An Ode to our dearest Oatmeal

M25A8951.jpg

Oh oatmeal, where do we begin with you?

You're a whole grain. You're a vitamin powerhouse -- heaven knows we need you to get through flu season. You're chock full of fiber, minerals & free-radical kicking antioxidants. To top it off,  you play nice with gluten-sensitive tummies. 

You're definitely not just a player in the breakfast arena. You basically wrote the game.

Now that we've gotten the much due praise out the way. Let's get down to the nitty gritty, science-y meat of the situation.

The fiber, carbs, fat & protein in oats are basically the ride or die dream team for kickstarting the day. Starchy carbs give us that zing of energy we need to get going. Now our pals fiber & protein are here to keep us cranking through lunch.  Most of our readers probably already know our brains needs fat to function. Well, guess what ladies & gentleman - oats have the good type of fat that gives our brains permission to flip on the genius switch.

Step aside liquid sleep (coffee), oatmeal is here to take her rightful place at the breakfast throne. 

We know this is a lot of brain exploding science for a Friday morning. Hold on, babes, we're almost to the weekend. 

It wouldn't be fair if we didn't give a little attention to oatmeal's vitamin & mineral entourage. We've whipped up a little list of oatmeal's vitamins & minerals + what they're bringing to the party.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) - helps your beautiful body convert all the noms into useable energy

Iron - helps boost hemoglobin formation - aka your body's oxygen Uber.

Copper - you've got a big heart, my dear. Copper is here to make sure it stays healthy & strong.

Selenium - let's just call this little guy the "un-tensifier." He's here to fight inflammation & keep your blood running smoother than a lazy summer day on the river. He's kinda a softy, but he's not shy when it comes to fighting free radicals. 

Zinc - Ok. Here's the low-down. It's flu season. You need all the backup you can get to stay well. If we are picking our team for a fight against germs, Zinc is basically a black belt. He's got you & your immune system when cold & flu season strikes. Added benefit: if you're already sick, he's going to help you heal faster.

Phosphorus: everyone needs a wing man - this guy is at the top of Calcium's top 8 (yes, we just made a MySpace joke) He's going to help your body form strong bones & tissues. 

Manganese - this dude basically does all the things - aids in the formation of connective tissue, blood, bones etc. His IMDB also lists supporting roles in fat & carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption & blood sugar regulation. Someone told me he even has a cameo in normal brain & nerve function. 

Well folks, that's today's science lesson. You're now 100% ready to dominate at oatmeal trivia, if such a thing exists. 

Oatmeal, we love you. You've got a permanent invitation to our breakfast party. 

xoxo

- the Birdhouse Family

The Birdhouse Family