4 Reasons to Eat More Oats

There’s one food fact on which nutritionists and other health experts agree. Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet. And among whole grains, oats are a powerhouse with many benefits. Here are just a few.

1. Oats are a helper of hearts

Your heart pumps blood – which carries oxygen your body needs to function. That you probably already knew. But what you may not know is the important role food may play in keeping your heart healthy. Three grams of soluble fiber from oats as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease¹. A serving of Quaker^® Old Fashioned oats provides two of those grams.

2. Oatmeal has the fiber you want

There’s solid evidence² that whole grain oats and oat bran can help lower blood cholesterol as part of a diet low in saturated and cholesterol thanks to beta-glucan – a soluble fiber, largely unique to oats. It is thought that beta-glucan interacts in the intestine with bile acids (a substance that is made from cholesterol) and increases their excretion, which in turn triggers the liver to synthesize more by pulling LDL cholesterol out of the blood³.

3. Oats can help you feel full

Whole grain oats are a complex carbohydrate with nutritional benefits. A bowl of cooked oatmeal breaks down to become energy that’s slowly absorbed by your body. Every bowl of cooked Quaker Old Fashioned Oats helps you feel full for up to four hours when consumed with milk, while also providing a good source of thiamin, phosphorus, and magnesium.

4. Oats support healthy digestion

Adding fiber to your diet can help keep you regular – and oats are a good place to start.

Most experts recommend adults 51+ should eat at least 21-30 grams of fiber daily from a variety of grains, fruits, and vegetables to help support a healthy digestive system⁴. More than 90% of the U.S. population over the age of one are not meeting the recommended daily intake of whole grains⁵. With aging, whether because of decreased physical activity, lower muscle tone or reduced water intake, the digestive tract might start slowing down, which makes it important to consume enough fiber to help maintain regularity⁶.

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^{1, 2 FDA - 21 CFR 101.81: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=101.81}

^{3 Joyce S.A., Kamil A., Fleige L., Gahan, C.G.M. (2019). The Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Oats and Oat Beta Glucan: Modes of Action and Potential Role of Bile Acids and the Microbiome. Frontiers in Nutrition. 6, 171. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31828074/}

^{4, 5 DGA 2020-2025. Recommended Intake Ranges: Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Patterns. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf}

^{6 U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov.}