Scientists have once again demonstrated that this food has real cholesterol-lowering benefits, even over a very short time. Putting it on the menu regularly protects the heart from cardiovascular diseases.
Excess cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, is a major cardiovascular risk factor. It promotes clogging of the arteries, disrupts blood circulation and increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Diet plays a key role in regulating blood cholesterol, hence the importance of identifying foods that increase it and those that, on the contrary, help to lower it and protect the heart.
Researchers have looked at how certain foods interact with the intestinal microbiota and influence the metabolism of lipids, fats circulating in the body like cholesterol. They identified a food in question capable of changing blood cholesterol levels in just two days. For their study, they selected people suffering from metabolic syndrome and thus accumulating: obesity, hypertension, cholesterol. They asked them to follow two different diets: a diet containing a high dose of the famous cholesterol-lowering food over a period of two days and a diet with a moderate dose over six weeks. A control group served as a comparison. At the end of this very short period of time, the results already showed measurable differences between those who had changed their meals and those in the control group.
The cholesterol-lowering food in this study was oatmeal. When consumed in high doses (3 times a day at 100g per serving) for two days, participants saw their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels drop significantly compared to the control group, as well as their total cholesterol. This decline continued to occur even after the intervention ended, according to findings published in Nature Communications.
Researchers observed that diets rich in oats increased certain beneficial molecules in the blood. These molecules, like ferulic acid, are produced when oat fiber is processed by bacteria in the intestine. The higher the oat intake, the faster these substances increased. With the diet richest in oats over two days, another protective molecule called “dihydroferulic acid” appeared in greater quantities. These compounds play a key role in lowering cholesterol. They act as intermediaries between the intestine and the blood, thanks to the work of the microbiota. Clearly, for scientists, it is not just oats themselves that lower cholesterol. This is how it is processed by intestinal bacteria. “Our results are very promising, as oat-based interventions, including a short-term, oat-rich diet, provide a rapid and effective approach to alleviate obesity-related dyslipidemia.” commented the authors.
Oatmeal is easily incorporated into meals. They can be eaten for breakfast, raw or cooked. They can be mixed with milk, a vegetable drink or yogurt. They can also be added to savory meals, in pancakes, dumplings or homemade breads. They replace part of the flour and provide fiber without significantly changing the taste. You can put it in a soup to thicken it, in a compote, or in a smoothie. The idea is to integrate them as regularly as possible into a balanced diet.
