Oatmeal Healthy Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol, especially bad cholesterol is a type of blood fat which is a major causative factor for coronary artery disease that can lead to heart attacks. If your cholesterol levels are already high, which can be done is to change lifestyle.

Eat healthy foods, stay away from smoking, maintain weight, and exercise, lifestyle modification is to eliminate your chances of having a heart attack. Research on men showed that for every decrease in cholesterol levels by one percent, you can lower the risk of heart attack by two percent.


Only by changing your diet, you may lower cholesterol an average of 10 percent. This means that increase your chances to get out of a heart attack by 20 percent.

One of the foods that have been scientifically proven capable of lowering cholesterol is oats. These foods include soluble fiber in the fat-free. Oats are also included in the whole grain (Cereal intact) was first recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drug Administration / FDA) as food-specific health because of its benefits to heart health.

So, how to work oat mechanism in controlling cholesterol levels? Endang Dr.Pauline Praptini, Sp.GK, clinical nutritionist from RS.Fatmawati Jakarta explained oats contain essential nutrients that beta-glucan.

"Oatmeal or soluble fiber have properties such as sponge or foam that will bind to substances around the digestive tract, including cholesterol, to be brought into the colon and excreted with feces," he said.


Simply put, he explains the fat we consume in food will be broken by bile in the intestine to be absorbed by the body. If we replace carbohydrates with oatmeal, fat digesting bile on duty will also be absorbed because the oatmeal was acting like a sponge. Then the bile that had been absorbed will carry over into the large intestine to later be issued.

"Because the bile was taken by a soluble fiber, it will empty the gallbladder. So when we eat more fat, the liver will form a new gall to cut the fat. Gall-forming material is derived from cholesterol in the blood. Thus will continue to be drawn so that cholesterol levels are reduced , "he said when met Kompas.com some time ago.

That explanation is not just theory. More than 40 scientific studies have shown the benefits of oatmeal in delivering real change in cholesterol levels. The same thing dr.Pauline ever done in his research in 1999.

Research conducted on 30 people for six weeks. In that period the participants were given 75 grams of oatmeal are divided into three meals. "As a result their cholesterol levels fell by 15 percent," he said.

In every 100 grams of oatmeal contains 10 grams of soluble fiber. In fact, various studies revealed the consumption of 3.5 grams of soluble fiber per day can lower cholesterol 10-15 percent.


"Food can be like drugs, including cholesterol-lowering, as long as it is consumed regularly," said dr.Pauline. He added that regular consumption of 4-6 weeks is recommended.

To avoid boredom, make heart-healthy diet by adding pieces of fresh fruit to your oatmeal in a bowl. "Oatmeal can also be varied into various types of food, and even made into pastries or blended with a little added sugar," he said.

In addition to a healthy heart, according to dr.Pauline, oatmeal is also suitable for diabetics because it does not raise blood sugar levels. These foods are also recommended for those who want to lose weight because it makes the stomach full longer.

In addition to oatmeal, other sources of soluble fiber can be found in seaweed, apples and legumes.