Dear Readers, Most people are probably familiar with oat flakes. Many eat healthy flakes for breakfast in the morning. However, other healthy foods can also be made from the oat grains, such as oat bran health.
What this is exactly and what effects it has, you will find out below.
While rolled oats are rolled from the whole oat grain, oat bran is made from the outer layers of the oat grain.
This is also where most of the nutrients in the grain are found, as well as plenty of fiber. We will inform you about fiber-rich food.
Oat bran Health Benefits
What is oat bran
Oat bran health is made from oat grain just like oatmeal.
Rolled oats are made from the whole grain of oats.
Meanwhile, with the bran, only the outer layers and the germ are used.
And that makes them a true superfood because it is precisely in these parts of the grain that the most nutrients are found.
It doesn’t sound as exotic as, for example, quinoa, chia seeds, and goji berries.
But since oat bran saves a long transport route, it is available in almost every supermarket at a reasonable price, unlike many other superfoods.
Oat bran health is more like oatmeal than oatmeal but is coarser and much more nutritious. It also differs in taste from its popular relatives.
It tastes nuttier than conventional oatmeal. And although oatmeal is already very nutritious and healthy, oat bran contains far more vitamins, minerals, and, most importantly, fiber.
Constituents of oat bran
Oat bran has numerous healthy ingredients that have a positive effect on your well-being.
Bran contains numerous important minerals and vitamins.
Already three-quarters of the required daily intake of vitamin B1 is covered by the consumption of the bran.
In addition, noteworthy amounts of iron, manganese, soul, and magnesium are included.
It also contains small amounts of zinc and other important B vitamins.
Oat bran health can already cover twelve percent of the daily requirement of vitamin B2 and folic acid. The daily requirement of vitamin B5 is covered to 14 percent.
However, the fiber it contains makes oat bran particularly valuable. It contains twice as much dietary fiber as oat flakes, which are also made from the oat grain. Fiber is essential for healthy digestion.
100 grams of oat bran contains about 15 grams of digestive substances.
The dietary fiber beta-glucan in particular is present in large quantities in the superfood. 100 grams of oat bran contains about 8 grams of beta-glucan, twice as much as oatmeal.
Fiber can be divided into insoluble and soluble substances.
Insoluble fiber, found mainly in grains and legumes, stimulates bowel activity by significantly increasing stool volume.
Soluble fibers such as beta-glucan are usually found primarily in fruit and vegetables and can bind large amounts of water. In this way, they soften the stool and make it much easier to empty your bowels.
In addition, they have health-promoting effects on the metabolism.
Healthy effects of oat bran
Oat bran health has a variety of positive effects on your health.
Both your digestion and your metabolism benefit from eating high-fiber food.
You can find out what other effects the superfood has in the following.
To lower cholesterol levels
Oat bran is high in the soluble fiber beta-glucan. In some studies, the positive effect of dietary fiber on cholesterol levels has already been proven.
Beta-glucans can lower the levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood by binding to bile acids and thus promoting the elimination of LDL cholesterol.
In order to achieve this effect, however, around three grams of beta-glucans must be ingested. This corresponds to about four tablespoons or 40 grams of oat bran.
LDL cholesterol is not inherently a bad thing.
However, if there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, it can build up in the arteries and promote hardening of the arteries, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
A healthy diet rich in fiber can prevent these health effects.
To lose weight
The fiber-rich food is also suitable as a supplement to a healthy diet.
100 grams of 350-calorie oat bran doesn’t exactly seem like a typical weight loss product.
In fact, it fills you up longer. In this way, it prevents you from reaching for unnecessary snacks.
Soluble fibers such as beta-glucan can bind a lot of liquid and swell up in the stomach.
The consumed amount of oat bran can increase in the stomach up to 25 times and thus quickly ensures a lasting feeling of satiety.
Beta-glucan ensures that the nutrients in the bran are absorbed more slowly. As a result, the blood sugar level rises less sharply and with a time delay. This also benefits diabetics.
For the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
Oat bran health has been shown to lower cholesterol levels.
This can prevent serious cardiovascular diseases.
This is because harmful LDL cholesterol can build up in the arteries, causing them to thicken and narrow.
As a result, the vessel loses its elasticity. This makes it more difficult for blood to flow through the affected vessel.
The result is the hardening of the arteries. This, in turn, can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Oat bran can thus indirectly prevent cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks.
For good digestion
Due to the numerous dietary fibers, bran can stimulate intestinal activity and support the digestive tract.
Both soluble and insoluble fiber can increase the volume of stool, causing it to press against the wall of the intestine, allowing the contents of the intestine to be transported further and eventually excreted more quickly.
If you consume enough fiber every day, this contributes to regular digestion. It also prevents constipation and hemorrhoids.
Fiber can not only prevent the latter very well, but even if the painful hemorrhoids are already present, they can make bowel movements more comfortable by softening the stool.
Consumption tips
Oat bran is an ideal addition to a healthy diet.
In addition, it still has some beneficial effects on the body.
Nevertheless, before consuming the superfood, you should observe a few consumption recommendations so that you can tolerate it optimally.
Drink enough
You should always eat fiber-rich foods with sufficient liquid.
Since soluble dietary fibers in particular bind liquid and thus cause the food to swell, a lack of liquid intake can even lead to constipation instead of solving it.
It is best to let the bran swell with enough liquid before eating. Alternatively, you should accompany the consumption of the superfood with sufficient water.
You should drink about one glass of water for every tablespoon of bran. You should also think about drinking enough fluids throughout the day.
Do not consume pure
Since bran swells a lot, it is better not to eat the food pure.
It’s better to mix it with other liquid foods like muesli, yogurt, and soups.
Oat bran goes very well with both desserts and savory dishes.
Consuming an entire meal of just bran, however, could be too much for your body.
Oat bran health has a large amount of dietary fiber. If you eat too many of these, it can burden your digestion instead of supporting it.
Pay attention to the amount of fiber
In general, it recommends consuming at least 30 grams of fiber daily.
In this way, you ensure optimal digestion.
If you eat too little fiber, your digestion becomes sluggish and constipation can develop.
However, too much fiber can also promote various digestive problems such as flatulence and diarrhea.
If chronic (intestinal) diseases are present, those affected sometimes have to switch to a light diet and reduce their daily fiber intake.
For healthy people, a dietary fiber intake of 30 grams per day should be easily digestible.
To reach this value, you would need to consume about 200 grams of oat bran daily. However, keep in mind that you also get a lot of fiber from other foods.
Alternatives to oat bran
Oat bran is particularly rich in nutrients and has some health-promoting effects.
However, there are a few foods that are very similar to oat bran in their effects and nutritional values.
Wheat bran
Like oat bran health, wheat bran consists of the outer layers of the cereal grain and therefore has a particularly large number of nutrients and dietary fibers.
However, wheat bran has far more fiber than oat bran, namely around 45 grams per 100 grams of bran.
This makes it particularly good for constipation and can provide optimal support for the digestive tract.
Psyllium husks
Flea seed shells are also particularly high in fiber and are therefore known as a natural laxative
If you take them in small amounts every day, you can stimulate intestinal activity and promote regular digestion.
Just like oat bran, they can lower cholesterol and thus protect against cardiovascular disease.
High-fiber foods such as psyllium husks should always can consume with sufficient liquid.
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