Eating just one and one-half cups of cooked oatmeal a day can lower your cholesterol by 5 to 8%. Oatmeal contains soluble and insoluble fiber – two types that your body needs. Insoluble fiber, which is also found in the skins of many fruits, helps keep us regular.
The cholesterol-lowering benefits of oatmeal are also dose-dependent. That is, the more oatmeal you eat, the lower your cholesterol will go. Although oatmeal is helpful in lowering cholesterol, some of the ingredients placed in oatmeal may not be. These include butter, chocolate, whole milk, and cheese.
It is thought that the oat fibers in the oatmeal mix with cholesterol in the small intestine, then bind to the cholesterol molecules and carry it out of the body instead of it being absorbed into the blood. 2 Oatmeal seems to be most effective in lowering LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels.
Do steel-cut oats lower cholesterol?
” Steel-cut oats, in particular, can help to lower cholesterol and are high in soluble fiber.” According to a 2015 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, whole-grain oats are known to be the best whole grain for lowering LDL cholesterol numbers.
Is oatmeal good for Your Heart?
Oatmeal was one of the first foods to carry the heart healthy distinction on its label because of promising research findings. 1 It is thought that the oat fibers in the oatmeal mix with cholesterol in the small intestine, then bind to the cholesterol molecules and carry it out of the body instead of it being absorbed into the blood.
Is oatmeal high in fiber?
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
What can I eat to lower my cholesterol?
A few simple tweaks to your diet — along with exercise and other heart-healthy habits — might help you lower your cholesterol. Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol.