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Oatmeal has long been considered a heart-healthy breakfast, but is it really as good for us as we think?

In this episode, Jonathan and Sarah break down the great oat debate. First, they explore the different types of oats - instant, rolled, and steel-cut and how processing impacts their nutritional value. Then, they put oats to the test using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), comparing instant to steel-cut, with and without toppings, to demonstrate how blood sugar works.

Sarah also discusses wider debates around oats: Are pesticides a concern? Is oat milk as healthy as it claims? Finally, she shares the ultimate guide to choosing the healthiest oats - and for those who prefer alternatives, she’s got delicious, nutrient-packed swaps to try.

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Timecodes

00:00 The breakfast of champions?

01:40 Quickfire questions

03:17 What are oats?

05:03 Oats vs wheat

08:20 What are instant oats?

09:58 Are oats good for your heart?

12:20 ZOE’s oats experiment

19:20 Blood glucose test

25:18 What causes blood sugar spikes?

28:35 How the body breaks down carbs

33:25 Latest science: are oats healthy?

35:00 Oats and cholesterol

39:30 Do oats contain vitamins?

40:57 Pesticides: should you worry?

45:06 Is oat milk healthy?

49:30 Oatmeal recipe ideas

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook | https://amzn.to/4amfIMX

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati | https://amzn.to/4blJsLg

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector | https://amzn.to/4amZinu

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition | https://zoe.com/freeguide

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks | https://zoe.com/gutguide

Mentioned in today's episode

Oatmeal particle size alters glycemic index but not as a function of gastric emptying rate, 2017, Nutrient Sensing, Nutrition, and Metabolism https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpgi.00005.2017

Urinary pesticide concentrations in French adults with low and high organic food consumption: results from the general population-based NutriNet-Santé, 2019, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-018-0062-9

Oat Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 2021, Nutrients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8398256/

The effect of oat β-glucan on LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and apoB for CVD risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials, 2016, British Journal of Nutrition https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effect-of-oat-glucan-on-ldlcholesterol-nonhdlcholesterol-and-apob-for-cvd-risk-reduction-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis-of-randomisedcontrolled-trials/60A75CB215602240E9363D49DCB690ED

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Episode transcripts are available here: https://zoe.com/learn/category/podcasts