Oat bran can help regulate and improve your bowel health in a number of ways. Most importantly, oat bran is a strong source of soluble fiber. You need both soluble and insoluble fiber for normal bowel movements. Soluble fiber brings water into the stool and slows down digestion, while insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool and helps it move through your system faster.
Fiber Content
You should try to obtain about 25 to 30 g of total fiber each day for healthy bowels and the additional benefits of fiber. More specifically, females aged 19 to 50 need 25 g, and males of the same age need 38 g. Females over the age of 50 need 21 g; their male counterparts need 30 g each day. A 94-g serving size of oat bran provides 14 g of dietary fiber.
Considerations
The American Dietetic Association explains that although oat bran is usually categorized as soluble fiber, it provides benefits of insoluble fiber, as well. Oat bran adds weight to stool and helps it pass through your system. Whole oats and psyllium seed husks are two other exceptions that act as both types of fiber.
Oat Bran and Bile
In a 2002 study in "The Journal of Nutrition," oat bran raised the level of bile acid in the stools of both rats and humans. Bile assists in the metabolism of fats and contributes to the color of stool. A lack of bile in stool can indicate a number of health conditions, such as gallstones, giardia parasitic infection, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis or cirrhosis of the liver.
Diverticular Disease
If you have diverticular disease, an intestinal disease, some of your symptoms can include irregular bowel movements, such as diarrhea or constipation, and blood in the stool. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests the use of soluble fiber supplements, like oat bran, to help this condition because they irritate your system less than insoluble fiber supplements. However, you should first talk to your doctor to make sure you need fiber supplements.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Fiber
- MedlinePlus: Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Oat Bran
- American Dietetic Association; Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber; July 2002
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; A Poorly Fermented Gel from Psyllium Seed Husk Increases Excreta Moisture and Bile Acid Excretion in Rats; Judith A. Marlett, et al.; 2002
- Colon Cleansing and Constipation Resource Center; Stool Color; Apr. 27, 2009
