How to lower your cholesterol needs to become an important part of your day to day eating habits if you want to live a healthier, longer life and get to enjoy your loved ones in good health for years to come and this is certainly simple to accomplish as a goal with a few healthy and tasty tricks and treats.
Most of us know or at least had heard about the wonderful benefits of oats, and you probably know better the instant type, the reality is that all oats are good, instant, rolled, flakes, etc. but it is also true that the concentration of soluble fiber is higher in one form than other and in this regard nothing beats Steel Cut Oats.
This type of oats comes still grain shaped like and are subject to a grinding process with huge steel blades in which the grain is cut in two or three parts keeping the full nutritional value of a whole grain. the Beta- Glucans present in this soluble fiber are the main reason for its formidable cholesterol lowering effects in the body during the process of digestion binding bile to the gel type substance it forms in the digestive tract making your system take the cholesterol present in the bloodstream to produce more bile. Also Beta- Glucans slow down the entry of glucose in the blood making you feel full and less hungry for a longer period of time, and they include also excellent antioxidant properties present in steel cut oats that makes this grain a wonderful food choice for you.
One way which can come pretty handy for you to reap all the benefits of Steel Cut Oats and not be constrained by the need to cook or the unavailability to do it while you are at work, school, highway, gym, etc. Its by making it part of your snacks or desserts and that is one sure fire delicious way to bring its goodness with you by baking muffins that you can easily carry around to enjoy with your lunch or just as a snack to get rid of that hungry sensation instead of going for that sugar coated donut at the office's break room.
The recipe I use can be modified to adjust to your taste and likings, I love to mix walnuts and almonds for some healthy polyunsaturated fats as well as a couple spoons of ground flax seed for extra fiber, lignans and omega 3 fats in the mix to convert my muffins into a power house of nutrition for myself, blueberries are other great addition for extra antioxidants.
I hope that you get hooked in this type of snacks, they are really tasty and their consistency its grainy and crunchy and irresistible to your palate plus the benefits to your health are so enormous that the least you can do its to give it a fair try!
Lower Your Cholesterol Steel Cut Oats Healthy Muffins Recipe
(Makes 12 Muffins)
2 Cups Steel Cut Oats ½ Cup Soy Protein 1 Tbsp Baking Powder ¼ Brown Sugar (You can substitute Honey or Stevia) 1¼ Cup Skim Milk ¼ Cup Slivered Almonds ¼ Cup Walnut Pieces 2 Ripe Bananas, mashed 2 Beaten Eggs (two egg whites, 1 yolk) 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Preparation: Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix milk, bananas, eggs, and olive oil in a separate bowl, then add to dry ingredients and mix or blend. Line muffins pan with paper baking cups and fill with batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
This is just one way that you can make healthy snacks for you and your family but its just a matter of trying using your imagination and creativity and you soon will find lots of ways in which your snacks and desserts can help you lower your cholesterol
Also See Easy Cupcake Recipes