Some of simplest foods are the most healthful. That's the case with oatmeal, a whole grain you only have to heat up with some water to produce a quick, filling, heart-healthy breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal made with ½ cup of rolled oats provides 4 g fiber along with 150 calories, 2.5 g fat, 27 g carbohydrates and no sugar. The fiber can benefit your cardiovascular health by helping to reduce your cholesterol.
Fiber and Cholesterol
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes are good sources of fiber, and most Americans probably don't eat enough of it. The Cleveland Clinic explains that while insoluble fiber -- roughage -- helps your digestion, soluble fiber has been shown to reduce LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol. Soluble fiber binds to fats, including cholesterol in your intestines, and helps to remove it from your body.
Soluble Fiber in Oats
Like many other high-fiber foods, oatmeal provides both soluble and insoluble fiber. According to the nutrition labels on rolled oats, that ½-cup serving with 4 g fiber has 2 g of each type of fiber. Boost the soluble fiber even more by adding fruit that is rich in soluble fiber, such as apples, pears, bananas, strawberries or prunes.
A 'Dose' of Oatmeal?
Unlike a cholesterol-lowering pill, oatmeal does not come with specific recommendations. Studies documenting the effects of soluble fiber on LDL have reported significantly lower cholesterol with daily amounts of 2 g to 10 g of soluble fiber, according to 2009 position paper by the American Dietetic Association. Soluble fiber from whole grain cereals like oatmeal appears to be most beneficial, according to the paper, "Health Implications of Dietary Fiber." The Mayo Clinic suggests 5 g to 10 g per day, while the American Heart Association recommends a daily goal of 25 g of total fiber.
Oats in Your Diet
The American Dietetic Association touts oatmeal as a heart-healthy food, but suggests that you try to get more of its benefits by also using oats and oat bran in other foods. You can add it to pancakes, muffins, burgers, meat loaf and stuffing. Be cautious, however, about baked goods that claim to be healthful because they contain oats or oat bran. Look at the nutrition labels, because some might have a lot of added sugar, sodium and fat.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Cholesterol: Top 5 Foods To Lower Your Numbers
- American Dietetic Association: Oats: A Quick and Easy Way To Boost Your Health
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol, Fiber and Oat Bran
- Cleveland Clinic: Improving Your Health With Fiber
- Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber (2009)
- American Heart Association: Whole Grains and Fiber
