Both oat bran and flaxseed meal, sometimes known as ground flaxseed, have phenomenal nutritional benefits in small serving sizes. Most notably, they are rich sources of dietary fiber, which has the potential to improve digestive health, produce feelings of satiation and curb appetite. To learn more about their health benefits, it helps to look at their nutritional profiles side by side.
Soluble Fiber
Professor emeritus Jack Carter of the plant sciences department in North Dakota State University notes that of its total fiber amounts, flaxseed is made up of about 25 percent soluble fiber and 75 percent insoluble fiber. Oat bran, alternately, is split about equally with 50 percent soluble fiber and 50 percent insoluble fiber.
Total Fiber
According to the USDA, 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed has approximately 7.6 g total dietary fiber, and 1/4 cup of raw oat bran has 3.6 g total dietary fiber. That means in those amounts, the flaxseed has about 1.9 g soluble fiber and 5.7 g insoluble fiber, and the oat bran has about 1.8 g each of soluble and insoluble fiber.
Cholesterol
Neither flaxseed meal nor oat bran are entirely fat-free. However, both foods are plant-based and lack the saturated fat and cholesterol that are typically linked to problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol or blood pressure levels. Flaxseed meal has about 12 g fat per 1/4 cup, only 1 g of which is saturated, and oat bran has about 1.6 g fat per 1/4 cup, 0.3 g of which is saturated.
Benefits
Fiber is an indigestible nutrient that your body does not absorb. However, it has great benefits for digestive health. Soluble fiber can improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, while insoluble fiber works to prevent constipation by adding bulk to your digested food. According to MayoClinic.com, it's healthy for women to get between 22 and 28 g fiber daily and for men to get 28 to 34 g daily.
Other Considerations
Before you make any major changes to your current eating plan, speak with your doctor. Eating too much of any one food, even if it offers excellent nutritional value, can compromise the balance of your diet and result in eventual nutrient deficiencies. In addition to getting healthy amounts of oat bran and flax in your diet, ChooseMyPlate.gov recommends regularly eating fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat dairy.
