Meal Swap Cheat Sheets - For Good Health

Just as promised! Here are our Meal Swap Cheat Sheets. 

These images show you some really great low glycemic index meal swaps to help 

you keep your blood sugar in check and maintain your over all wellness. 

Oatmeal Promotes a Better Feeling of Fullness

According to a recent article posted by the Huffington Post, oatmeal may be your key to feeling satiated through out the day. Feeling fuller longer keeps you from making poor nutrition and eating decisions and keeps you on track for a healthy lifestyle.

When compared to ready to eat cereals, eating oatmeal for breakfast provided a greater feeling of fullness and a decreased desire to eat again for up to four hours later.

We all know the key to losing weight and maintain good nutrition is a delicate dance between quantity and quality. It is not only important to monitor your portion sizes and frequency of your snacking but also the quality of what it is that you are eating. You should be sure you are getting the most nutritional bang for your buck. And sometimes the foods we eat can work in our favor to help us on our path to good health and nutrition. As we see in the study published by The Journal of the American College of Nutrition, when compared to ready to eat cereals, oatmeal provides a fuller more satisfied sensation, thus negating your need to snack more or go back to the kitchen for your next meal sooner.

"The increase in satiety may be attributed to the viscosity of oatmeal," researchers wrote in the study. "Increased viscosity was due to the hydration properties, higher molecular weight, and concentration of the beta-glucan in oatmeal compared to the [ready-to-eat cereal]."

So eat up that Oatmeal folks!

OATS - A Super Food

It is no secret that oats have been on our health food radar for a while. In 1997 oats made a name for themselves when the FDA declared a label could be placed on any oat based product claiming an association between consumption of a diet high in oatmeal, oat bran or oat flour and a reduced risk for coronary heart disease.

And now the words ‘super food’ are buzzing around oats, hailing them the power to reduce disease and extend your life span. So what is inside of an oat that could possibly add years to your lifespan?

Well, oats are low in calories, and high in fiber and protein. Which is a winning combination. Their high fiber and protein content will satiate your hunger much longer than other sugary breakfast items and at fewer calories too. They are also a rich source in potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, selenium, thiamine and pantothenic acid (B5).  But what do these nutrients actually do in the body? Lets break this down into simpler terms.

• Pantothenic Acid also known as B5 is most known for its ability to release energy from the foods that we eat and decrease the negative effects of stress. 
• Potassium helps in maintaining the heart, brain, kidneys, muscle tissues and other organs of the body in a healthy condition.
• Zinc is important in helping the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. 
• Thiamine also known as B1 helps the body’s cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for the functioning heart, muscles and nervous system.
• Copper plays a key role in the production of hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells; collagen, a component of bones and connective tissue; myelin, a sheathing that surrounds nerve fibers; and melanin, the pigment that colors your hair and skin.
• Selenium helps regulate the thyroid hormones and support a healthy immune system. One of selenium’s most important roles is as an antioxidant helping to prevent cell damage due to free radicals.
• Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.
• Manganese is important in the formation of bones, connective tissues, blood-clotting factors and sex hormones, and also is involved in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.

 Looks like oats contain a certified bouquet of nutrients. And the best part is, Oats are extremely inexpensive and very easy to obtain. So consider starting your day with a nice hot bowl of oatmeal every day and see what a difference it makes.