How Effective Oats Are At Controlling Cholesterol

Consuming this cereal in the morning gives us energy and nutrients to face the day. In addition, oats also serve to control “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and improve heart health.

In this article we’ll tell you why you should add it to your meals if you have very high triglyceride levels.

oat and cholesterol

This delicious cereal, which can be combined with dairy products, juices, pies or salads, contains a good dose of soluble fiber that reduces “bad cholesterol”.

Although this compound is also present in other foods such as, for example, apples, beans or plums, what is certain is that it is more concentrated in oats.

Therefore,  consuming it daily reduces blood cholesterol levels  and this brings other advantages as a consequence: benefiting the heart and improving the circulatory system.

In addition, it offers the following compounds:

• Saponins, which help fiber eliminate cholesterol;
• Avenatramids, thanks to their antioxidant action, bring many benefits to heart health and prevent free radicals from accumulating (the main causes of atherosclerosis).

How does oat work on cholesterol? The process is as follows:  Soluble fiber (beta-glycan) inhibits the rate of absorption of fats in the intestinal tract.

In this way they do not pass into the blood and do not remain in the body.

See also: 4 shakes to control your cholesterol

Oatmeal alone or as an ingredient?

This is a very common question among those who want to lower cholesterol with the help of oats.

It is important to know that  not all products that this cereal contains are good for achieving this goal.

• For example, the oatmeal cookies we buy at the supermarket also contain sugars and trans fats, so they make the situation worse.
• Something similar happens with the fruit-flavored instant oats that are marketed for the purpose of making children eat cereals.

Attention, because the recipe includes a lot of sugar.

Other foods that contain flour or oat flakes, as long as they do not also contain harmful ingredients for health, are recommended, as they are of great help in balancing blood cholesterol levels.

• Sugar-free oat, honey and fruit cereal bars are increasingly popular and can serve us as well.

Eating one mid-morning or snack gives us the fuel we need to continue performing our duties.

It also balances blood glucose levels so that we don’t have an appetite and eat anything.

• The best option for many is ground oats. We can also choose the one that comes in flakes (instant).

The proper amount in both cases is half a cup for breakfast.

To increase the effects it is recommended to add a tablespoon of flax seeds. If we want it to taste better and not get bored, we can add strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.

• An oatmeal for breakfast is also  a great source of nutrients and allows us to lower cholesterol. It can be prepared with water or milk (best skimmed) at the moment.

It’s very refreshing and satisfying.

Oats as part of a balanced diet

In any of its presentations, oats are a very rich whole grain cereal that can be combined with many ingredients (taste with yogurt or orange juice in the morning, for example).

After being picked and cleaned, it cooks without separating the skin. Thanks to this process your nutrients are not lost, including dietary fiber.

Now, we cannot “force” oats to give us magical or miraculous results on their own.

We must know that the level of fat in the blood can depend on several factors.

In addition to food, it accumulates due to lack of exercise, stress and sedentary lifestyle.

Therefore, a cup of this mineral for breakfast is not enough, although it can help us a lot.

We also recommend the article: The 4 best cereals for breakfast

Oat Water to Lower Cholesterol

This delicious cereal adapts to any recipe. We can use it to bread meat or vegetables, in soups, to sprinkle on salads or sauces, etc.

And best of all, if we choose the “version” for cooking, we can also use the cooking water!

Drinking oat water several times a week is an effective way to not only  lower cholesterol and triglycerides, but also blood sugar levels .

As if that wasn’t enough, it’s good for losing weight and preventing heart disease.

The cooking water of this cereal has a high content of beta-glycans, a soluble fiber that is “lost” in the process and that improves intestinal transit.

• If we want to lose weight, this liquid is very effective in preventing us from eating between meals, due to its satiating and metabolism-regulating power.
• Thanks to the content of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins, it  prevents premature aging of cells, increases physical performance  and ensures proper functioning of the body.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of oats (105 g)
• 3 cups of water (750 ml)

Preparation

We will always use triple the amount of water in relation to oats.

• Warm the water and, when it starts to boil, add the oats.
• Cook for a few minutes until the cereal is soft.
• Then filter the contents, but do not discard the cooking liquid.
• When it’s cool you can sweeten it with vanilla or stevia and drink it like juice throughout the day.