THE BENEFITS OF EATING OAT FOR BREAKFAST?
Oats are full of nutrients, fibers, minerals and vitamins. Including oats in your own breakfast - and in your children’s - is an easy and delicious way to have a balanced meal that will help you keep the right level of energy for hours to come.
HOW OATS WORKS.
Oats were the first whole grains recognized by the FDA to help reduce cholesterol. In fact, the FDA approved the first-ever food specific health claim for oatmeal because of its heart-health benefits, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver. It is also found in animal-based protein, such as beef, poultry, seafood and dairy products. Cholesterol has a number of important functions in our body, including the production of certain hormones and breaking down and digesting fat. However, when, for different reasons, cholesterol levels ara too high, cholesterol will eventually damage and clog arteries.
So how do oats work?
Experts believe that it's the soluble fiber found in oats that helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. How? In simple terms, oat soluble fiber (beta-glucan) helps control blood cholesterol by binding some of the cholesterol in your digestive tract. More specifically, soluble fiber helps trigger the liver to pull LDL (bad cholesterol) from the bloodstream for excretion. Beta-glucan also helps trap cholesterol in the gut, preventing it from entering the bloodstream.