One of the best things about oats is that they’re packed with soluble fiber, which is very important for your health, especially managing cholesterol levels.
The soluble fiber found in oats works to improve your LDL “bad” cholesterol, without affecting HDL, the “good” cholesterol your body needs. At four grams per serving, oats have a greater proportion of soluble fiber than any other common grain. If you’ve set your sights on reaching or maintaining healthy cholesterol, you’ll want to keep eating your oats!
The soluble fiber in oats lowers cholesterol by significantly reducing the absorption of LDL cholesterol into your bloodstream. In fact, research suggests eating two servings of oats per day can lower your LDL by 5.3 per cent in just six weeks! (Along with regular exercise and a low-fat diet.)
According to the American Heart Association, Americans should be getting about 25 grams of soluble fiber per day. Unfortunately, most of us don’t hit that goal – the average American consumes an average of just 16 grams per day and many get even less. In their defense, high fiber foods don’t always have a reputation for tasting great.
Luckily, eating oats isn’t just an effective way to manage cholesterol, it’s also a tasty way.
Even if you can’t always manage two servings every day, including at least one daily serving of oats is a smart choice that will help get you started toward reaching your daily fiber goals.
Try starting off your morning with overnight oats, a delicious, easily customizable, grab-and-go breakfast. In our Monday to Friday Overnight Oats, we added a variety of ingredients like bananas, apples, berries and coconut to give your day a sweet start and an added boost of fiber.
For a second serving of oats later in your day, try our Oat Risotto with Parmesan and Peas, a decidedly oaty twist on the classic Italian dish. This delicious risotto substitutes fiber-rich steel cut oats for the traditional Arborio rice and adds peas, another good source of fiber.
Diet plays a critical role in managing your cholesterol, so make oats a part of your daily routine to help achieve and maintain healthy cholesterol levels – without having to sacrifice delicious food!