The Health Benefits of Oats
YiFang Chua
Ann Nutr Metab 2019;75(suppl 3):25
The landmark approval of a health claim for oats in 1997 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marked the
first food specific health claim.
The FDA had concluded that an intake of at least 3 g β-glucan from oats as part of a diet low insaturated fats could help reduce the risk of heart disease. Of importance is that the oat health claim signifies for the first time recognition by a public health agency that dietary intervention could be beneficial in disease prevention. The unique chemistry and nutritional composition of oats suggest that the benefits of oats may not
be confined to just a cholesterol-lowering effect.
More recently, research has focused on the impact of oat intake on other health outcomes beyond the lipid lowering effect, such as blood pressure,dody mass index and weight, glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes, as well as caloric regulation and satiety.
To identify mode of action, recent efforts have focused on isolating, identifying, and characterizing the bioactive constituents unique to oats in addition to b-glucan. Compared to other whole grains such as corn, wheat, and rice, oat nutrition profiles are uniquely “complete” across many constituents, ranging from nutrients to phytochemicals and
bioactive compounds. Nutritionally, oats provide many essential nutrients.
On a 100 g basis, oats are a significant source of dietary fiber, soluble fiber mostly as b-glucan, thiamin, folate, iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Additionally, oats are an excellent source
of potassium and are low in sodium, with a Na:K ratio less than one. Avenanthramides are phytonutrients in oats known to haveanti-inflammatory and antioxidative activity and may be involved
in some of the health effects unique to oats.
As of 2018, ischemic heart disease (number 1 ranking) and stroke (number 2 ranking)
were two of the top 12 world health problems that could be favorably affected by oat consumption. Important risk factors recently
highlighted by the Global Burden of Disease Study that could be
affected by oats include high blood pressure, high body mass index, and high fasting blood glucose levels as well as an elevated
LDL-C level. Recent advances in research have focused on oat
chemistry and nutrition with the goal of demonstrating the mode
of action. In all, the health benefits of oats can be attributed largely to their unique chemistry and nutrient profile.