Forget the corned beef …

Better Nutrition, March, 2000 by Patricia Andersen-Parrado

So, while, of course, you should keep your fat intake in check, if you do eat a meal high in saturated fat, every now and then, do your heart a favor and top it off with some oatmeal.

Oats as herbal medicine

In addition to being a popular food, oats (Avena sativa) also have a long history of use in herbal medicine.

In his book, Off-the-Shelf Natural Health, Mark Mayell tells us that, as an herb, oats have been used to help people recover from exhaustion and depression, to break addictions, and as an aphrodisiac. He says, "Studies confirm that the plant contains saponins and alkaloids that stimulate and restore the nervous system." As a supplement, it comes in many forms. Mayell points out that it is sold dried and as capsules, concentrated drops, tinctures, and extracts, with an average dosage being 1 to 2 dropperfuls of tincture or concentrated drops.

In the beauty product section of your health food store, you'll likely find oats as an ingredient in moisturizing lotions and bath products, too.

So whether you have it for breakfast, put it in your herbal medicine cabinet, or add it to your bath -- oats have something to offer everyone, whether you're Irish or not.

REFERENCES

Allen, Darina. The Complete Book of Irish Country Cooking - Traditional and Wholesome Recipes from Ireland. NY: Penguin Studio, 1996.

Geliebter, Allan, Ph.D., et al. "Lunch meal intake following high and low fiber breakfast cereals." Presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity. 1999.

Katz, David L., M.D., et al. "Acute nutrient effects on endothelial function: a randomized, single-blind croossover trial in healthy adults." Presented at the American College of Nutrition 40th Annual Meeting. October 1999.

Mayell, Mark. Off-the-Shelf Natural Health. NY: Bantam Books, 1995.

Wood, Rebecca. The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1999.

RELATED ARTICLE: What's for dinner:

So, it's St. Patrick's Day and you want to make something special for dinner. Dinner in Ireland would likely include potatoes and cabbage. Like oatmeal, these foods can be delicious and nutritious.

Potatoes. Potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, and are simple to prepare. An average-sized potato provides approximately 115 calories. Unfortunately, in the U.S., most people reach for French fries, rather than healthier preparations, Such as baked or mashed potatoes. Regardless of which preparation you choose, it's best to leave the skin on, since it provides additional nutrients and lots of fiber.

Cabbage. It may be the overcooking of the cabbage, not the cabbage itself, that has sometimes given this vegetable it's bad reputation. Cooked with care, cabbage is a delicious vegetable. It is loaded with an array of nutrients, including chlorophyll, phytochemicals, and vitamin C, with the outer, greener leaves providing more nutrients than the inner, paler green leaves. Red cabbage gets its color from phenolic compounds (also found in red grape juice and red wine), providing further antioxidant properties.