the essentials in brief
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Oatmeal is totally popular! Because they are perfect sources of energy, good for our health and can be used in various ways in the kitchen.
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Last year, the “Öko-Test” tested 29 healthy rolled oats and obtained surprising results: some products contain toxins and can cause health damage.
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You can find out here which oats you should leave on the supermarket shelves and which ones you can eat with a clear conscience. We will also show you what benefits the delicious flakes have.
Whether in muesli, pancakes or vegan burgers, rolled oats are highly appreciated by many people. In addition to its versatility, the superfood is also healthy and even serves as a miracle weapon for weight loss. But how good are the little flakes really? The “Öko-Test” examined the products in 2022 and achieved surprising results. We show which products contain dangerous toxins and what advantages the test winners have.
In the clip: These types of oats contain harmful substances
Not in vain is oatmeal a constant trend: it contains protein and fiber, has few calories and even helps us lose weight. Whether in pancakes, smoothies or savory dishes, this superfood is versatile and tastes simply delicious! It’s no surprise that healthy oats end up in many dishes. But are the products really good? The “Öko-Test” closely examined 29 hearty oat flakes. While many brands can be recommended, some products have been found to contain toxic substances.
Substances harmful to health are repeatedly discovered in products. Be careful when buying: Öko-Test has found suspected cancerous ingredients in fish stick products. The cat food has also been tested by Öko-Test – we have the results! Also: the toothpaste tested by the Öko-Test in 2023: These brands performed particularly well or poorly. Here you can also find detergents in the Öko-Test: These products are particularly good!
Abundant oat flakes in the “ecological test”: surprising results
Oatmeal has become an integral part of some menus, either as a full meal or as a small snack between meals. This trendy food has many valuable vitamins and nutrients and is one of the healthiest types of cereals. The “Öko-Test” has so far tested 29 hearty oat flakes from supermarkets, discount stores and (organic) pharmacies, of which 16 have the organic seal. They were tested for heavy metals such as arsenic and nickel, as well as pesticides, mold and mineral oil components.
Many organic flakes and also some conventional products proved convincing in the ecological test. But some brands returned sobering results: Pesticides were found in almost all conventional oats and traces of mold in almost all organic packages.
Be careful, there are dangerous toxins in these oat flakes
Perhaps you can hardly imagine a breakfast without oats: we like to eat them as breakfast cereal or in the form of pancakes to start the day with energy. But apparently some products also contain unhealthy, if not harmful, toxins such as glyphosate, mold, and mineral oils.
Hearty oatmeal with toxic glyphosate
In the Öko test, glyphosate was detected in 4 different products, including “Knusperone Kernige Oatmeal” from Aldi and “Golden Breakfast Oatmeal” from Norma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) warns that the spray is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” so the flakes should not be consumed. However, glyphosate can not only harm our body, but also biodiversity and is therefore responsible for the decline of insects.
These products are contaminated with mold.
In some flakes, poisonous fungi were discovered that apparently already affect field oats: the so-called T-2 and HAT-2 toxins. These molds damage our living cells and can weaken our immune system. In the Öko test, “significantly increased” values were again found in the oatmeal flakes from Aldi and Norma, but also the “Yes!” Rewe’s rolled oats attracted negative attention. Norma has apparently removed the affected oats from her range.
By the way: According to the Öko-Test, adults with a body weight of 60 kg would exceed the tolerated daily intake of mold with just a 40 g serving of oats.
Öko-Test warns about mineral oil components in rolled oats
In the ecological testing process, MOSH mineral oil/MOSH analogue components were found in 4 products. These are harmful to our body and can cause extreme pollution. Öko-Test points out that mineral oil components can penetrate products, for example through machine lubricating oils, and could therefore be avoided.
Especially mineral oils are often found in other products: Here we reveal which grilled sausages from discount stores you should be careful with, which olive oils contain mineral oils and which harmful substances have been discovered in paper straws.
Children’s breakfast cereals in the test.
The best oats: These products are recommended
To all the oatmeal fans among us: don’t worry! You don’t need to give up flakes in the future. Although some products yield surprising results, a total of 18 of the 29 rolled oats tested scored “very good.” Among the winners of the 2022 test are 11 organic and 7 conventional products, including Alnatura large-leaf oat flakes, Dm Organic large-leaf oat flakes and Echte Kölln Kernige.
So you can buy these rolled oats with a clear conscience and continue integrating them into your diet. Already knew? Oats are also very popular in children’s diets. The abundant nutrients promote the healthy physical and mental development of the little ones.
Trendy oats: The superfood provides these benefits
- Healthy Helpers: Thanks to the vitamins and nutrients they contain, flakes are good for our immune system and can even prevent diabetes. The reason: oats contain a large amount of beta glucan, which can lower cholesterol levels.
- Reinforcement of weight loss with oats: For many people it is difficult to imagine life without oats, especially in diets. Not only do they provide a lot of energy, but the complex carbohydrate structure also keeps you full for a long time and stimulates fat burning.
- Digestive: Oats are rich in fiber and can promote our healthy digestion and prevent constipation.
- Universal application: Whether in sweet dishes such as cakes and pancakes or as hearty burgers, rolled oats are popular in many cuisines and can be used in different ways.
- Delicate and robust: Favorite flakes can be found in supermarkets and discount stores in delicate but also crunchy form. While the delicate oat flakes are perfect for a creamy porridge, the crunchy ones add a nice bite to the muesli.