy and contribute to healthy skin and muscles, according to Harvard Health Publications. Folate is needed for growth and development, and helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
Minerals
Prepared oatmeal contains 21 mg, or 2 percent, of bone-building calcium and 164 mg, or about 4 percent, of potassium, which regulates nerves and muscle contraction. It’s an even better source of iron, phosphorus and magnesium. One cup has 2 mg of iron and 180 mg of phosphorus, or 25 percent of the recommended intake for both minerals, and 63 mg, or 15 percent of magnesium. Iron carries oxygen throughout the body, while phosphorus and magnesium contribute to bone growth and strength. You’ll also get 18 percent of zinc and copper, 21 percent of selenium and 60 percent of manganese. Copper, selenium and manganese are antioxidants with other roles. Copper is needed for the production of red blood cells, selenium helps regulate thyroid hormones, and manganese must be present for the formation of cartilage and collagen. Zinc supports the immune system and is essential for growth and neurological development, according to Harvard Health Publications.
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