Oats to Counter Cholesterol

Even though cholesterol is partly affected by the foods you eat, you don’t have to overhaul your diet to lower it. In fact, a few targeted changes might be all you need. For example, eating oats, which are rich in dietary fibre, could help reduce LDL-cholesterol levels.

In Canada, oats are known for their heart health benefits. Health Canada authorized the claim “Oat fibre helps to reduce cholesterol” following a thorough review of scientific data on the subject.

Oat fibre benefits
The dietary fibre contained in oats is different from other cereals. It has a high beta-glucan content. Beta-glucans are a type of soluble fibre that, when ingested, mixes with fluids in the digestive tract and create a gel. Thanks to this characteristic, fibres stick to the walls of the small intestine, which improves the excretion of bile acids and cholesterol.²

Other mechanisms were also studied recently, particularly their effects on intestinal microbiota. Eating oats could change the composition of the microbiota, which could become a major metabolism regulator for cholesterol while proving that food quality has beneficial effects on health.

As tasty as it is nutritious, Bon Matin® La mie de l’artisan™ is perfect for filling up on oat fibre! In fact, one serving of two slices (80 g) provides 35% of your daily fibre intake, which helps reduce cholesterol. Toasted or not, this nutritious bread is ideal for meals or even as a snack.
 

<sub>1. Cholesterol levels of adults, 2016-2019, Health fact sheets, Statistics Canada, ISNN 1920-9118, No. 82-625-X, June 28, 2021. 
2. Joyce, S. A., Kamil, A., Fleige, L., & Gahan, C. G. (2019). The cholesterol-lowering effect of oats and oat beta-glucan: modes of action and potential role of bile acids and the microbiome. Frontiers in nutrition, 171.</sub>