Oats: a great all-rounder for health and beauty

Oats are great for health and beauty and you can choose to use them topically or well, just eat them. Instead of your usual breakfast, consider eating oats, which can increase your fiber intake to help keep your skin blemish-free and clear. Personally, I don’t like feeling bloated first thing in the morning and so I find that having oats in place of bread and cereal makes me more energized and keeps me from snacking or feeling hungry for longer. Usually, I start preparing the oats around 20 minutes after drinking my morning green smoothies, so as not get them both mixed up during digestion.

Eating oats to help lose weight
Oats contain soluble and non-soluble fibers. The soluble one being beta-glucan, is what makes oats effective in lowering blood cholesterol and in controlling the rise of blood glucose and insulin levels. What it does is while breaking down in the digestive tract, it forms a gel-like consistency that doesn’t affect the good cholesterol but instead, traps the bad cholesterol which is responsible for causing heart diseases. Oats also take longer to digest, making it best for people suffering complications associated with diabetes as it slows the intake of sugar in the body when being digested. Because oats is high in fiber, it also reduces the carcinogen build ups in the gastrointestinal tract, lowering one’s risk of getting cancer. It is also brilliant for people who are trying to lose weight, as one bowl of oats in the morning will make you feel full for longer, preventing you from snacking on empty calorie filled foods.

Preparing oats for consumption
The oats I use are organic steel cut oats or rolled oats when preparing for consumption as instant oats has little to no nutrients in them. For those who prefer a shorter cooking time, I would recommend using rolled oats, as they cook faster than steel cut oats. With steel cut oats, I use 1 cup of oats to 2 cups of water ratio, and boil them while stirring occasionally. I then put a tablespoon of raw organic Manuka honey in the bowls I am going to use. After they are cooked, I let the oats sit and cool for a while before pouring them into the bowls and stirring the honey in thoroughly, mixing them evenly.

Using oats on skin
Oats are also known to soothe inflamed skin, irritation, plus itchiness and are especially beneficial to people with eczema, psoriasis measles, chickenpox and even sunburn. Oats are natural skin exfoliant and can be used to remove the layer of dead skin without too much aggravation to the skin. Cosmetic products are known to include oats because of the traits they have and you can often find oats in soap bars, face creams and gels, and even shampoo.

Oats for dry & itchy skin
This is something I use when my legs get itchy and dry especially after shaving, and can be used as a face mask if you like. You can find the powdered form of oats in Cold Storage by Bob’s Red Mill and add 2 tablespoon of it to 1 tablespoon of raw organic Manuka honey. Add about another tablespoon of water to it to make a paste. The amount of water is up to you; if you want it thicker, just use lesser water. Mine’s a little watery but is just nice for my shin area which is prone to eczema outbreaks.

Oats as body scrub
If you add brown sugar to the paste, they make a great body scrub in the shower. For those with a bathtub you can put these ingredients in the bath and soak in it. I have never tried the bath soaking method though, but would love to try it as it sounds therapeutic.

Do you like the taste of oats? Or do you prefer using oats on your skin?

Comments

  1. Runimina says:

    I love using oatmeal as a face mask and for breakfast. #k8SjZc9Dxk_#k8SjZc9Dxk I used to get hives when I was a kid and had to take oatmeal baths! It helped soothe it.

  2. Carrie says:

    I am always fighting for time so I normally “soak” rolled oats in boiled hot water which allows me to do other things in the morning ? Though I am a bit uncertain using the paste to scrub our body as I fear the clogging of the plumbing… I might need to find a less concerning alternative #k8SjZc9Dxk#k8SjZc9Dxk|||

  3. Jesslyn says:

    Are oats considered as grains? I have been trying to adapt a grain-free diet, so as to clear up my acne..

  4. Cassie says:

    That’s nice to know it soothes your hives too! How do your normally prepare your oatmeal for breakfast?
    Cassie last post is: The new drug of the century: Junk Food

  5. Cassie says:

    It’s true that it is quite hard to clean up the bathroom after using the oatmeal paste, so I limit the usage only to once a week or once every two weeks. ?
    Cassie last post is: The new drug of the century: Junk Food

  6. Cassie says:

    Ah.. Good point you raised there. I’m on the fence about oats attributing to acne because oats are naturally gluten free but because most grains are farmed using GM seeds, some oats today contain gluten in them. Also, things like seed contamination during farming is beyond our control.

    But as far as I know, the Bob’s Red Mill Oats are gluten free. And since gluten is the main contributing factor to potential side effects like acne if you are allergic to it, I think the ones from this brand is fine. I’ve had my paranoid days though, especially when I get occasional zits here and there and can’t help but wonder if it’s the oats.
    Cassie last post is: The new drug of the century: Junk Food

  7. EcoBeauty says:

    Do you know where I can buy powdered oats? I wanna use it for some DIY stuff. ?
    EcoBeauty last post is: My Skincare Routine (April 2012)

  8. Lanie says:

    hi cassie,

    soaking oats helps to reduce phytate (the one that sequesters our iron and calcium). not wanting to be a purist here.. but it seems its better to purchase oat groats (and then soak it .. you can use a blender too to break it down – rehydrate later if you want to store it). I only just learned this recently.. so I use my rolled oats for my daily DIY cleanser though.. but for our breakfast cereal (I use whole oat groats– oats with the bran intact and make sure that I soak it first either on its own or in combination with rye or buckwheat groats …

    refer to my blog entry here about Oat Groats
    http://nanaymiriam.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/oat-groats-is-the-real-whole-oat/
    Lanie last post is: The Gerson Triad (Aspirin, Niacin and Vitamin C)

  9. Lanie says:

    vivi,
    Phoon Huat.. they have oat flour (or what you call oat powder).. you can also soak rolled oats and use your blender to powderize.. it will be wet though…

    see some of my Phoon Huat stash here… there is also vegetable glycerin there

    http://nanaymiriam.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/where-to-buy-baking-soda-5kg-bag/
    Lanie last post is: The Gerson Triad (Aspirin, Niacin and Vitamin C)

  10. Jyoan says:

    Oh, I didn’t know oats do not bloat people as much as bread! Good one. Once I finish my bread, I will go back to oats.

    I like eating oats with fresh cut strawberries, so nice!!
    Jyoan last post is: Review: Hada Labo Skincare

  11. Cassie says:

    I know the Cold Storage at King Albert’s Park definitely stock it ?
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  12. Cassie says:

    I’m obsessed with honey lately! I’ve been using honey in every way I can including the oats. ? Will have to try it with other fruits soon.
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  13. Cassie says:

    Ahh i see.. I’n glad this works for you. ?
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  14. Swati says:

    we don’t get organic rolled oats..we just get the instant oats ? and, Sesame told me once that they have been processed out of their many nutrients!!!

  15. Cassie says:

    Unfortunately that’s true. ? is there any way you can get organic whole oats online?
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  16. Sesame says:

    EcoBeauty: The major Cold Storages carry Redhill should sell the oat flour.

  17. Swati says:

    I’ll check out…any particular website which is good? coz I have no idea about international grocery websites.
    Swati last post is: Tan lightening Face Pack {Reader’s Tip}

  18. Jesslyn says:

    Although gluten-free products are grain-free, but somehow I think it’s still better not to consume grains at all. I am trying to follow the Paleo Diet, which is grain and also dairy free. Shall see how it goes then! Anyways, great article! ?

  19. Ktee says:

    I used oats to cleanse my face twice a day when I had very bad hormonal breakout a month ago. It calmed down the redness and my skin wasn’t as oily as usual. My skin felt very comfortable and happy… I was so relieved to have found something to cleanse my face without aggravating my acne. I am not sure if it helped in ‘healing’ the breakout but it was very soothing to the skin.

  20. Cassie says:

    Have you tried iherb.com? Not sure if it delivers to where you are but you can check it out. ?
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  21. Cassie says:

    I do that for my acne too! It really soothes the redness and soreness. Hehe.
    Cassie last post is: How I improved my eczema

  22. Lanie says:

    whole oat groats can be purchased at Sunny Choice Rail Mall, Zenxhin Organic Shop at Pasir Panjang Wholesale market

    am sure you can find them in some organic shops.. just have to be patient.. I also dont stress too much if I cant find whole oat groats…in order of priority I buy whole oat groats ,,, if cant find one then I buy Bob’s Red Mill oats too.. oh by the way.. NTUC Finest also sells quite good quality of organic oats (its even stored in a sack.. instead of plastic..very eco friendly!)…and sometimes even oat bran… they dont sell whole oat groats though..

  23. vivavoomz says:

    I didn’t know oats helps to improve eczema. Need to start taking oats again. Do you think Quaker Oats is fine? Not the instant oats version, but those in tin that requires boiling.
    vivavoomz last post is: Gmarket Hauls: Holika Holika Jewel-light Waterproof Eyeliner in Pink Topaz

  24. TLE says:

    I make my own powdered oatmeal- just dry blend with lavender, brown sugar etc… In fact my DIY oatmeal is my regular skincare now ;))

  25. Sesame says:

    Powdered oatmeal is so much easier to handle and yes, it’s probably the best for DIY mask.

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    magnapress last post is: magnapress

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