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Searching for a natural remedy for high cholesterol-try oats

Harold Mandel's picture

It has been suggested by clinical trials that eating oats can lower cholesterol levels.


High cholesterol can be a very serious problem. Mayo Clinic reports this can lead to the development of fatty deposits in your blood vessels which can compromise the blood flow through your arteries and to your brain and increase your risk for a heart attack or stroke. Generally a healthy diet along with an active lifestyle can help you maintain normal cholesterol levels.

Consuming oats can decrease cholesterol levels

St. Michael's Hospital
reports that eating oats can decrease cholesterol levels as measured by several markers according to a review of clinical trials. Actually it has been known by researchers for more than 50 years that consuming oats can decrease cholesterol levels and therefore lower the risk of a person getting cardiovascular disease. During that time the studies concentrated on the impact which oats have on levels of LDL, which is known as bad cholesterol. LDL can collect in the walls of blood vessels where it can lead to blockages and blood clots.

There has been growing evidence that two other markers give an even more accurate assessment of the risk for
cardiovascular disease. These other markers are non-HDL cholesterol, which is total cholesterol minus the “H” or “healthy cholesterol”, and apolipoprotein B, or apoB, which is a lipoprotein which carries bad cholesterol in the blood. This is particularly true for people suffering from metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes, because they generally do not have high LDL cholesterol levels.

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It has been concluded by a new systematic review that consuming oat fiber can lower all three markers. This study was lead by Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, who is a research scientist at the Risk Factor Modification Center of St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Vuksan says that oats are a good source of beta-glucan, which is a viscous soluble fiber, which appears to be responsible for the positive effects.

People should increase how much oat bran they eat

Dr. Vuksan says it may be hard for people to eat the recommended amount of oat fiber by just eating oat meal. He therefore has recommended that people increase how much oat bran they eat. Oat bran can also be enjoyed as a cereal. It can also be used in some baked goods.

WebMD reports that oat meal is a very good food. This offers a good way to begin the day and can help lower your bad LDL cholesterol levels without decreasing your good cholesterol. The same is true for oat bran. it appears that oats really are heart healthy and should be a consideration for anyone's diet.