The road to better health is often long and difficult, so the recent news that just two days on an oatmeal diet can lower bad cholesterol levels by ten percent is welcome news. Better yet, the benefits were seen after six weeks. These are the findings of A recent clinical studiesconducted at the University of Bonn in Germany, showed how switching to an oat diet can improve LDL cholesterol levels, encourage weight loss and even lower blood pressure, all without any additional exercise. “A short-term diet of oats at regular intervals can be a well-tolerated way to keep cholesterol levels within normal range and prevent diabetes.” explained Marie-Christina Simonwho is a junior professor at the University’s Institute of Food and Nutrition.
How was the oat diet study conducted?
The benefits of oats were extolled by scientists like Carl Von Norden, who treated diabetics with the cereal in the early 1900s, but with the advent of prescription drugs, whole foods gained popularity. “Today, effective drugs are available for the treatment of diabetes patients. As a result, this method has been almost completely ignored in recent decades,” explained Professor Simon. To correct the balance between proper nutrition and prescription drugs, 32 people suffering from some type of metabolic syndrome, such as obesity or high blood pressure, were asked to eat only oatmeal boiled in water three times a day, with any fruits and vegetables they wanted to add. In total, they ate 300 grams of oats in each of the two-day trials, resulting in a caloric intake of about half of their normal intake.
Major health benefits observed in research
Those who followed the plan of 300 grams of Oveza got more benefits. “They had a 10 percent drop in LDL cholesterol, which is particularly harmful,” Simon said. “This is a significant reduction.” While the professor notes that the reduction of bad cholesterol is more noticeable in modern drugs, these require a long period of treatment. Statins can work for several weeks and take six to eight weeks before reaching their full effect, for example. However, although more work needs to be done to determine how far and how far the oat diet can actually go, it wasn’t just bad cholesterol that fell as a result of the short-term intervention. “They also lost an average of two pounds and their blood pressure dropped slightly,” Simon said.
Why lowering LDL cholesterol is important for heart health
Lowering LDL cholesterol is importantbecause if there is too much blood, it deposits on the walls of the blood vessels, causing plaque to build up and the arteries to narrow. The plaques can also rupture, form blood clots, and block arteries completely. Another risk of LDL is that plaque fragments can wash away in the blood, causing a heart attack or stroke. Oats can fight LDL by boosting gut health, promoting the production of ferulic acid and promoting cholesterol metabolism.
Surprisingly, the short-term diet led to permanent results, and the positive effects were still visible six weeks after the trial. Professor Simon says the next step is to repeat the trial after a six-week trial, so the team can see if it can be a routine intervention without the need for medication.
