A Saskatoon-based gut health registered dietician is backing up the stance that oats aren’t bad for your health, despite what the occasional online influencer might claim. 

Brooke Bulloch, who is also the CEO of Food to Fit Nutrition, spoke before the Prairie Oat Growers Association Wednesday afternoon in Saskatoon.

She says many people think that because of their high glycemic index, oats are bad for your blood sugar and should not be eaten, especially for breakfast.  However. she explains that as long as you balance oats with proteins, fibre and fat, there shouldn’t be an issue. 

In fact, she says the benefits far outweigh the risks. These include the ability to lower LDL cholesterol and partially control blood sugar.

“My favourite (benefit) is how beta-glucan, that prebiotic fibre, positively affects your gut microbiome, promoting the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, and all the benefits that come with that, which is reduced infatuation, improved immune system, lowered risk of heart disease and cancer, things like that.”

Bulloch dove into a few of the most common concerns about consuming oats, such as the fear of glyphosate and other chemicals. 

“Because Health Canada and regulatory bodies to manage the use of pesticides and herbicides, those foods also are tested to ensure that they are well below those maximum residue limits of safety.”

For example, she says you’d have to eat 12 kg of oats per day to see any negative effect from chemical sprays.

Bulloch recommends eating ½ cup to 1 cup of oats daily.