Bran is the hard outer shell of a grain that protects the seed during growth. This bran is often removed from grains when they are processed, which is unfortunate, as it is where many of the nutrients are stored. Like the bran of most grains, oat bran is high in nutrients, especially fiber. Oat bran can be added to baked goods to increase the fiber content, or it can be cooked and eaten hot like oatmeal.
Calories and Fat
One cup of cooked oat bran contains 88 calories, which come primarily from carbohydrates and protein. Oat bran is low in fat, containing only 1.9 g per cup, nearly all of which is unsaturated fat. One cup contains only .4 g of saturated fat and no cholesterol. If you use cooked oat bran as a hot cereal, keep in mind that the fat content increases greatly if you add butter or margarine, which contain more than 11 g of fat per tablespoon.
Protein
Oat bran is higher in protein than many hot cereals, with 1 cup containing 7 g. This is higher than either cream of wheat or oatmeal, which contain 4 g and 6 g, respectively. The 7 g of protein in each cup of oat bran provides 15 percent of the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for women and 12 percent for men. Although the protein in oat bran is not a complete protein, as it does not contain all nine of the amino acids needed from food, you can make it a complete protein by adding milk or another animal product.
Fiber
Oat bran is also higher in fiber than most hot cereals with 5.7 g per cup as opposed to 4 g for oatmeal and 1 g for cream of wheat. The fiber in oat bran is soluble fiber, which can help lower your bad cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association suggests consuming approximately 25 g of fiber per day.
Minerals
Along with providing both fiber and protein, oat bran is also an excellent source of minerals. One cup supplies 24 percent of the RDA of iron for men and 11 percent for women. This makes oat bran a good breakfast choice for vegetarians, who often have trouble getting enough iron in their diets. One cup of oat bran also supplies 90 percent of the RDA of manganese as well as more than 20 percent of the RDA of magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium helps you get energy from the fats and carbohydrates you eat.
Vitamins
Although oat bran is high in many minerals, 1 cup provides more than 10 percent of only one vitamin: thiamin. Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is necessary for your heart and nerves to function properly. One cup of cooked oat bran provides approximately 30 percent of the RDA for thiamin.
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