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Page 76
| Cholesterol Curers |
| Unlike most grains, oats are never refined, so all the nutritional goodness of their outer layersthe bran and germremains intact. That goodness includes plentiful doses of fiber and antioxidants, which makes oats a potent weapon against cholesterol and heart disease. |
| Oats launch a many-pronged attack against cholesterol: |
| A soluble fiber called beta-glucan traps dietary cholesterol in the intestine and flushes it out of the body. |
| Compounds called saponins bind to and eliminate cholesterol and cholesterol-containing bile. |
| A number of antioxidant compounds in oats help control oxidation, the process that harms LDL cholesterol and causes it to stick to artery walls, and also act on the liver to reduce cholesterol production. Researchers believe some of these compounds are far more powerful antioxidants than either vitamin C or E. |
| Anticancer Power |
| Vitamin E and other antioxidants in oats also help strengthen the immune system by routing out foreign invaders such as bacteria and cancer cells. Other compounds in oats protect against cancer by neutralizing free radicals before they can cause trouble. |
| Oats also contain phytic acids, which may help prevent colon cancer by binding to and eliminating dangerous minerals. But phytic acids do have their down side: they can also limit the absorbability of good minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium from other foods. They're not a problem as long as you don't make eating oats an everyday habit. |
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