Oat bran

Oat bran, s.a. oat extracts, is a high-fiber food characterized by a high content of water-soluble dietary fiber. Oat bran contains 46 % soluble and 54 % insoluble dietary fiber. ß-glucan provides the largest proportion of these water-soluble dietary fibres with a share of 85 %. Water-soluble dietary fibres bind bile acids in the intestine and thus lead to an increased excretion of bile acids. This leads to an increased formation of bile acids from the cholesterol stock, resulting in a lowering of the serum cholesterol level, both of the VLDL and LDL fractions. The water-insoluble dietary fibres lead to an increase in stool weight, which stimulates the intestinal muscles and improves digestion. Studies show a reduction in cholesterol levels of 10-20%.

Oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber binds bile acids, which are then excreted via the body, stimulating the synthesis of bile acids from cholesterol in the liver, which lowers cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol by 20 %. The required amount of beta-glucan is contained in 40 g of oat bran or 80 g of oat flakes.

1. Anderson J.W.N.J. et al (1988) Hypercholesterolemic effects of oat and bean products. Am J Clin Nutr 48:749-753
2. Chen/Anderson (1981) Soluble and insoluble plant fiber in selected cereals and vegetables. Am J Clin Nutr 34: 1077-1082
3. Eiele A. et al (1992) Influence of oat bran on lipid metabolism in dietary cholesterol loading. Paper presented at the 29th Scientific Congress of the German Nutrition Society. Stuttgart March 26-27, 1992

4. Reader service, From the industry (1990): Cholesterol can be reduced by twenty percent: Oat bran does the trick. Dtsch Arztebl 87: A-164