You Are What You Eat: Merry Oats to you!

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Check out these merry facts about oats, one of the most nutritious grains and perhaps the most available and inexpensive Super Food around.

Oats are low in calories, high in fiber and protein, and rich in magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, thiamine, and more. They contain phytonutrients, which help prevent disease, and can lower cholesterol by a whopping eight to 23 percent -- consuming just three grams of soluble oat fiber per day is all it takes. This same soluble fiber can benefit those suffering from type 2 diabetes -- oatmeal or oat bran-rich foods can lower spikes in blood sugar levels. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that grains should be consumed in minimally-refined form to reduce the incidence of diabetes.

If you'd like to keep cancer off your radar, eating oats may be key. New research indicates the Super Food might be powerful enough to prevent colon cancer and inhibit the formation of certain cancer-promoting compounds.

There's more: Oats aid in digestion, keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time and in whole grain form, can help you maintain a healthy weight. Oats are an excellent source of the complex carbohydrates the body needs to sustain energy and ever since 1997 have been considered a magic bullet of sorts.

Oats made nutrition history in 1997 when the FDA began placing labels on oat products announcing an association between a diet high in oatmeal, oat bran, or oat flour and a reduced risk in coronary heart disease, our nation's number one killer. While still believed true, this message was once challenged by some studies claiming the merits of oats were not as dramatic as originally thought.

Oats are once again on the upswing. New discoveries show that their health benefits are truly impressive and that their combination of nutrients offer more intense health effects than if each nutrient were consumed separately. This seems true for all whole grains, too.

Convinced you need oats in your diet? If so, you'll be happy to learn that it's not hard at all to incorporate this super item into your life. Oatmeal is on virtually every menu of every restaurant serving breakfast in America. And what's simpler than eating a bowl of oatmeal at home on a regular basis? Now if you wish to go a little more gourmet, check out this recipe roundup compliments of Cooking Light. Here you'll find tips and tricks for making Baked Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Bread, Mushroom and Spinach Quiche in an Oat Crust, and more. Eatingwell.com features Apricot Oatmeal Bars, Multi-Grain Waffles, and Pecan and Toasted Oat Nuggets.

Oats don't have to go it alone. Consider including these Sidekicks when nibbling on your merry oats: Brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, and couscous. And these Super Sidekicks: Wheat germ and ground flaxseed. You'll notice many of these sidekicks are themselves Super Foods. Combine them with oats and you'll boost your health in no time.