Did you know that eating oatmeal can lower cholesterol? It’s always nice when you can benefit from eating more of something. Instead of having to give something up.
Oatmeal is like a miracle drug. A cup and a half of oatmeal gives you about 6 grams of soluble fiber. Just add some fruit like a banana and you’ll consume about 10 grams of soluble fiber.
Increasing the amount of soluble fiber from 5 to 10 grams per day should help lower your cholesterol. It doesn’t matter how much you currently consume. It is recommended to consume 25 to 50 grams of dietary fiber per day. 5 to 10 grams should be soluble fiber. Most people consume much less than 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day.
Gaining about 10 grams of soluble fiber per day is what you’re looking for.
If you don’t want to eat a bowl of oatmeal every day or just don’t like it, there are plenty of things you can add oatmeal to, so you can still benefit from it. You can use oatmeal in cookies, desserts, and many other things. Do an internet search and you’ll find hundreds of great healthy desert oatmeal recipes.
Why does oatmeal lower cholesterol?
Oatmeal contains a relatively high amount of beta-glucan, a soluble form of fiber. Soluble fiber helps reduce the bad type of cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) by interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol. You need to eat 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day to have an effect on cholesterol. It has been reported that an increase in this amount can lower LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. To further lower cholesterol, you can try adding 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day.
Alternatives to oatmeal
If you just can’t eat oatmeal one way or another, here are some other foods that are rich in soluble fiber.
– Lentils
– apples
– oranges
– pears
– Strawberries
– Walnuts
-flax seed
– Beans
– blueberries
– Cucumbers
– Carrots
types of oats
Yes, there are different types of oatmeal. They all have the same original material which is oats, of course. What varies is the way they are processed and prepared.
The healthiest is Steel Cut Oats. These are more expensive and harder to find. They are oats that are chopped into small pieces. They are more chewy, which some people prefer. Steel Cut Oats have the lowest glycemic index of all types.
Traditional oatmeal is probably the most common. They are oats that are rolled into flattened pieces. They are a bit quicker to cook than Steel Cut Oats.
Quick-cooking oats are almost the same as traditional oats, but they are pressed into thinner pieces for faster cooking.
Instant oatmeal is not as healthy as the other types. In fact, some instant oatmeals contain added sugars and salt that can make them unhealthy. They are convenient but just not as good for you as the other types.
If you’re serious about lowering cholesterol, try adding steel-cut or old-fashioned oats to your daily diet. It’s a great tasting idea that can make all the difference!
For more ideas on foods that lower cholesterol, read this article on the best and worst foods for heart health.