Can oatmeal be used as a main meal to help with weight loss?
Since oatmeal was scientifically proven to have...Lower cholesterolFollowing its reputation for health benefits, the idea that "eating oatmeal is good for your health and helps with weight loss" quickly became popular. Many food products emphasized the health benefits of adding oatmeal, and some people even started eating it as a regular meal. However, can oatmeal really help with weight loss? And how should one determine the appropriate daily intake? In fact, most people don't pay much attention to these questions and often have misconceptions about its use and consumption.
First, it's important to clarify that oatmeal is not the same as the cereal commonly found in the market. Oatmeal is a sheet-like food made solely from oats. It is pre-cooked, baked, and softened, and can be eaten simply by soaking it in hot water or cooking it briefly. While cereal also involves cooking and baking grains, it is made from a mixture of various grains. The proportions of ingredients vary between brands, but it generally includes ingredients such as barley, wheat, oats, and corn flakes, making its composition relatively complex.
Current research has clearly confirmed that only oatmeal has the effect of lowering cholesterol, both in terms of total cholesterol content and its effect on cholesterol reduction.Cardiovascular healthUnhealthy LDL cholesterol can be improved by eating oatmeal. The key to this effect is the beta-glucan contained in oatmeal—according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), adults can effectively lower cholesterol by consuming 3 grams of beta-glucan daily, which is roughly equivalent to the content of one bowl of cooked oatmeal (made with about 60 grams of dry oatmeal).
However, it's important to note that the "healthy oatmeal" referred to here must be all-natural oatmeal without any added ingredients. Only these types of products can be considered a high-quality source of starch. Most single-packet instant "oatmeal" or products marketed as "oatmeal" contain modified starches such as corn starch and maltodextrin. These are rapidly digestible starches that are converted into glucose in the body within about 20 minutes. Not only are they easily converted into fat and stored in the body, but they also fail to achieve the desired weight loss effect.
Regarding the question of whether eating oatmeal can help with weight loss because it makes one feel full, St. Martin's Hospital nutritionist Yu Weiming explained that although some small packages of oatmeal are indeed natural and additive-free, consumers can use a simple method to distinguish them: the dietary fiber in natural oatmeal will become viscous when it comes into contact with hot water, with a slightly rough texture and a bland taste; if you taste a distinctly sweet flavor and the texture is not viscous, it is very likely that the product contains added sugar, flavorings, or maltodextrin, and such products may actually increase the risk of fat storage.
Besides its cholesterol-lowering effects, some argue that consuming oatmeal can increase triglyceride levels, thereby increasing cholesterol.Cardiovascular disease riskIn response, Yu Weiming clarified that the real key to elevated triglycerides lies in "excessive starch intake." Although oatmeal belongs to the category of whole grains and is rich in dietary fiber, it is still essentially a starchy food. The starch it provides provides up to 2/3 of the calories found in white rice, and excessive consumption will also lead to excessive calorie intake.
Yu Weiming further pointed out that although the dietary fiber in oats can provide a certain feeling of fullness, the core of weight loss always lies in calorie control, not in naturally losing weight simply by eating a certain food. Furthermore, compared to foods like protein, the feeling of fullness from oats is shorter-lasting, making it easy to feel hungry again quickly. If you inadvertently increase your intake, you may end up consuming too many calories. Therefore, when eating oatmeal, you should avoid consuming other starches and sugars. It can be used as a staple food substitute, paired with protein and vegetables to ensure a balanced diet.
It's worth noting that while dietary fiber helps cleanse the intestines, excessive intake can have side effects—it may bind to minerals and vitamins in the body, causing these nutrients to be excreted in feces. Over time, this can lead to the loss of elements such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, resulting in iron-deficiency anemia, bone loss, muscle loss, and fatigue. In response, the Health Promotion Administration recommends that adult men limit their daily dietary fiber intake to 35 grams and women to 27 grams. This roughly corresponds to one to two bowls of oatmeal, which can replace one to two main meals, but should not be consumed in excess.
So, how should you plan your oatmeal consumption to achieve both weight loss and health goals? First, you can choose to replace one or two meals with oatmeal as your main meal, while also pairing it with high-quality protein sources such as soy milk, boiled eggs, boiled chicken breast, and edamame. At the same time, it's important to increase your water intake to avoid the dietary fiber causing intestinal irritation or bloating due to insufficient moisture. In terms of timing, it's recommended to eat oatmeal during breakfast, as this helps promote bowel movements and helps maintain regular bowel movements.
In addition, certain groups should be more cautious when consuming oatmeal: people with sensitive intestines or weak digestive function should not consume large amounts and are advised to eat it with other vegetables, mushrooms, and other ingredients to obtain different types of dietary fiber and avoid over-stimulating the gastrointestinal tract; if you already have symptoms of mineral deficiency such as iron-deficiency anemia, bone loss, or muscle loss, or suffer from gluten allergy, it is recommended to prioritize supplementing nutrition through other means and try to avoid eating oatmeal or cereal to avoid aggravating your symptoms; as for patients with chronic renal failure, since their ability to metabolize phosphorus is weak, and oatmeal and cereal usually contain high levels of phosphorus, it is also recommended to avoid consuming them.
