Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber and low in saturated fat, so it's a healthy option for breakfast -- but eating it regularly may also reduce your risk of heart disease. Although oatmeal might not reverse the damage of eating a cheeseburger every day for lunch, it helps raise your levels of good cholesterol, which, in turn, removes bad cholesterol from the arteries. Talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet, especially if you have health conditions or allergies.
Good Cholesterol vs. Bad Cholesterol
All types of cholesterol are not created equally -- bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein, is found in foods that are high in saturated fat, like butter, cheese and red meat. LDL brings cholesterol into the bloodstream, clogging the arteries and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, on the other hand, has the opposite effect -- it collects the cholesterol in the arteries and brings it back to the liver to be disposed. Eating foods that are high in HDL may counteract some of the damage of eating foods that are high in LDL, but it's healthiest to eat as many foods that are high in HDL as possible and stay away from foods that are high in LDL in the first place.
Benefits of Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, which is high in HDL. Eating approximately 5 to 10 g of soluble fiber per day lowers your low-density lipoprotein levels, removing cholesterol from the arteries and preventing heart disease and stroke. The average 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal contains 6 g soluble fiber. Eating it once a day for breakfast may help lower your total cholesterol levels by lowering your levels of low-density lipoprotein. Adding fruit that is high in soluble fiber to your breakfast, such as bananas or apple slices, lowers your LDL even more.
High in Antioxidants
In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, oatmeal is high avenanthramides, which have antioxidant properties, according to "Tufts Nutrition" magazine in the article "Now Oats Can Really Gloat." Avenanthramides prevent blood cells from sticking to the walls of the arteries, which may prevent cholesterol and plaque buildup in the arteries.
When it Won't Help
If you're consuming large quantities of high-density lipoprotein in foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat every day, eating a daily bowl oatmeal is unlikely to make much of a difference. Cut back on foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fats, such as store-bought baked goods, fried foods, cheese, lard, fatty cuts of meat and foods cooked in palm oil and coconut oil. Your doctor might recommend a specific cholesterol-lowering diet for your particular condition as well.
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