Heart-healthy food
FOR most of us, the holidays are the time we look forward to the most – the time to relax, travel and perhaps do all those activities that have been on our “waiting lists” for ages.
Unfortunately, the holidays can also be the least heart-healthy times of the year, as we tend to over-indulge in food.
The trick to enjoying your favourite traditional foods is by making them more heart-healthy.
Indulging a little will not hurt, but planning ahead will make for healthier meals.
Start your day with whole grains
Having a bowl of oatmeal or other whole-grain cereals for breakfast can provide you with all-day benefits.
Whole grains such as oats and brown rice contain high levels of fibre and complex carbohydrates which will help you feel fuller for longer, making you less likely to overeat at lunch.
They also help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and can help you lose weight.
Other more popular sources of carbohydrates such as those found in white bread, potatoes, white rice and pastries, boost blood sugar levels more quickly, making you feel hungry sooner, and more likely to snack or overeat at the next meal.
Oatmeal and brown rice also contain lots of soluble fibre which have been proven to lower LDL cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.
A versatile ingredient
Despite knowing its heart health benefits, it is quite a challenge for us Malaysians to have oatmeal as our staple breakfast or to consume a thick and gritty oat bran powder.
The bland taste of oatmeal simply does not come close to tasting as good as the food we normally eat.
The good news is that Kordel’s Active Oat 35 is neutral in taste and the powder is white or off-white with a smooth and fine texture, making it easy to add to food and drinks.
Even more exciting is the versatility of Kordel’s Active Oat 35. This product can be easily incorporated into everyday meals. In fact, some delicious dishes have been created using Kordel’s Active Oat 35.
When losing means winning
Did you know that approximately 50% of Malaysians are overweight? Worse still, an estimated 60% of Malaysians do not exercise.
According to the National Institutes of Health, people who are obese (more than 20% above their ideal weight) are more likely to be at risk for hypertension, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Therefore, achieving a healthy weight will not only make you feel more energetic and confident, it can also significantly reduce health risks.
If you are overweight, getting rid of the extra kilos is one of the best things you can do to help prevent heart disease.
That “extra baggage” you are carrying around can contribute to your likelihood of getting high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
All these conditions affect the lining of your arteries, making them more likely to collect plaque from cholesterol.
A good combination of healthy meals and exercise can help you lose weight, raise HDL “good” cholesterol and reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Try consuming Kordel’s Active Oat 35 before or after exercising to provide more energy that will take you through the day.
Oat beta-glucan and LDL cholesterol
Oats contain a form of soluble fibre called oat beta-glucan which is particularly concentrated in the outer layers of the grain (oat bran).
Most of the research into the cholesterol-lowering effects of soluble fibre has centred on oat beta-glucan.
As a soluble fibre, oat beta-glucan dissolves in water and forms a thick gel in the digestive tract.
This gel is able to bind to excess cholesterol and cholesterol-like substances within the gut and helps prevent these from being absorbed by the body.
The gel and cholesterol are then excreted as part of the body’s waste. Studies show that in individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just three grams of oat beta-glucan per day typically lowers total cholesterol by 8% to 23%. This is significant since each 1% drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease.
Oat beta-glucan and blood glucose levels
Oat beta-glucan has been welldocumented to help control blood glucose levels.
The carbohydrate found in oat bran is highly recommended as an energy source because it is converted into glucose very gradually which provides sustained energy and greater control of blood glucose levels.
Hence, it is good for pre-diabetics who are trying to lower their blood glucose levels.
Studies have also shown that oat beta-glucan has beneficial effects on diabetes. Patients with type 2 diabetes who were given oat betaglucan experienced smaller rises in blood sugar levels compared to those who were given other grains.
Oat beta-glucan is able to slow down sugar absorption and helps to reduce the sudden fluctuations in blood sugar levels after meals. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the consumption of oat beta-glucan can help lessen the spike in blood glucose levels after meals.
The Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) has also recognised that oat beta-glucan minimises the rise in blood glucose levels provided it is not consumed together with food.
Therefore, starting out your day with oat beta-glucan may make it easier to keep blood glucose levels under control throughout the day.
For details, visit www.kordels.com.my/activeoat35 or call the infoline at 1300 881 712 or e-mail ask-kordels@cambert.com.my