Everyone knows oatmeal. The superstar among the trend foods of recent years is extremely healthy and diverse. Compared to oatmeal, however, oat bran only plays a role in the diet of a few people. Completely wrong, as nutrition experts think. Because the fine oat bran has even better nutritional values than oat flakes. Here we reveal what the bran is all about and what health benefits arise from daily consumption for you.
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What actually is oat bran?
To understand what makes oat bran so special, we first need to understand what exactly oatmeal is. About oatmeal as we know it, whole oat grains are heated and rolled. Ultimately, oat flakes are nothing more than flattened grains. In contrast, oat bran is not made up of the whole grain. For the bran, only the outer edge of the endosperm and the germ of the oat grain are processed. And it is precisely in these components of the grain that most of the nutrients are found. The outer layers used to make oat bran are packed with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. In a way, oat bran can therefore be called oatmeal concentrate. So oat bran contains only the best of the oat grain, including:
- Vitamin B1
- Iron (5.4 milligrams per 100 grams)
- Magnesium (235 milligrams per 100 grams)
- Protein (17 grams per 100 grams)
- Potassium (566 milligrams per 100 grams)
- Calcium (58 milligrams per 100 grams)
Tip : By the way, oat bran is very easy to use in delicious dishes. For a healthy breakfast, you can easily try our easy porridge recipe with rolled oats and oat bran . For an extra dose of nutrients and unsaturated fatty acids, add a dash of linseed oil to your oatmeal.
4 Healthy Effects of Oat Bran
1. Stable blood sugar level
Oat bran has about 50 percent more fiber per 100 grams than oatmeal. Dietary fibers are not only important for healthy digestion, they also have a decisive influence on our blood sugar levels. Since the dietary fibers in oat bran are very complex, indigestible fibers, they keep you full for a particularly long time. This keeps blood sugar levels low after a heavy oat bran meal, preventing cravings caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar levels.
2. Healthy cholesterol levels
Speaking of good fiber: In addition to the complex, indigestible fiber, oat bran also has a lot of soluble, easily digestible fiber. Such substances are known as beta-glucans and help maintain normal cholesterol levels. For every 100 grams of oat bran there is just over 8 grams of beta-glucan, about twice as much as in oatmeal. The positive effect on cholesterol levels is due to the fact that beta-glucan binds to LDL cholesterol in the bile during the digestive process. This bad LDL cholesterol is then excreted. The risk of arteriosclerosis and other arterial blockages is reduced.
3. Strengthening of the immune system
Oat bran is full of important nutrients and trace elements. In addition, the healthy bran also contains important vitamins from the B group. 100 grams of oat bran contains about 73 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin B1, 12 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin B2 and 14 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin B5. The vitamins have a decisive influence on metabolic processes that are important for a healthy and resilient immune system. A high proportion of the trace element selenium has a particularly positive effect on your immune system. Selenium has an antioxidant effect, and 100 grams of oat bran contains around 60 percent of the daily requirement.
4. Antioxidative Arterienschutz
Oat bran has an antioxidant effect due to the high content of the antioxidant avenanthramide it contains. This phytochemical is found exclusively in oats and has an inhibitory effect on the damaging effects of free radicals on the health and normal functioning of our blood vessels. Free radicals are highly reactive and aggressive oxygen compounds that damage the DNA of our cells and bring about negative changes. Due to the influence of free radicals, body cells age and the risk of age-related diseases increases. The avenanthramides in oat bran increase the production of nitric oxide in the blood, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. studies observedthat the antioxidant protection of avenanthramides can help prevent atherosclerosis.
