Breakfast cereal does the heart good

A new study shows that cereals rich in a specific fiber can help reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream.

Researchers at the University of Queensland’s Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences in Australia have identified a new mechanism for how healthy cereals, such as oats, reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease.

Mike Gidley, a professor at the University of Queensland, said the study revealed new information on the function of beta glucans—a healthy soluble fiber naturally occurring in the cell walls of some plants, particularly cereals.

"We've known for some time that beta glucans in oats reduce blood cholesterol, but now we've discovered one of the ways in which they do it,” Gidley said.

The findings challenge the theory that beta glucans ‘mop up’ bile—which is secreted during digestion—and prevent its absorption in the small intestine. Research revealed that the beta glucan in oats actually reduced the total amount of circulating bile.

"We aren't quite sure yet why, but in the presence of beta glucan there is much less circulating bile,” Dr. Purnima Gunness, lead researcher on the project, said. "This means that fats, which bile helps break down, are not digested as rapidly or as completely."

A lower or slower absorption of fat is an important factor in reducing blood cholesterol.

"Now that we know how the beta glucans positively impact on cholesterol levels, it will help us identify other fibers in plant cell walls that may have a similar effect," Gunness said.