Oats
Oats and the Effects on Cholesterol
Do they really lower cholesterol or is the claim used for marketing schemes? Studies have been done, and they show that eating Oatmeal does lower cholesterol. According to an article written by Charles G. Humble, Oatmeal’s fiber content (7%) is low compared to that of oat brans (15-26%). The study that was done showed that oat bran consumption was associated with twelve percent reduction in total cholesterol compared with wheat bran consumption. In this experiment, they had twelve healthy college students supplement their normal diet with four muffins that had fifty grams of wheat bran. They did this for six weeks, and after six weeks they substituted wheat bran muffins for oat bran. The week that these students ate oat bran had twice the reduction of total cholesterol. (Humble, 1) In another study, Kristen M Bugel, did a double blinded, randomized crossover study. She had twenty-four volunteers that had their diet monitored for two weeks. The study was similar to one mentioned above, but in this case they had one week controlled with a low fiber diet and the second week the volunteers had an oat bran diet, consuming about 102+ grams a day. The results showed that cholesterol decreased by 14% during the week of oat bran diet. An even higher percentage of 16% percent decrease in HDL cholesterol (non-high-density lipoprotein) during oat bran diet compared to the week of low fiber diet, which only decreased cholesterol three percent. (Bugel, 2) From the journal Preventive Medicine, there was an article based on a study that also showed a significant amount of decrease in cholesterol with an oat fiber diet. Two 236 participants were recruited in front of a National bank, Chicago. This study was constructed for twelve weeks and every four weeks data was collected about their weight, serum lipid levels, their food records. The participants followed a diet that was recommended by the American Heart Association. After four
Do they really lower cholesterol or is the claim used for marketing schemes? Studies have been done, and they show that eating Oatmeal does lower cholesterol. According to an article written by Charles G. Humble, Oatmeal’s fiber content (7%) is low compared to that of oat brans (15-26%). The study that was done showed that oat bran consumption was associated with twelve percent reduction in total cholesterol compared with wheat bran consumption. In this experiment, they had twelve healthy college students supplement their normal diet with four muffins that had fifty grams of wheat bran. They did this for six weeks, and after six weeks they substituted wheat bran muffins for oat bran. The week that these students ate oat bran had twice the reduction of total cholesterol. (Humble, 1) In another study, Kristen M Bugel, did a double blinded, randomized crossover study. She had twenty-four volunteers that had their diet monitored for two weeks. The study was similar to one mentioned above, but in this case they had one week controlled with a low fiber diet and the second week the volunteers had an oat bran diet, consuming about 102+ grams a day. The results showed that cholesterol decreased by 14% during the week of oat bran diet. An even higher percentage of 16% percent decrease in HDL cholesterol (non-high-density lipoprotein) during oat bran diet compared to the week of low fiber diet, which only decreased cholesterol three percent. (Bugel, 2) From the journal Preventive Medicine, there was an article based on a study that also showed a significant amount of decrease in cholesterol with an oat fiber diet. Two 236 participants were recruited in front of a National bank, Chicago. This study was constructed for twelve weeks and every four weeks data was collected about their weight, serum lipid levels, their food records. The participants followed a diet that was recommended by the American Heart Association. After four
Cited: 1. Humble, Charles G., PhD. "Oats and Cholesterol: The Prospects for Preventation of Heart Disease." Pub Med. AM J Public Health, Feb. 1991. Web. 01 Mar. 2013. . 2. Kristensen, Mette, and S. Bügel. "A diet rich in oat bran improves blood lipids and hemostatic factors, and reduces apparent energy digestibility in young healthy volunteers." European journal of clinical nutrition 65.9 (2011): 1053-1058. (Google Scholar) 3. Van Horn, Linda, et al. "Serum lipid response to a fat-modified, oatmeal-enhanced diet." Preventive medicine 17.3 (1988): 377-386. (Google Scholar) 4. De Groot, A. P., R. Luyken, and N. A. Pikaar. "Cholesterol-lowering effect of rolled oats." The Lancet 282.7302 (1963): 303-304. (Google Scholar)