I perform many recipes using the Oat Flour container from my kitchen. As I require a significant carbohydrate intake every day, it is very beneficial to lie on Oat Flour.
But have you ever heard of Oat Fiber? The terms can be a bit confusing, but they have their individual benefits. Neighbors involved in the keto diet always ask me an identical question, “is oat fiber keto friendly?”
As a responsible tenant in my building, I am responsible for conducting a broad search about this fact and revealing the mystery. This article will show you whether you can include oat in your keto diet or not.
Moreover, I will also talk about the different benefits of Oat Fiber, some keto friendly recipes relating to Oat Fiber, and perfect keto substitutes for Oat Fiber.
Stay tuned! This knowledge ride does not get boring.
Table of Contents
How Much Carbohydrates Does Oat Fiber Contain?
Why do we need to know the carbohydrate intake amount in Oat Fiber? Because that is the prime requirement of the keto diet. A traditional keto diet tells you that the minimum carbohydrate consumption should not be more than 30 grams.
What happens when the consumption is less than 30 grams every day? That is when your body will reach the ketosis stage. What is the ketosis stage? See, 30 grams of carbohydrate intake is really not enough for a human being to carry out its body’s metabolic activities.
But it is necessary because when your body sees that there is a deficit amount of carbohydrates, it will use the stored protein and fat from the internal organs to compensate for the respiration process, and that is when you can say your body has reached the ketosis stage.
Now, the interesting fact is that the amount of carbohydrate in one ounce of Oat Fiber, which is 28 grams, is 27.1 grams. So, is oat fiber keto friendly? You might say a big no, right? Hold your horses and listen to the explanation.
Carbohydrate amounts might be more than sufficient to ruin the keto diet, but this carb amount in Oat Fiber is considered dietary fiber only. Therefore, the net carbohydrate intake while eating Oat Fiber is zero.
As you are not taking any type of carbohydrate in your body, you are breadth consolation through your nose and conclude that Oat Fiber is 100% keto friendly.
Difference Between Oat Fiber, Oat Bran, And Oat Flour
In previous moments, you will find that I have talked about the confusion between Oat Flour and Oat Fiber. Well, let me hassle you more and include another in the party- Oat Bran.
These three are termed the most common types of Oats widely used among Oat lovers. Also, a fun fact is that they all belong to the same family of the Oat plant, sometimes known as Oat Grain.
What is Oat Grain? It contains different layers, and each of them comes with a unique to serve the people who seek to include Oats in their respective diets.
Without any further ado, let me do the honor of presenting each of them with an individual explanation.
Oat Bran
First, we are beginning with the outer layer of the Oat plant. When the manufacturers process this plant, they leave the outer Oat Kernel after removing the upper crust, and this outer Oat kernel is called Oat Groat.
Thus, you can get the extracted Oat Bran from the Oat Groat in the extraction process. When you enjoy your favorite oatmeal, you will find many brands that remove the Oat Bran so that the preparation time of oatmeal is deceased.
You can also enjoy raw Oat Bran! They are a delicious meal when added to cereals and smoothies, which can be refreshing at the breakfast table.
The color of the Oat Bran comes in dark brown, and the fiber present in it is soluble. Hence the net carbohydrate intake in Oat Bran is relatively high compared to Oat Fiber.
In addition to that, they also come in variable sizes, which can also be added as flavorings. One thing to add is that you cannot consider Oat Bran as keto friendly product because of its high carbohydrate intake.
Oat Flour
Gluten-free baking might be suitable for some people as gluten contains protein that triggers celiac disease for those who are allergic. Oat Flour is primarily made from grinding Oat Grain and Oat Groat.
If you look at the statistics, Oat Flour has got quite a taste in it, attracting the most people’s popularity. What is the benefit of eating Oat Flour? In case of taste, it is much better than white flour.
Additionally, it has a carbohydrate intake and more nutrients and vitamins than other flour types. If you have some rolled Oat at your house, just some grinding, and you can deliver yourself some Oat Flour to help you with the nutrients.
Oat Fiber
Now, let me talk about the main aspect of this article: Oat Fiber. The manufacturers extract Oat Fiber by grinding the full outer part of the Oat Groat.
You can consider Oat Fiber very similar to baking powder, and they are very light and mild in taste. It is also used to provide an extra level of texture to other recipes.
As it is insoluble while getting absorbed in the body, Oat Fiber is really great for an efficient bowel movement. The zero-carbohydrate intake makes this type of Oat special for keto dieters.
If you are on a strict keto diet, always choose Oat Fiber over Oat Bran and Oat Flour. It enhances the taste of your recipe; plus, with nil carbohydrate content in the body, you would not have to worry about the amount of consumption.
Health Advantages Of Oat Fiber
There is a saying still passing to generations from ancient times that most human diseases originate if you have an unhealthy gut. Having a good amount of fiber every day can help you to maintain a functioning digestive system.
Other than that, they have several other health advantages, and I have narrowed down some important ones for you to read. They are as follows:
Efficient Bowel Movement
The human body has two intestines for digestion: the small and large intestine. The large intestine stores all the necessary electrolytes and other nutrients for the body.
The end of the large intestine is also called the colon. The other functions that it carries out are improving digestion, preventing the growth of unknown bacteria, and providing necessary vitamins for the body.
There should be no obstacle in the colon to maintain a healthy digestive system. This is strictly maintained when there is a sufficient amount of dietary fiber in the body.
Protection Against Sudden Disease
If your body has a surplus of dietary fiber, it can reduce the risk of diverticulitis, which is primarily known as the inflammation of the large intestine.
Also, not having adequately digested food can lead to the formation of kidney stones which result in unimaginable pain. Oat Fiber also reduces the amount of gastric acid in the stomach thus reducing the probability of ulcers.
The doctor suggests that eating the necessary amount of Oat Fiber regularly also prevents colorectal cancer. Also, there are sudden records of decreasing digestive system cancer risk resulting from Oat Fiber.
Increases Heart Condition
You do not have any idea about the benefits of a heart condition due to the consumption of Oat Fiber every day. First, it decreases the amount of LDL, which is known as Low-Density Lipoprotein, in the body, thus reducing the chance of sudden heart attack.
What is the contribution of LDL? It builds up all the fatty protein in the arteries and veins thus hampering the blood circulation. If the amount of LDL reaches a significant amount, it will block the artery wall, thus forming a disease called ‘plaque.’
As the blood circulation is hampered, this scenario will eventually decrease the metabolism rate. So, if you ever want to have a healthy heart, make sure to consume sufficient dietary fiber, which, in this case, is Oat Fiber.
Maintains Healthy Gut
We often describe bacteria with all the negative thoughts in our minds. Yes, some bacteria promote a lot of diseases, but similarly, many bacteria enhance some health issues, such as keeping your gut function and disease-free.
Gut health is necessary for the absorption of all lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and micronutrients from meals. For optimal absorption, it also requires “good microorganisms.”
The above operation is only possible if there is a functional bacteria present in your colon, which will feed upon the Oat Fiber that you will eat. So, make sure to eat enough Oat Fiber to have a healthy gut.
Keto Friendly Substitute For Oat Fiber
Is oat fiber keto friendly? You just witnessed how much keto friendly Oat Fiber is. Their carbohydrate intake amount is zero, which every keto dieters dream of.
But what if there is no Oat Fiber available in your neighborhood? There can also be some people, not many, that do not like Oat Fiber. For those aliens, I have brought you an alternative of Oat Fiber, which is equally keto friendly and delicious.
The name is Psyllium Husk! It is a powder content food that tastes similar to Oat Fiber and has zero net carbohydrate intake and numerous proteins and nutrients.
Psyllium may also be used to provide moisture to baked items in keto recipes. It can help with constipation and other keto-flu symptoms.
Different Recipes With Oat Fiber
If you’re seeking to include oat fiber into some of your keto diet meals, here are a few of my favorites:
- Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oat Fiber Buttermilk Pancakes
- Oat Fiber Fathead Pizza Dough
- Oat Fiber Keto Bread
- Keto Pasta
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Oat Fiber enhance the spike of blood sugar in the body?
As we have already mentioned, Oat Fiber does not contain any net carbohydrate intake for the body. Therefore, you will feel a deficit in carbohydrate intake, which will eventually decrease your sugar level in the blood.
2. Is there any difference between Oat Fiber and Psyllium Husk?
There is no fundamental difference between Oat Fiber and Psyllium Husk. Oat Fiber is made from grinding Oats, and, on the other hand, Psyllium Husk is manufactured from grinding the outer husk of the Oats.
3. Can we use Oat Fiber to develop weight loss?
As the fiber content, Oat Fiber will help you feel full for a very long time; it additionally helps in breaking down the stored fat and protein in the body. When such a chemical reaction occurs inside, the person will start to lose weight after a certain period.
4. Will eating too much Oat Fiber hamper the keto diet?
Overeating Oat Fiber will eventually increase the carbohydrate intake in the body. Though fiber contained carbohydrate is insoluble in the body, overeating too much can surpass the threshold level.
5. Does Oat Fiber helps to reduce constipation?
Oats consist of many soluble fibers that allow more water to pass through the stool. This will make the stool softer and bigger in size, thus allowing no constipation on the way.
6. Can we replace Oat Fiber with Oat Flour?
Unfortunately, Oat Flour contains significant carbohydrates in its composition, which can hamper the keto diet process when consumed in a greater amount. So, my suggestion will be not to replace Oat Fiber with Oat Flour.
7. Is it too hard to digest Oat Fiber?
Oat Fiber does not break down inside the human digestive system; instead, the soluble fiber greatly helps in the constipation process.
8. Does Oat Fiber produce inflammatory effects?
Research showed that Oat Fiber prevents inflammation in the large intestine. Thus, we can conclude that it does not produce any inflammatory effects in other parts of the body.
Final Thoughts
Is oat fiber keto friendly? Absolutely yes! Oat Fiber is keto-friendly since it has zero net carbohydrates and is entirely made up of fiber. Fiber has a glycemic index of zero percent and does not affect ketosis.
It is an insoluble fiber with a moderate flavor that absorbs 7 times its weight in water, which is why it is found in many keto-prepared foods. A high-fiber diet keeps blood sugar levels stable, improves digestion, and decreases bad cholesterol.
If you are not fond of Oat Fiber, do not mind! I also included Psyllium Husk, which is the perfect replacement for Oat Fiber.
While you enjoy some above-mentioned Oat Fiber recipes on your dining table, you will indeed thank me for this great fiber-content food that changed the course of your keto diet.
You are welcome!
