First, we learned that a new sweetener from slime mould may be the perfect replacement for tradi-tional Sugar. Then, we heard that an egg a day may help keep dementia away! Now, science is touting Oats as the next big thing in cholesterol control…
Old-fashioned Oat Meal: Made even more nutritionally beneficial with the
addition of fruit and nuts! I always go for powerhouse fruits:
Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, and Apples!
A new study just published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications found that Oats – in their simplest forms – react with your gut microbiota to dramatically reduce serum (blood) cholesterol.
What they did
“The participants were divided into four groups across two separate intervention studies: one short-term study (with a two-day, high-dose oat diet of 300 grams per day) and one six-week study (with a moderate oat diet of 80 grams per day).” Andi Breitowich writes in Food & Wine. “Although part of the same research project, the two studies were evaluated independently.”
What they found
Among the key findings of the study:
- An oat-intense diet can lower cholesterol by up to 10 percent in just two days.
- Researchers believe this impact is likely linked to how oats interact with gut microbiota.
- Although an intense oat diet lowered cholesterol more effectively than long-term, moderate oat consumption, nutrition experts still say incorporating oats into your diet even once a day can be beneficial.
How to get your oats
It’s not just the oats that matter, if you want this new discovery to work its hardest for you. How you get your oats, and the schedule on which you consume them is equally important.
“Compared to a control group that followed a calorie-restricted diet without oats, participants who consumed a calorie-restricted diet that included three oat-based meals every day for two days showed significant reductions in LDL cholesterol — colloquially known as ‘bad’ cholesterol — and total cholesterol, with benefits that lasted for up to six weeks,” Breitowich reports.
However: “Both intense and moderate oat-based diets increased beneficial compounds produced by gut bacteria, and the group that consumed higher amounts of oats for just two days saw the strong-est cholesterol-lowering effect,” she adds.
The right kind of oats
The researchers say it’s also important to choose the right kind of oats. And prepare them in the right way…
- Choose the right oats: Opt for steel-cut, old-fashioned, or rolled oats. They’re less processed and retain more nutrients than instant varieties.
- Add nutrient-dense toppings: Spruce up your oatmeal with nutritious additions like fresh or frozen fruit, nuts, and seeds. Cooking oats with milk instead of water adds protein and calcium, while nut butter or Greek yogurt increases the amount of protein and healthy fats.
- Get creative with recipes: Oats don’t have to be limited to a traditional breakfast bowl. Use cooked oats as a base for savoury dishes by adding eggs, avocado, vegetables, cheese, or different spices. You can also grind oats into flour to use in pancakes, muffins, or even as a thickener for sauces.
My take
Making Oats a bigger, more regular part of your eating regimen has other benefits, too. According to an sidebar from Breitowich, “[Oat] fibre slows digestion, improving nutrient absorption and pro-moting feelings of fullness. In turn, slower digestion helps stabilize blood sugar and reduces cho-lesterol spikes after meals”
Think you can’t handle all those oats? Remember: The folks who benefitted most in the study only had to eat them for a couple of days in a row, to receive benefits that lasted for several weeks after. Why not make the weekend ‘Oats for Breakfast’ days?
I’m serious. My Scottish-born Mother was raised on oatmeal for breakfast. And served it two or three mornings a week in her own home throughout her active life…
And she lived to be 100!
~ Maggie J.