Cereal bran, especially oat bran useful for controlling BP, cholesterol and blood glucose

A study entitled “Effects of cereal bran consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis” has mentioned that among those with cardiometabolic risk factors or CMRFs, Cereal bran reduces blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose. Oat bran had the most noticeable effect, they noted.

Cardiovascular disease is highly prevalent. CMRFs include hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and adiposity. To control these CMRFs, a healthy diet plays a crucial role in managing CMRFs risks. Cereal bran contains beneficial substances and plays a vital role in this context.

There are still contradictions in the indicators of improving CMRFs by bran from different grain sources or even the same grain source. In this study, researchers investigated the effects of cereal bran consumption on CMRFs using databases like PubMed, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science until February 2023.

The critical points of the study include:

• The present meta-analysis had 22 studies.
• Consuming cereal bran has no significant effect on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, waist circumference, and BMI compared to the control.
• Cereal bran consumption reduces systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood glucose with WMD of -1.59, -1.96, -0.19, -0.21 and -0.13, respectively.
• Oat bran reduced blood lipids in individuals with a history of lipid diseases and blood pressure in patients with a history of obesity and hypertension.

Concluding, Cereal bran reduces blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose in CMRF individuals, while oat bran had the most obvious effect.

Further reading:

https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/37482485/full_citation