MANILA, Philippines — While he considers himself an “oatstanding” student not only in school, but also of his dad Edu Manzano, whom he idolizes, actor and TV host Luis Manzano admits that he would often skip school as a kid.
The reason? He so loved the oats that his mother, “Star for All Seasons” Vilma Santos, served him for breakfast.
“When I was in second grade, my mom would prepare Quaker Oats for me. And I would get so happy that my mom — given her busy schedule — still managed to fix me a healthy breakfast. Then I would get emotional that I didn’t want to go to school na,” recalls Luis, which roused laughter and cheers from the crowd.
Kidding aside, the celebrity brand ambassador of Quaker Oats admits that he really grew up with the brand.
“Quaker was my go-to breakfast before I headed out to school,” he shares. “But back then, everything was much simpler — just add milk, top it with fruits and you’re good to go.”
Today, there are so many things you can do with oats.
“We have overnight oats, oatmeal cookies, and even enjoy it as champorado,” he says. “But whatever you do with it (oats), you’re sure that each meal is packed with health benefits.”
Fiber: An often overlooked nutrient
Unlike Luis, the majority of Filipinos overlook the importance of fiber, not only in their diet but their health in general.
A study conducted by the Philippine Society of Nutritionist-Dietitians Inc. (PSND) showed that Filipinos consume less than 50 percent of their daily fiber requirement, which means our current diet might not be as effective as we think.
“Fiber, is indeed, one of the most overlooked nutrients,” says nutritionist/dietitian Jake Andal of the PSND. “Just to give you a perspective, for Filipino schoolchildren ages six to nine, the recommended daily fiber intake is 11 to 14 grams. Sadly, children consume just around six grams of fiber per day.”
And the problem extends to adolescence.
“For adolescents, the requirement is around 15 to 18 grams, but they only consume around eight grams,” notes Andal. “For adults, the requirement is 20 to 25 grams, but their consumption daily is only around eight grams as well.”
The low intake of fiber means Filipinos are missing out on an important nutrient, which helps in preventing constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and diverticular disease.
During the pandemic, we did a lot of things to boost our micronutrient intake to prevent the spread of viruses. But why did some succumb to the disease? That’s because they miss out on fiber.
“Fiber is an important nutrient in the immune system because it maintains the integrity of our gut, which is a huge part of our innate immunity,” explains Andal. “If you have a leaky gut, or if you have an inflamed gut, then you’ll be more susceptible to viruses and diseases.”
The benefits of a fiber-rich diet
Through the years, Quaker Oats, the number-one oats brand, has introduced many fiber-rich products to help Filipinos have a more balanced diet.
Quaker Oats has been proven to have seven times more fiber per serving versus long grain white rice.
“A bowl of oats is enough to cover the recommended consumption of fiber our body needs every day,” notes Quaker marketing manager Katrina Paras.
Now, Quaker Oats is again introducing new and innovative recipes to encourage Filipinos to make fiber a daily staple in their diet, using oats for breakfast dishes, lunch, and even treats and desserts.
“The biggest struggles we have in the diet culture nowadays is we’re always talking about what we should stop eating,” says nutritionist dietician Jo Sebastian. “We forget to talk about what we should add into our diet. Adding more fiber to your diet is good for your gut health, for digestion. Fiber also makes you feel more satiated, more full, so you’ll stop thinking about food for the rest of the day.”
Celebrity cookoff
To share with Filipinos the many fun and delicious ways to enjoy oats, Quaker Oats recently hosted The Quaker Kitchen Cook Off at Enderun, which featured brand ambassadors Luis Manzano and Solenn Heussaff.
During the event, which was also broadcasted via Quaker Philippines’ Facebook page, Luis and Solenn shared their go-to fruity and delicious Quaker treats such as the Rainbow Superfloat, Caramelized Bananas No-Bake Cheesecake, and Homemade Sorbetes.
Luis and Solenn also shared tips on how to incorporate fiber in your diet and sustain a healthy lifestyle without completely cutting out treats.
His fave snack, Luis said, is the Rainbow Superfloat, which combines Quaker Rolled Oats with yogurt and calamansi juice, topped with fresh fruits.
“It’s easy to prepare, light and refreshing,” adds Luis.
Solenn, on the other hand, shared that she uses oats to make bread and pancakes for her daughter Tilly.
“I grind the oats, which I use as the base for my pancakes,” she explains. “Oats is such a versatile ingredient. You can use it in every meal both for savory and sweet treats, like no-bake cheesecake and cookies.”
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For the recipes, visit https://linky.ph/quakeroatsph. Try any of these recipes and tag @quakeroatsph when you share your your own #Quaker7xMoreFiber by Quaker creations.