Oats can lower body cholesterol

Many scientific studies show that eating oats each day may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Oats contain a specific soluble fiber called beta-glucan. Soluble fibers are thought to exert a preventive role against heart disease as they appear to have the ability to lower serum cholesterol.

Cholesterol is fatty acid substance produced by the liver and other cells in the body.

Meta-analysis examining soluble fiber sources from oats bran reported a small but significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels (Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 69:30-42, 1999).

A bowl of oatmeal has about three grams of fiber, and it is these three grams of water-soluble oat fiber that can lower cholesterol level nearly 8 to 23 percent.

Moreover, every 1 percent drop in cholesterol level can help reduce the risk of heart disease by 2 percent.

Beta-glucan binds to cholesterol in the intestine preventing it from being absorbed into the blood.

In 1963, DeGroot and colleagues published a study that supplemented rolled oats in the form of bread to be consumed daily by 21 male volunteers between the age of 30 and 50. Over a 3-week period, an 11% reduction in serum cholesterol was observed (Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 40:1146-1155, 1984).
Oats can lower body cholesterol