Oatmeal and granola bars are popular breakfast and midday snack choices. In addition to being tasty and filling, they're low in sodium and high in fiber.

Why Is Oatmeal Good for You?

Oatmeal has a number of health benefits. Its carbohydrate content provides long-term energy, which is one reason it's a popular choice for breakfast. Additionally, oats are lower in sodium content than many other foods. Regularly eating foods containing sodium can cause blood pressure to rise, which can result in hypertension and contribute to the risk of heart disease or stroke. Eating oatmeal in place of high-sodium foods may help keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

Does Oatmeal Have Fiber?

Oatmeal is an excellent source of fibra. If you're concerned about heart health, oatmeal is a good choice because the fiber in oatmeal may help lower cholesterol levels; high cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease. Fiber also helps regulate weight.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, adults should try to eat 28g of fiber daily. A single serving of oatmeal contains roughly 8g of fiber, so just two bowls of oatmeal per day provide more than half of that recommended daily value.

Is Oatmeal Good for Diabetics?

Las personas con diabetes should pay close attention to their blood-sugar levels, and the high fiber levels in oatmeal are effective in keeping blood sugar levels within normal parameters. Many diabetics need to take insulin regularly, and some studies show eating oatmeal has a moderately positive effect on insulin sensitivity.

Oatmeal tends to have a fairly low glycemic index score, which is a simple indicator of how dramatically a given food raises blood sugar levels. Oatmeal usually comes in at a GI score of 55 or lower, while other common breakfast cereals have a GI score of 70 or higher.

What Is the Difference Between Oatmeal and Granola?

Oatmeal and granola are similar in that they're both made from oats, but granola bars tend to be toasted and have more added ingredients, which may include dry fruits, nuts, sugar and honey. Granola is usually a more convenient food for travel because it's easy to eat by hand. The additional ingredients make it more flavorful but also tend to increase calorie and sugar content.

If you have a little extra time to prepare your food, baked oatmeal can be an appealing middle ground between granola and traditional oatmeal. Simply make your oatmeal as you normally would, spread it in a baking pan and let it bake until firm. Depending on your preferred firmness level, you can serve baked oatmeal on a plate or cut it into easy-to-eat squares.