Among the benefits of oats in the diet, is the value that they have in lowering cholesterol, are soothing to the digestive process.
Diets high in soluble fibres (pectin, glucan, gums, psyllium) have been shown to decrease both total and LDL cholesterol levels. In clinical studies the effect varies from 0% to 18% dependent upon the type of soluble fibre, dosage, background diet and dietary control.
The first study to reveal that oat consumption reduced plasma cholesterol levels goes back to 1963. By enriching bread with rolled oat, the authors observed an 11% reduction in total cholesterol levels. Since then a multitude of in vivo and in vitro investigations have been conducted to understand the reasons behind this positive effect.
Oat β-glucan, the main soluble fibre found in oats, is seen as the main active component responsible for their cholesterol-lowering effect. Health claims regarding the association between cholesterol lowering and soluble fibre from oat products/ oat β-glucan have been approved by food standards agencies worldwide.
β-glucan is a water soluble fibre found in cereals grains, particularly oats and barley and is well known for its cholesterol-lowering ability. It is thought that there may be a number of mechanisms but the main one that is usually cited is the disruption of the enterohepatic circulation.
Oats cholesterol lowering effect
