Hearty, basic and cheap, oats have been eaten for centuries. And now, they’re a staple of wellness culture — for good reason.

几个世纪以来，燕麦一直被作为一种营养丰富、基础且廉价的食物。而现在，它已经成为健康文化的一大支柱——这不无道理。

Oats are a “balanced food” with a good amount of protein, relatively little fat and a variety of vitamins and minerals, said Elizabeth Hyde-Daddio, a dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Northwell Health in Long Island. What really sets them apart, however, is that they’re one of the best sources of a powerful type of fiber.

长岛诺斯韦尔健康中心的营养师兼认证糖尿病教育工作者伊丽莎白·海德-达迪奥说，燕麦是一种“均衡食品”，含有大量的蛋白质、相对较少的脂肪以及各种维生素和矿物质。而真正让它们与众不同的是，它们是一种强大的纤维的最佳来源之一。

Here’s a closer look, along with recipes from New York Times Cooking.

以下是进一步的详细介绍，以及来自《纽约时报》烹饪版(New York Times Cooking)的食谱。

They’re great for your heart.

它们对你的心脏大有裨益。

Many studies have found that oats lower LDL cholesterol, or the “bad” cholesterol that increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

许多研究发现，燕麦可以降低低密度脂蛋白(LDL)胆固醇，即会增加心脏病发作和中风风险的“坏”胆固醇。

Much of this effect comes from beta-glucan, a type of fiber that thickens the contents inside the gut, trapping cholesterol-rich bile acids and carrying them out of the body.

这种效果在很大程度上来自于β-葡聚糖，这是一种纤维，能够增加肠道内容物的黏稠度，捕获富含胆固醇的胆汁酸，并将其排出体外。

The evidence is strong enough that, since the 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration has linked the beta-glucan in whole oats — at least three grams per day, or what you’d get in a half-cup of rolled oats — to a lower risk of coronary heart disease. In one small trial, consuming this much beta-glucan daily reduced LDL cholesterol by 12 percent after four weeks.

证据非常充分，以至于美国食品和药物管理局自20世纪90年代起就已经将全燕麦中的β-葡聚糖——每天至少三克，或者相当于半杯燕麦片的含量——与降低冠心病风险联系在一起。在一项小型试验中，每天摄入这么多的β-葡聚糖，四周后LDL胆固醇降低了12%。

People who have high cholesterol levels, in particular, can “see immediate, significant benefits,” said Padmanaban Krishnan, an emeritus professor of dairy and food science at South Dakota State University.

南达科他州立大学乳制品与食品科学荣休教授帕德马纳班·克里希南表示，尤其是对于那些胆固醇水平高的人来说，可以“看到立竿见影的显著益处”。

There is also emerging evidence that other compounds in oats, including antioxidants like avenanthramides, may help reduce blood pressure, said Candida Rebello, the director of the nutrition and chronic disease program laboratory at Louisiana State University.

路易斯安那州立大学营养与慢性病项目实验室主任坎迪达·雷贝洛说，还有新的证据表明，燕麦中的其他化合物——包括燕麦蒽酰胺等抗氧化剂——可能有助于降低血压。

They support healthy blood sugar.

它们支持健康的血糖水平。

After carbohydrate-rich meals, blood sugar tends to spike, but studies suggest that oats can blunt the rise, Dr. Rebello said.

雷贝洛说，摄入富含碳水化合物的餐食后血糖往往会飙升，但研究表明燕麦可以减缓这种上升。

High-fiber foods slow digestion and keep glucose from entering the bloodstream too quickly, Dr. Krishnan said, and beta-glucan is especially helpful for this.

克里希南表示，高纤维食物会减缓消化速度，防止葡萄糖过快进入血液，而β-葡聚糖在这一点上特别有帮助。

Eating oats can be particularly beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes, he added. Some data also suggests oats could help with prevention: In a 2020 study, higher oatmeal consumption (at least two servings per week) was tied to a 21 percent lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than lower consumption (less than a serving per month).

他补充说，食用燕麦对2型糖尿病患者尤其有益。一些数据还表明，燕麦可能有助于预防糖尿病：2020年的研究显示，较高的燕麦摄入量（每周至少两份）与较低的2型糖尿病患病风险相关，其风险水平比摄入量低者（每月不足一份）要低21%。

They nourish your gut.

它们滋养你的肠道。

Most Americans don’t get enough fiber, and oats can help fill the gap. There are over four grams (including beta-glucan) in a half-cup of rolled oats; adults should consume 21 to 38 grams of fiber daily, depending on their age and sex.

大多数美国人摄入的纤维不足，而燕麦可以帮助填补这一缺口。半杯燕麦片含有超过四克的纤维（包括β-葡聚糖）；成年人每天应摄入 21至38克纤维，具体取决于他们的年龄和性别。

Oats are also good for your gut. Because beta-glucan isn’t digested well in the small intestine, it makes its way to the colon, where it can feed beneficial gut bacteria and act as a prebiotic, said Barbara Olendzki, the director of the Center for Applied Nutrition at UMass Chan Medical School. Researchers believe this could help support the gut lining and reduce inflammation, especially in people with high cholesterol, obesity and other metabolic diseases.

燕麦也对你的肠道有益。马萨诸塞大学陈氏医学院应用营养中心主任芭芭拉·奥伦茨基表示，由于在小肠中不易被消化，β-葡聚糖会进入结肠，在那里可以滋养有益的肠道细菌并充当益生元。研究人员认为，这可能有助于支持肠道黏膜并减轻炎症，尤其是对高胆固醇、肥胖和其他代谢疾病患者而言。

The fiber in oats can also add bulk to stool and help keep you regular, provided you’re also drinking enough fluids and staying active, Ms. Hyde-Daddio said.

海德-达迪奥说，燕麦中的纤维还可以增加粪便的体积，帮助你保持排便规律，前提是你也摄入了足够的水分并保持活动。

What’s the healthiest way to eat them?

最健康的吃法是什么？

Oat groats are the least processed form of oats, with only the inedible hull removed, while instant oats are the most processed. In between are steel-cut oats (groats chopped into smaller pieces) and rolled oats (steamed and flattened groats).

燕麦仁是加工最少的燕麦形式，只去除了不可食用的外壳，速溶燕麦则是加工最多的。介于两者之间的是钢切燕麦（被切成小块的燕麦仁）和传统压扁燕麦片（经过蒸汽处理并压扁的燕麦仁）。

All of these can be healthy choices, but less-processed versions are generally the best because their beta-glucan is more intact. These types of oats take longer to cook, so Ms. Olendzki recommended prepping ahead of time and microwaving them in the morning.

所有这些都可以是健康的选择，但加工程度较低的版本通常是最好的，因为它们的β-葡聚糖更完整。这些类型的燕麦需要更长的时间来烹饪，因此奥伦茨基建议提前准备好，早上用微波炉加热。

Added sugars in flavored instant oats, or from toppings like maple syrup, can offset some of the health benefits, Ms. Hyde-Daddio said, so try mixing in fruits, nuts or cinnamon instead.

海德-达迪奥说，调味速溶燕麦中的添加糖，或来自枫糖浆等配料的糖可能会抵消一些健康益处，所以尝试加入水果、坚果或肉桂。

And don’t just relegate them to a daily bowl of oatmeal. “You can add oats to pretty much anything,” she said.

不要仅仅把它们局限于每天一碗燕麦粥。“你可以把燕麦加到几乎任何东西里，”她说。

Ready to eat more oats? Here are some recipes from NYT Cooking.

准备好吃更多燕麦了吗？这里有一些来自NYT Cooking的食谱。

Slow-Cooker Steel-Cut Oats

慢炖锅钢切燕麦粥

Julia Gartland for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)

With help from a slow cooker, you can wake up to a hot, zero-effort breakfast. Cooked with only water and salt, the creamy oats can take both savory and sweet toppings.

食谱：慢炖锅钢切燕麦粥This savory breakfast or dinner starts with a versatile hands-off technique for making steel-cut oats.

这份美味的早餐或晚餐源于一种多用途而简便的钢切燕麦粥烹制技巧。

Recipe: Savory Steel-Cut Oats With Fried Egg and Za’atar

食谱：煎蛋加扎塔尔香料咸味钢切燕麦粥

Overnight Oats

隔夜燕麦片

David Malosh for The New York Times

Simply soaked in milk and left uncooked, these oats retain an earthy freshness. Bits of dried fruit complement their natural sweetness.

食谱：隔夜燕麦片With mashed banana and almond butter in the gluten-free batter, these portable treats are wholesome and filling.

在无麸质面糊中加入香蕉泥和杏仁脂，这些便携式小点心既健康又饱腹。

Recipe: Baked Oatmeal Cups

食谱：烤燕麦杯

Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach

柠檬鸡肉羊乳酪肉丸菠菜汤

Oats take the place of bread crumbs in these meatballs, binding the ingredients and keeping everything juicy and tender after cooking.

这些肉丸用燕麦代替了面包屑，将各种配料粘合在一起，并在烹饪后保持多汁鲜嫩。

Recipe: Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach

食谱：柠檬鸡肉羊乳酪肉丸菠菜汤