Oats According to Ayurveda
Oats are useful to manage anxiety. According to Ayurveda, Vata governs all the movement and actions of the body and nervous system respectively. Anxiety is mainly due to a Vata imbalance. Oats help to balance Vata and give a calming effect on the nervous system.
Oats and Weightloss
In Ayurveda medical imbalances are addressed by treating the root of the problem. Additional weight gain is considered in Ayurveda to be caused by weak or poor digestion, It is the accumulation of toxins in the form of excess fat or Ama (toxin that remains in the body due to incomplete digestion). Oats help to improve the digestive fire (agni) and thus the metabolism. This helps to remove toxins from the body. It also enhances stool production and helps to remove it from the intestines, thus resulting in weight loss.
Oats and Milk are considered as a nourishing anti-inflammation treatment for skin issues, this is due to its cooling nature.
The Best Breakfast For Vata
Vatas are infamous for their fast metabolism, yet less than adequate elimination. Oats in general are wonderful for the vata dosha due to their slippery, wet, and unctuous qualities.
From an Ayurvedic view, oats in any form are considered to have soft, heavy, sticky, warm, and slightly oily (mucilaginous, we might say) qualities. And oats, in their grain form, naturally taste sweet., which makes them particularly balancing for vata dosha.
While oats definitely are predominately best for vata dosha, Pitta also benefits from its sweet taste, along with the heavy and soft qualities.
In the rules of Ayurveda, Oats are aggravating to kapha due to the similarities to kapha dosha (think heavy, oily, soft, sticky, and sweet).
Oatmeal for Vata
Oatmeal is typically a good choice for Vata, but the heavy quality needs balancing so it doesn’t overwhelm a weak and sensitive digestive tract.
Oats are high in mucilaginous soluble fiber, which is what you see after the oats cook for a while. It looks like mucus, or slime. However, that soluble fiber helps to soften and support a dry digestive tract, which is often the case for Vata types.
Properties of Oats
GUNAS (NATURE): Sattvic
DOSHAS: Vata/Pitta Balancing, Kapha Aggravating
Superpower: Appetite Suppressant
Tastes: Sweet
Element: Earth
Energy: Grounding
The Benefits of Oats
What’s so great about Oats?
- Oats are useful to manage the symptoms of anxiety
- Anxiety is a Vata imbalance
- Improves Agni (digestive fire) which helps with metabolism
- Enhances stool production resulting in weight loss
- Aids in removing toxins from the body
- Retains moisture in the skin
- Reduces skin inflammation
- Appetite-suppressant
- High in Fibre
- High in Protein
- High in B Vitamins, Pottasium & Phosperus
- Recent research suggests it is also a prebiotic