Eating oats for just a short period of time can have serious health consequences. cholesterol levelaccording to recent research.
Researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany conducted a study in which adults were fed a low-calorie diet consisting mostly of oatmeal for two days.
All participants had metabolic syndrome, including: diabetes riskThis includes a combination of high body weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, or elevated blood lipid levels, according to a university press release.
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32 participants ate oatmealpre-boiled in water, 3 times a day, a total of 300 grams. They were only allowed to add fruits and vegetables to their diets and consumed about half their normal caloric intake.
A control group received a reduced-calorie diet that did not contain oats. Both groups benefited, but cholesterol levels in the group eating oats “improved significantly.” After six weeks, this effect “remained stable.”
Study author Marie-Christine Simon, an associate professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Bonn, said in a statement that the oatmeal group had a 10% reduction in LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels.
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“While this is a significant reduction, it does not fully match the impact. modern medicineSimon said: “My weight has also decreased by an average of 2 kilograms, and my blood pressure has decreased slightly.”
The authors concluded that the diet affected the microbes in the gut, causing the positive reaction. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Simon concluded that eating an oatmeal-based diet at regular intervals for short periods of time “may be a well-tolerated way to keep cholesterol levels within the normal range and prevent diabetes.”
“As a next step, we can now determine whether an intensive oat-based diet repeated every six weeks actually has a lasting protective effect,” she said.
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Robin DeCicco, a certified holistic nutritionist who was not involved in the study, said the findings “make sense” because oats are known to have the potential to lower LDL cholesterol.
Oats contain prebiotic fiber that provides beneficial nutrition intestinal bacteria. Experts say that when these bacteria ferment fiber, they produce compounds that support digestive health.
“The more beneficial gut bacteria you have in your stomach and surrounding environment, the more you can reduce or inhibit the production of LDL bad cholesterol,” New York-based DeCicco told FOX News Digital.
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Oats are also a whole grain that is naturally low in saturated fat and high in fiber, and a rich source of plant-based protein.
“All of that is good for humans.” heart healtha cholesterol-lowering diet,” DeCicco noted.
DeCicco warned that people with diabetes or pre-diabetes should be “cautious” when eating oats.
“Oats can help lower cholesterol, but they’re too high in carbohydrates,” she says. “For people who are watching their blood sugar levels, especially those with diabetes, we recommend eating foods that are low in starch and high in starch. protein and dietary fiber, [and to get] Carbohydrates are often obtained from vegetables and nuts. ”
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Megan Roe, R.D., dietitian at the Wellness Center at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Orange County, California, agreed that oat consumption “does seem to lower cholesterol levels in all populations studied, with the greatest effects seen in those with elevated levels.”
“There is no significant risk, but some people may experience symptoms.” cramps or indigestion “If someone who hasn’t been eating a lot of fiber in their diet suddenly starts eating oats every day, someone who needs a gluten-free diet will want to make sure the oats they eat are gluten-free,” Loh, who was also not involved in the study, told FOX News Digital.
The nutritionist also shared concerns that oatmeal is “potentially a very high-glycemic meal” because it is typically made with water or milk and eaten with added sugar or fruit.
“Knowing this, my recommendation is to eat as much oat as you want. Choose steel-cut or rolled oats, and sweeten with fruit or, if needed, a low-glycemic sweetener like monk fruit,” she advised.
Lo also suggests finding ways to add protein to balance your carbohydrates. “This can be achieved by adding chia or flaxseed to the oats, mixing in protein powder, or topping them with Greek yogurt,” she says.
