Quinoa Oats Superfoods, There are two biggies in the world of a nutritious diet: protein and dietary fibre. Get those, and everything starts falling into place. It’s why right diet plays such a pivotal role in staying healthy and getting fit. Quinoa and oats are two remarkable contenders that offer both of these biggies (and a myriad of other health benefits).
It’s why these nutritional powerhouses are offered as mainstays of a nourishing diet. Today, we delve into the secrets of these superfoods, uncovering their extraordinary effects.
Quinoa: the ancient grain with modern wonders
Call it keen-wah or ke-NO-ah, quinoa is not an ordinary grain. Actually, it’s not a grain at all. It’s a seed or pseudocereal that’s eaten like a grain. Originally from South America, a cup of it has around 200 calories packed in carbohydrates (71%), proteins (15%), and fats (14%).
Crunchy-textured and nutty-flavoured, this superfood yields great dividends. It helps people’s heart health, digestive health, and metabolism. On top of that, it can prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by keeping your weight in check.
1. Maintains blood sugar
Every food has a glycaemic index (GI) score, which tells you how quickly your blood sugar increases after eating it. The lower the number, and this is the important bit, the better the food. Why? Because a low score means a lower risk of diabetes and other heart conditions. The GI of quinoa is just 53, making it a great diet choice because it does not cause blood sugar spikes.
2. Weight-loss friendly
Helping lose weight is protein’s stock-in-trade. It does so by keeping you feeling full and boosting your metabolism. This makes protein sources genuinely magical in diets.
Quinoa is a complete protein source. Unlike most plant-based options, it has all nine essential amino acids a body needs to make proteins. Moreover, the protein content in it is high quality and very digestible.
So if you’re a vegetarian or vegan looking for a weight loss diet plan, you have no better option than quinoa. It’ll keep you full for longer than even rice or wheat!
3. Energising and bone nourisher
Quinoa is a nutrient powerhouse, chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese. These essential minerals play crucial roles in energy production, antioxidant defence, and other health factors. For instance, magnesium is formative for bone health. So, consuming the right quantity of quinoa can prevent osteoporosis.
4. Marvel for digestive health
No diet is complete or nourishing without some fibre in it. Quinoa is a fantastic source of dietary fibre, particularly soluble fibre, leaving even brown rice and corn in the dust.
Incorporating quinoa into your diet not only helps with digestion and regular bowls but also regulates blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol levels.
The oat advantage: a wholesome grain for optimal well-being
By no means can you call oats flashy, but there is a reason they’ve earned their superfood laurel. Studies show that when you compare people who eat oats to those who don’t, the former:
- Have lower body weight and BMI
- Have a smaller waist circumference
- Are less likely to smoke or have alcohol
1. Heart-healthy
When you make oats a quintessential breakfast staple, the level of bad cholesterol (LD) reduces, which reduces blood pressure and the risk of a heart condition. How do oats lower cholesterol? Through beta-glucan, which is a type of soluble fibre found in abundance in oats.
2. Gut healthy
There are knock-on effects of fibre content in oats. It doesn’t just keep the heart healthy. It also contributes significantly to gut health. Beta-glucan works like a prebiotic, nourishing beneficial bacteria in your gut and promoting a healthy microbiome and regular bowel movements, so your digestive system keeps working optimally.
3. Blood sugar balance act
Oats have a low glycaemic index, which means they are digested and absorbed slowly. This slow release of glucose into the bloodstream helps stabilise blood sugar levels and prevent sudden spikes and crashes. So oats are an excellent choice for diabetics.
4. Weight control ally
A meal with oats curbs cravings and keeps you satiated for longer, so the number of calories you consume automatically reduces. And that’s the thumb rule for losing weight: eat less and burn more.
So don’t rate oats a distant second in your diet plan. The high fibre content will keep you full and make portion control easier, making shedding those extra pounds simpler. For overweight diabetics, oats are an even better choice, as they have been shown to have a significant effect on reducing weight.
Endless culinary possibilities: quinoa and oats
Yes, both Quinoa Oats Superfoods are nutritional wonders. Yet, even in the face of all the evidence, most people rarely add them to a weight loss diet plan.
Why? Because how many exciting recipes can you make out of these superfoods? And a boring diet, as we know, is not sustainable in the long term.
Well, here’s the good news.
Quinoa and oats (Quinoa Oats Superfoods) are incredibly versatile and adaptable in the kitchen. There are endless ways to enjoy these culinary delights, from a quick breakfast bowl to granola bars to the tastiest salads. And since both are gluten-free, if you’re sensitive to protein, oats and quinoa make fantastic substitutes.
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