Foods -
Oat Bran Can Help Prevent High
Cholesterol
The natural antioxidants in Oat Bran can significantly reduce blood
cholesterol levels by suppressing the adhesive molecules which make
blood cells stick to artery walls, researchers reported.
When blood cells stick to artery walls and cause inflammation, plaque
deposits build up and narrow the passageways through which blood flows.
But the Oat Bran antioxidants (known as avenanthramides) can suppress
this plaque, and in turn they reduce the gradual constriction of vessels
that leads to hardening of the arteries.
The study was conducted by nutritionist Mohsen Meydani and fellow
scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on
Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston. The research was funded by
the Agricultural Research Service, part of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Meydani found that the ability of blood cells to stick to arterial
wall cells was significantly reduced.
“Adding Oat Bran products as part of an overall healthy diet and
cutting down on high-fat, high-cholesterol foods are important to
gaining these benefits,” said Meydani. His team filed a patent on the
function of avenanthramides present in Oat Bran, based on their
anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic effects. The study was reported in
the June issue of USDA’s Agricultural Research magazine.
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