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Q. Oatmeal and barley have lowered my cholesterol significantly. How does it work?
A. Oatmeal and barley are rich sources of soluble fiber. They bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract and keep it from being absorbed.
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Oatmeal and Barley Lower Cholesterol
I like to sprinkle oatmeal into my cold cereal and my yogurt. Can one eat uncooked oatmeal and have it lower cholesterol?
I found my cholesterol began to gradually ascend as I got older, to the point where my physician prescribed Crestar. Every three months when I'd go for check ups the numbers were going higher, but I never took the Crestar. This continued for close to a year. My numbers began to decline when I started eating oatmeal and/or Cheerios. As a result of my experience, I am an absolute believer that it works. By the way, there are many creative ways to eat oatmeal. Don't be afraid to experiment with different seasonings, sauces,and as a dessert, hot or cold. Also, be sure to have good servings of oatmeal following when you've eaten foods you know are high in cholesterol.
My LDL went down 7 points by adding oat bran to my diet. I buy plain oat bran and eat it as a cereal every other morning. I also eat oat bran muffins (homemade) and buy oat bran flakes at the health food store when I want cold cereal. I have not tried barley yet. I find my cholesterol really goes up when I eat too much sugar. I have high cholesterol due to heredity, so there is not a lot I can do about that.