Monodiet on oats: its advantages and recipes

Author: Vera Kobchenko - certified trainer-nutritionist.
2017-05-18

It is no secret that oatmeal is an excellent product for maintaining shape and is beneficial for health. Oatmeal is considered a traditional dish in some European countries (Britain, Scotland).

The Slavic people first tried this grain in the 1st century AD, and since then, the opinion about it has not changed – it is capable of energizing and helps reduce weight.

Oatmeal for Weight Loss

Oatmeal is obtained by grinding oats. It is rich in many essential elements:

• calcium;
• iodine;
• phosphorus;
• nickel;
• potassium;
• iron.

What Benefits Does Oatmeal Bring to the Body?

First, oatmeal is famous for its cleansing properties due to its fiber content. It eliminates toxins, waste, and other unnecessary substances. It also has a positive effect on the liver and thyroid function. All these processes are directly related to weight loss.

Second, the grain contains elements that help lower cholesterol levels in the blood, positively impacting the cardiovascular system.

Third, it contributes to boosting immunity.

Fourth, including oatmeal in your diet will positively reflect on your overall health, and improvements in hair, nails, and skin will also be noticeable.

The main advantage is that during weight loss, the grain will energize you, replenish the missing vitamins and elements, and satisfy your hunger. However, like any product, oatmeal has contraindications:

• People suffering from small intestine diseases, where gluten is not fully digested, should avoid it. Eating oatmeal may cause an allergic reaction.
• It is not advisable to consume large amounts of the grain (referring to mono diets lasting more than 7 days). This can lead to negative consequences due to the malabsorption of vitamin D and other vitamins.
• Mono diets are not recommended for people with cardiovascular and kidney failure.

Types of Oatmeal

It is worth remembering that there is not just one type of oatmeal, so before starting a diet, you need to figure out which oatmeal is best suited. The most common types of oatmeal are:

1. Whole grain oatmeal. Its cooking time is up to half an hour. This is the healthiest porridge as it has undergone minimal processing and retains the maximum amount of nutrients and elements.
2. Flattened oat grains. It cooks in about 20 minutes.
3. The most popular oatmeal is "Hercules." It undergoes additional steaming processing, which is why it cooks much faster (in up to 15 minutes).

For weight loss, it is better to use coarse grain oatmeal or Hercules oatmeal, but in a coarse grind. It is worth noting that muesli is not suitable for consumption during weight loss due to various additives that should be avoided if you want to lose weight.

How to Prepare Oatmeal for Weight Loss

To achieve the desired results using an oatmeal diet, you should adhere to some rules:

1. Oatmeal is great for breakfast. Because it contains complex carbohydrates, you won’t feel hungry for a long time. This dish contains a permissible number of calories to consume while losing weight.

2. Cook the oatmeal in water or low-fat milk. It is not recommended to add sugar, butter, or salt; however, you can include fruits or spices like cinnamon.

3. Don’t forget to stay hydrated. You should drink enough fluids, specifically pure water. Herbal teas, green tea, or rosehip decoction without sugar are allowed.

4. In the case of a mono diet, the last meal should be eaten 3 hours before bedtime.

Potential to Lose 5 kg by Eating Oatmeal

A mono diet based on oatmeal can help with rapid weight loss. For this, you need to eat only oatmeal and drink plenty of fluids. You can consume an unlimited amount of porridge, but the main condition is to prepare it in water without adding salt, sugar, or fat. The duration of such a diet is up to 7 days. The processes happening in the body are as follows:

• In the first few days, your body will cleanse itself;
• Calories will be sourced from your body's reserves since it will not receive any other products apart from oatmeal. If you feel lethargic, unwell, or dizzy, you must immediately discontinue the mono diet.

To maintain the results, you must continue to eat a balanced diet; otherwise, the kilos will come back quickly. It's important to remember this to avoid feeling like your efforts were in vain. You should also ease out of the diet by preparing your body for other foods. This should be done gradually by keeping oatmeal for breakfast while starting to add some low-calorie products. Another option is to have one unloading day a week based solely on oatmeal.

Recipes:

1. Oatmeal with Kefir. In the evening, pour 3 tablespoons of oatmeal with a glass of low-fat kefir. You can add berries and fruits.

2. Smoothie. To prepare, blend a couple of tablespoons of oatmeal with some warm low-fat milk, berries, or fruits. This is suitable for breakfast, but not recommended for dinner.

For the best results, it is recommended to engage in sports.

Sincerely, Vera Kobchenko, trainer-nutritionist.