Oats: A good source of fiber

The oats belong to the family of poaceae and is commonly known as Avena Sativa. Oats are generally regarded as a minor cereal crop when considered in terms of grain produced annually, or areas sown for production. It is a staple crop of Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and the Scandinavian countries.

Oats have been used as livestock and human foods since ancient times. Oats is a class of cereal grain essentially grown for human consumption as well as for livestock fodder.

Oat grout or whole grain (after removal of hull) contain all three parts of the grain – the germ, endosperm and bran, rich in all valuable nutrients and this grain has recently attracted many research and commercial attention mainly due to its high nutritional value. Oats along with soluble fiber β -glucan are rich in lipids, protein, B vitamins, minerals, antioxidant vitamin E, phytic acid, phenolic acid and avenantramides.

Total carbohydrate content (including cellulose and non-starch polysaccharides) may reach 75-80% of the dry matter. Oats is an excellent sources of different dietary fiber components of mixed-linkage (1→3), (1→4)-β-D-glucan arabinoxylans and cellulose. It achieves high viscosities at relatively low concentrations and is of particular importance in human nutrition.

Population studies suggest that diet rich in oats or other foods containing soluble fiber has been linked in lowering elevated blood cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels. Soluble fiber in oats are found to be associated with lower levels of blood pressure or rates of coronary disease.

Oat or oat fiber consumption has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations, and the reduction in insulin concentration may provide a mechanism by which blood pressure could be reduced in response to oats consumption.

Oats also good sources of insoluble fiber functions as a water-holding-capacity agent and can reduce intestinal transit time when present in adequate amounts in food.

In the year 1997, USFDA approved the use of a health claim “3g/day of oat β-glucan may help lower blood total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol”.
Oats: A good source of fiber