Oat bran can have positive effects on your health, so much so that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits the labels on oat bran products to carry claims regarding reduced risks of heart disease. You can consume oat bran through a hot bowl of oatmeal or other oat dishes such as muffins. If you're not an oatmeal fan, skip the bowl of oats and take an oat bran supplement instead, though some supplements might not deliver the full benefits.
What is Oat Bran?
Oat bran is the outer layer of the oat grain once the hull has been removed. It is smooth and brown and covers the grain, which is similar in appearance to a grain of brown rice. This outer layer is often removed in the processing of grains such as wheat, but when oats are served as oat groats -- the whole grain form -- or rolled oats --a steamed and flattened version of the grain -- the healthy soluble fiber of the brain remains intact.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Supplements
Oat bran in supplement form delivers a tiny pellet of oat fiber to your digestive system. Dr. Henry J. Fishman of ConsumerAffairs.com has reviewed at least one type of oat bran supplement and deemed such supplements to be a viable way of introducing oat fiber into your diet and lowering your cholesterol. The Student Nutrition Awareness Campaign at the University of California has a less glowing opinion of oat bran supplements, noting that they are more expensive than oats, and that they lack the nutritional benefits of consuming the whole grain, including vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that promote health in a variety of ways.
Effects of Oat Bran Fiber
The Food and Nutrition Board has established that beta-glucan, a type of viscous fiber found in oat bran, has minimal effects on the bowels. Wheat bran is a better choice for addressing constipation. Oat bran does, however, serve as a prebiotic source of food for the beneficial probiotic bacteria that inhabit your intestines. Oat bran's beta-glucans also help reduce cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia. It also appears to stabilize blood glucose levels after a meal, helping to keep insulin secretion in check and reducing your risk of diabetes.
Oat Bran Fiber Intake
Consult your doctor if you are thinking of taking oat bran supplements. Different supplements contain different dosages, so be sure to read the labels on your oat bran products. If you choose to obtain your oat bran via food sources, you can obtain 5.7 g of fiber in 1 cup of cooked oat bran, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. The adequate intake of fiber recommended for men between the ages of 19 and 50 is 38 g per day, while for women of the same age range is it 25 g per day, according to the Linus Pauling Foundation.
