15/11/2021
OATS โข
There's one ingredient you find in just about every lactation recipe: Oatmeal! And itโs one of the galactagogues you will find in our smoothie and acฬงai mix. (Minus our GF range)
Every time a recipe has oatmeal in it, often it easily converts to a lactation recipe. Just about every breastfeeding mum (and many lactation consultants) swear by it.
But, is it justified? Can eating oatmeal really increase one's milk supply? We love research and spent close to two years researching our ingredients to get our milk boosting mix just right and this is why we love oatmeal!
Just one third of a cup (dry) delivers a healthy portion of energy and carbohydrates, fiber as well as a little protein and fat to stabilize blood sugars and help with the absorption of some fat soluble vitamins.
As it's considered a whole grain, it is not just 'empty calories'. Each portion delivers important vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc and some B Vitamins.
Oatmeal also delivers 4 grams of fiber per 1/3 cup (dry) (breastfeeding mums should aim for about 28 grams of fiber per day), most notably a group of soluble fibers called beta-glucans, which are what turns your oatmeal a bit slimy as you heat it up in water or milk.
Beta-glucans have shown promising health benefits in some studies, including the ability to lower cholesterol levels (1), improve digestion, inhibit the growth of tumor cells in the colon (1, 2, 3) and, as a prebiotic, they promote a healthy gut microbiota (1).
Many say one factor of a low milk supply can be a result of low iron levels and oats have a high level of iron in them, which is why we love them and include them in our milk BOOSTING mix ๐