Role of oats in celiac disease

Table 2 Health benefits of oats

Effect	Findings	Ref.
Hypocholesterolemic	An effect derived from β-glucan content, and demonstrated in normal and hypercholesterolemic subjects. The statistical significance of this cholesterol reduction has been variable, and remains controversial	[15, 18]
Hypoglycaemic	Studies have suggested that oat consumption can significantly decrease insulin response, fasting blood glucose levels, and the incidence of postprandial hyperglycaemia. However, some studies have failed to identify a diet-related effect on glycaemic control or a person’s insulinemic response to oat-enriched products	[56-58]
Prevention of cancer	Selenium, present in oats, is involved in DNA repair and associated with a reduced risk for cancer; especially colon cancer. Furthermore, it is found in foods with a high fibre content	[59-61]
Reduction of hypertension	Soluble fibre-rich whole oats may be effective when consumed as dietary therapy for the prevention and adjunct treatment of hypertension	[62]
Immunomodulatory	β-glucans act by stimulating the immune system and inhibiting the growth of various bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites	[63]
Antioxidant	Oats contain chemicals with potential antioxidant properties; e.g., vitamin E (tocols), phytic acid, and phenolic compounds, etc	[55]
Antiatherogenic	In vivo studies of atherosclerosis showed that oat bran reduced plasma cholesterol levels. However, it was difficult to determine whether its antiatherogenic effect was a result of reduced plasma cholesterol alone, or if additional effects of other oat components contributed to the result	[64]
Obesity control	Studies revealed that oats effectively reduced obesity, as well as indexes of serum lipid levels and liver function. These effects were observed when using β-glucan with the proper molecular weight	[14, 52]