Native to southern Europe and eastern Asia, oats are not only good for your insides, they are good for your skin as well. Uses of Oats Oats are nourishing because they contain starches, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and though they contain some fat, they are low in saturated fat, which makes them a healthy choice. A serving of hot oat bran cereal provides about four grams of dietary fiber. Some types of dietary fiber bind to cholesterol, and since fiber is not absorbed by the body, neither is the cholesterol. A number of clinical trials have found that regular consumption of oat bran reduces blood cholesterol levels by about 10 percent in just one month. Oats have been used topically to heal wounds and various skin rashes and diseases. Soaps and various bath-and-body products made from oats are readily available. Oatmeal baths are wonderful for soothing dry, flaky skin or allaying itching in cases of poison oak and chicken pox. (Hint: Dont dump oatmeal right in the bath; it will make a mess. Either grind it into a fine powder or wrap it in a cloth or old nylon stocking.) Because oats are believed to have a calming effect, herbalists recommend them to help ease the frustration and anxiety that often accompany nicotine and drug withdrawal. Oats contain the alkaloid gramine, which has been credited with mild sedative properties.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 07:26:24 +0000
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