Oatmeal is one of the essential staples every food storage needs. When it comes to mother nature’s creations, oatmeal is the “jack of all trades.” From the obvious health benefits to a myriad of other strange uses such as skin care and odor absorption, the oatmeal sitting in your pantry will come in handy.
Health Benefits
There is a good chance at some point in your life your doctor will recommend eating a bowl of oatmeal on a regular basis. There are many health benefits to adding oatmeal to your diet plan such as lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, increasing antioxidants, increasing heart health, and more.
Lower Cholesterol. Oatmeal contains a very important fiber known as beta-glucan. Since the 1960s, studies have shown that this particular fiber is responsible for reducing cholesterol when consumed. Additional studies have found that in higher cholesterol patients, consuming one bowl of oatmeal per day can lower cholesterol by 20%, subsequently reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Stabilize Blood Sugar. Studies have shown that this same fiber, beta-glucan, is also responsible for helping stabilize blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. Eating oatmeal is also a great way to reduce the risk of becoming diabetic as it helps regulate your body’s blood sugar levels.
Increase Antioxidants. Oats are a great source of selenium, one of the necessary ingredients to the important antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase. With an extra dosage of selenium, your body will be able to produce more antioxidants to fight and help prevent nasty things like heart disease, cancer, and asthma.
Additional Benefits
Not only is that can of oatmeal sitting in your pantry a doctor-recommended food lowering cholesterol, reducing and preventing diabetes, and boosting your energy; but there are plenty of other applications your oatmeal can be used for. In recent years oatmeal has continued to gain attention for its many uses beyond the abundant health benefits. There is no reason your old oatmeal should get tossed out or wasted. Even when too old and expired for consumption, oatmeal can still be used for other applications.
Treat Acne. Whip up a batch of plain oatmeal, let cool to lukewarm temperatures and apply to infected area. Let the oatmeal sit on skin for 15 minutes then rinse. The oatmeal will absorb oil and bacteria from skin pores while exfoliating dead skin cells.
You can also make your own scrub to promote healthy skin by making a colloidal oatmeal scrub.
Directions:
• Grind two tablespoons oatmeal into grainy consistency. Blenders or food processors work great.
• Add 1 teaspoon baking soda.
• Mix tiny bits of water into mixture until you get a pasty consistency.
• Spread scrub on cleansed face and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse, and enjoy fresh, rejuvenated skin.
Healthy Skin. Not only does oatmeal fight acne but it also helps relieve poison ivy, sunburn, dry skin, chicken pox, hives, and other skin irritations. There is a reason many skin care products you will purchase in the stores contain oatmeal.
To treat skin irritation you can use the scrub mentioned previously or soak yourself in a relaxing oatmeal bath.
Bath Directions:
• Add 2 cups dry oatmeal to your bath. You can also grind oatmeal into powder, place into an old nylon stocking, and let float in tub.
• Soak yourself in tub for 15-20 minutes.
Relieve Stinky Odors. Oatmeal can actually absorb foul smells! Many have claimed that by placing an empty container of oatmeal in the fridge absorbs bad smells. You can also try putting an open container of oatmeal in your teenagers bedroom…although you may need a LOT of oatmeal to absorb all that foul smell that comes seeping under the door and down the hallway.
Top 5 Oatmeal Recipes
If you are like me, then after reading this article you are going to be craving that nutritious bowl of steamy, creamy, soul warming oatmeal. To satisfy your sudden oatmeal crave I have scoured the earth from the plains of the Arctic to the majestic mountain tops of the north, from the…okay okay, here are the best oatmeal recipes on the face of the earth. If you think you have a better recipe we would love to hear about it!
| Maple & Bacon Oatmeal Delight |
• 1 slice bacon…but can you REALLY ever have enough bacon?
• 1 serving rolled oats.
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
| Mango and Coconut Oatmeal |
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 serving rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chopped cashews
• ½ cup chopped mangoDirections:
• Toast coconut by spreading on a baking sheet. Turn over to broil and place baking sheet in oven. Let toast for about 3 minutes or until golden.
• Prepare oats according to package directions. Stir in brown sugar and top with cashews, mango, and toasted coconut.
| Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Grapes |
• 1 serving rolled oats
• ½ cup red grapes
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• Prepare oats according to the package directions. Stir in peanut butter and top with grapes.
| Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal |
• ⅓ cup regular oats
• 1 cup milk
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup pumpkin
• ½ tbsp chia seed
• pinch of sea salt
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamonToppings:
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp chopped pecans
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of cinnamonDirections:
• Cook oats and milk over medium heat in saucepan until it comes to a low boil.
• Stir in pumpkin and chia seeds and heat low to medium for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
• Add other spices and ingredients except for toppings. Heat for another 5-7 minutes.
• Pour into bowl and add toppings.
| Baked Oatmeal – 8 Servings |
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• ½ cup raisinsToppings:
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp brown sugarDirections:
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Mix together all ingredients minus toppings. You may want to add ingredients a couple at a time to mix well.
• Pour mixture into lightly greased pan.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Bake in oven until firm, about 35 minutes.
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