The Bull stops here

Oats are an amazing source of carbs and, because they slowly release energy, will keep your energy levels higher for longer.

One of the ShapeNoBull team has a fast metabolism so he eats a bowl of oats before going to bed to help keep his weight up.

Oats also contain B Vitamins, iron, potassium and antioxidants. They also help lower cholesterol levels.

If you are not a fan of the ‘oaty’ goodness we have come up with a few ways to help you incorporate it into your diet.

• If you are in training these are great in the morning, mix Oats with your protein powder. For a simple delicious meal that is packed full of the essential ingredients you need after training.
• Make them into oatcakes which you can also add protein powder and taste even better with honey drizzled on top of them. They also keep so you can snack on them throughout the day.
• Stick them into a smoothie to give it thickness and hide the taste if you are not keen on them.

Oats can be really cheap; you can get a low budget supermarket brand for a few pennies, but check the ingredients to make sure they have not included too much excess rubbish to the oats.

The more expensive you buy, the better quality if oats you are getting. It is always good to do a comparison between ingredients.

Article Updated: 15th November 2010