Oat bran is the outer husk of the oat grain. It protects the seed and contains the bulk of the dietary fiber of the oat grain, along with a considerable amount of essential minerals, including magnesium, copper and manganese. The bran is normally stripped away during the grain-refining process, which is available separately as oat bran. The soluble fiber in oat bran can be preventive against high cholesterol, since it has an effect on the digestive system.
Decreasing LDL, or Bad, Cholesterol
Oat bran is the most talked about source of soluble fiber, a dietary fiber that helps lower bad LDL cholesterol in your blood. A high level of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol is linked to the development of heart disease and stroke. Soluble fiber decreases LDL cholesterol by binding cholesterol or its derivatives in the gut and carrying them out of your body as waste.
Increasing HDL, or Good, Cholesterol
The dietary fiber from oat bran also positively influences your cholesterol levels by raising high-density lipoproteins, which is sometimes called good cholesterol. Keeping your HDL cholesterol high is particularly beneficial for your cardiac health because HDL particles carry bad cholesterol away from your arteries, thereby preventing damage to the artery walls.
Decreasing Total Cholesterol
Serum total cholesterol concentration can also be lowered through oat bran consumption--which is the sum of all cholesterol measured in your blood. Total cholesterol is made up of high-density lipoproteins, low-density-lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins.
