You might think of oatmeal as just a lumpy, boring breakfast option when you can’t be bothered cooking eggs but want something a little better than toast. In fact, the usual “quick oats” that most people eat are a sad excuse for what can be a surprisingly delicious and nutritious food.
Plus, for those of us who love natural alternatives for remedies and beauty, oats offer many interesting options to take care of skin and hair. Here are some creative and satisfying ways to eat oats, and the best ways to use this grain for a naturally healthy and beautiful body. Oats can also benefit the health of your four-legged friend!
Oatmeal benefits for healthy hair
- Along with kefir and eggs, oatmeal is another breakfast food that can be used to wash your hair! Simply mix instant oats with a little water to make a paste, and use to scrub the scalp.
- Make a dry shampoo by grinding up oats and applying to hair. After a few minutes, brush out.
- For those with uncomfortable scalp conditions or flaky skin, oats can be used a scalp mask to relieve itching and bring skin back to a moisturized state.
Nutritional applications for oats
- If your cholesterol levels are looking unhealthy, bring that HDL up and fight LDL by eating oats more regularly. They may also help prevent cancer!
- Eat oats three hours before a workout to provide steady-burning energy and greater endurance, according to studies.
How to use oatmeal for beautiful skin
- Treat acne, a rash or bug bites by applying an oatmeal paste.
- Ease the itch of chicken pox with an oatmeal bath.
- Eczema or psoriasis can benefit from a paste or bath with oats as well.
- Include oats in homemade soap recipes to improve scrubbing power and also provide moisture to skin.
- Blend oats with honey to make a moisturizing scrub for dry or rough skin.
- Use ground oats and a small amount of water to make a paste. Spread the mixture on your face for 10 minutes to brighten and moisturize skin.
- Create a relaxing bath with oatmeal, milk and Epsom salts.
The best ways to eat oatmeal
- Instead of regular flour, use ground-up oats to make oat flour. This is a fiber-rich option for baking, and can be gluten-free if you purchase a brand of oats that is labeled as such.
- Use milk or a dairy alternative when making oats, for a more creamy texture and increased levels of healthy proteins and fats.
- Boost protein levels even more by whisking in an egg before cooking the oats.
- Build in healthy fats by adding coconut oil or nut butter.
Other unexpected uses for oatmeal
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- If your dog or cat has a problem with itchy or irritated skin, make him or her a soothing oatmeal bath!
- Make a nontoxic modeling clay for children by mixing one cup of instant oats with two tablespoons of flour and a splash of water. Add food coloring to make it more fun. Clay modeling is a great way for children to express their creativity and improve fine motor skills.
- One of the best ways to soothe sore muscles or an earache is to make a hot pack with oatmeal. Just fill a sock, tie it up, and heat it in the microwave. Don’t forget to place a mug of water in the microwave with the hot pack to provide moisture.
- Detoxify garbage bins by lining them with oats, which help to negate bad odors.
Who knew that you could get healthier and more beautiful naturally with so many applications for oatmeal. Which new way to use oats will you try today?
—Liivi Hess
Liivi is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and is training to become a doula. She inspires women to find peace and personal power by taking control of health and fertility naturally. Liivi‘s passion is ancestral nutrition and primal lifestyle design. She and her partner Will live between Toronto, Canada and Queenstown, New Zealand.
Sources:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=385568&resultclick=1
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/17373175
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2006.02285.x/full