Food Safety Focus (224th Issue, March 2025) – Article 2
Choosing Oat-Based Foods Wisely for Best Nutritional Benefits
Reported by Dr. Anna SP TANG, Scientific Officer,
Risk Communication Section, Centre for Food Safety
Oat grain has been a popular food choice for health-conscious individuals due to its numerous health-related benefits, particularly for those following a high fibre and low sugar diet. However, some processed oat-based foods and beverages have recently come under scrutiny for their high sugar content, raising doubts about their potential health benefits. This article explore how to choose oat-based foods wisely to maximise the best nutritional benefits.
Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Oats
Oats are whole seeds from the Avena sativa plant. They are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, rich in dietary fibre, especially the soluble fibre beta-glucan, and naturally low in sugar. Numerous studies have reported that regular consumption of oat products is associated with significant amount of reduction of serum cholesterol absorption, as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. The health benefits are largely attributed to the inherent low sugar content and high fibre content in oats, which help to reduce the absorption of cholesterol, and slow glucose uptake into the blood stream. Besides, fibre-rich foods promote satiety, reducing the likelihood of overeating and thereby lowers the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.
Choosing Oat-Based Foods to Maximise Health Benefits
Although oat grains themselves are highly nutritious, the health benefits of oat-based foods can vary significantly depending on factors such as processing procedures and added ingredients. For example, oat-based food cooked with high fat ingredients like pâté may have adverse effects on cardiovascular system due to the high calorie and fat content. Thus, consumers should be aware of the ingredients used in the oat-based food.
In general, unrefined whole oat products are healthier than highly processed alternatives. Whole grains such as oat groats, steel-cut oats, and rolled oats retain most of their fibre content and nutritional value because they undergo minimal processing. Consumers are encouraged to choose these less refined options and pair them with low fat, low sugar ingredients as for a healthy balanced diet. On the other hand, highly processed oat-based products, such as prepackaged oat cereal mix, muesli, granola, oat bars and oat beverages often contain added sugars, syrup, honey and chocolate, which increase their sugars and fat contents. Even some oat milk products being highlighted as “unsweetened’ or “with no added sugars” may contain certain amounts of sugars due to the breakdown of complex carbohydrate during production processes. Therefore, it is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition labels to assess the actual nutrient contents and compare the products. Opting for oat products with higher fibre, less fats and less sugar contents is the key to maximising their health benefits.
Figure: Read the ingredient list and nutrition label on the package to choose food products with low sugar content.
Choose Oat-based Foods Wisely to Reduce Sugar Intake
Oats can be part of the healthy diet that aligns with low sugar intake recommendations. To lower the risk of obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases associated with excess consumption of free sugars and high calories, the World Health Organization recommends limiting the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake. For an adult consuming a 2000 kcal diet, this equal to less than 50g of free sugars (about 10 sugar cubes) per day. Here are some practical tips for incorporating oat-based foods and beverages into a balanced, low sugar diet:
- Choose plain, unprocessed oats: Opt for minimally processed oats like oat groats, steel-cut oats, or rolled oats. Enhance their flavor with fresh fruits or nuts instead of adding sugar. Preparing oatmeal and oat-based foods at home allows you to control the amount of sugar used.
- Read nutrition labels carefully: When selecting prepackaged oat-based foods and beverages: compare products and choose those with low sugar content. Be mindful of portion sizes. Foods containing not more than 5g of sugars per 100g solid food or 100 ml of liquid food are considered low in sugars.
- Check ingredient list: Avoid or limit products with added free sugars which may appear as high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, fructose, maltose, honey, molasses, or other types of sugar, etc.
- Consume oats in moderation: Incorporate oats as part of a balanced diet. Other healthy cereals options include barley, quinoa, red rice, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread.
