"Nutrition Knowledge" Series: Eating 80 grams of oats a day can help regulate blood lipids, mainly due to β-glucan

"Numerous studies have shown that the dietary fiber contained in oats plays an important role in blood lipid regulation, mainly in the form of soluble β-glucan." Professor Sun Guiju from the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University said at the "11th International Annual Conference on Food Science" hosted by the Beijing Institute of Food Science and China Food Magazine's "Food Science" magazine.

β-glucan exists in natural plants such as wheat, barley, oats, and microorganisms such as yeast, bacteria, and fungi. It is a polysaccharide polymer with high nutritional value.

Based on various evidences, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority recommend that people consume 3 grams or more of soluble β-glucan from oats, barley, or a combination of the two every day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease.

What is the lipid-regulating effect of oat beta-glucan? Professor Sun Guiju led a team to conduct research. She said, "Our research shows that supplementing whole grain oats (80 grams/day, containing 3 grams of beta-glucan) for 45 days can significantly improve the serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of people with marginal dyslipidemia, but has no significant effect on serum triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels."

Talking about the principle, Professor Sun Guiju explained that since β-glucan can absorb water and swell in the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the viscosity of the gastrointestinal tract, it can hinder the absorption of exogenous cholesterol; at the same time, as a dietary fiber, β-glucan can be fermented by intestinal flora and produce beneficial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids. Such metabolites can further inhibit the synthesis of endogenous cholesterol.

Professor Sun Guiju added that in fact, β-glucans from different sources may have different physiological functions. For example, β-glucans from yeast and other fungi have the function of helping to enhance immunity, while β-glucans from grains mainly have the functions of lowering blood lipids, regulating blood sugar, and maintaining a suitable body weight. However, the specific mechanism needs further research.

This article was scientifically reviewed by Professor Sun Guiju from the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University.