Oats

Oats are a whole grain eaten as porridge, overnight oats or in baking. Their distinguishing component is beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that forms a gel in the gut.

What published research reports

USDA FoodData Central lists dry oats at roughly 13 g of protein and 10 g of fibre per 100 g, with manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. A 2014 meta-analysis of 28 randomised controlled trials in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that around 3 g per day of oat beta-glucan lowers LDL cholesterol by about 0.25 mmol/L relative to control — the evidence base behind the oat health claims that food regulators in the US and Europe have authorised on packaging.

References

• US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central — Oats. fdc.nal.usda.gov
• Whitehead A, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100(6):1413–1421. PubMed