The natural antioxidants in Oat Bran can significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels by suppressing the adhesive molecules which make blood cells stick to artery walls, researchers reported.

When blood cells stick to artery walls and cause inflammation, plaque deposits build up and narrow the passageways through which blood flows. But the Oat Bran antioxidants (known as avenanthramides) can suppress this plaque, and in turn they reduce the gradual constriction of vessels that leads to hardening of the arteries.

The study was conducted by nutritionist Mohsen Meydani and fellow scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston. The research was funded by the Agricultural Research Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Meydani found that the ability of blood cells to stick to arterial wall cells was significantly reduced.

Adding Oat Bran products as part of an overall healthy diet and cutting down on high-fat, high-cholesterol foods are important to gaining these benefits, said Meydani. His team filed a patent on the function of avenanthramides present in Oat Bran, based on their anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic effects. The study was reported in the June issue of USDAs Agricultural Research magazine.