Oat Milk and My Plummeting Cholesterol Levels

I have a medical checkup every year. For about 3 years, I was referred to a doctor to monitor my cholesterol levels, which, while not super high, were high enough to warrant supervision. This was surprising because I’m vegetarian, and don’t eat fried food. I guess it was all the chocolate. :( So, I wondered if I could do anything myself to lower my cholesterol. I read somewhere that oat milk was good, and so I swapped the soy milk in my protein shake for oat milk, drank it every day for a year, didn’t really change my diet in any other way, and went for my medical checkup as usual.

So what happened to my cholesterol? It dropped into the normal range. Not only that, but after another year of daily oat milk drinking, it dropped even further!

Why did this happen?

Oat milk contains a high amount of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber found in oats. Beta-glucan has been shown to reduce levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), commonly known as "bad" cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

The soluble fiber beta-glucan in oat milk forms a gel-like layer in the small intestine. This gel traps some cholesterol-rich bile acids and prevents them from being reabsorbed into the body. As a result, the liver must pull cholesterol from the blood to produce more bile acids, thereby lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Regular consumption of oat milk, particularly a serving or two per day, can significantly contribute to lower cholesterol levels. Studies suggest that about 3 grams of beta-glucan per day can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5-7%. It definitely worked for me!