Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the Smartest Consumer of them all…

The Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and US Food Drug Administration (FDA) have approved the health claim for the maintenance of heart health based on the fact that 3g oat beta-glucan per day can help reduce cholesterol . The question is – Are you taking a sufficient amount of oat beta-glucan every day to effectively lower your cholesterol? Currently, oat brands in Malaysia contain about three to five percent of beta-glucan which translates to roughly two bowls of oatmeal (70g) for consumption. If that is too many mouthfuls for you, why not try oat bran powder with a higher concentration of oat beta-glucan and at a much lower daily dosage?

Not All Oat Bran Powder is Created Equal!

As a smart consumer, it is imperative to know how to choose the best oat bran product with substantiated cholesterol-lowering efficacy. Use the selection criteria below as your know-how guidelines:

1. Go for 100% oat bran powder.

Some oat bran products in the market are added with thickeners, fillers or artificial ingredients to produce extra gelling effect. Make sure you check the ingredient list on the packaging of the product.

2. Good solubility and gel-forming ability in water.

Make sure the oat bran powder can dissolve completely in water because the lumpy texture will affect the palatability of the mixture. * The higher the solubility which ensures better gel formation, the better the cholesterol-lowering effect.

3. Check the oat beta-glucan content on the label.

Don’t be misled by numbers associated with the brand name of a product. High number does not necessarily imply that the product contains high amount of the active ingredient, in this case, oat beta-glucan. Make sure you check the beta-glucan content at the nutrition information on the product packaging. In the Malaysian context, the maximum amount of oat beta-glucan allowed in food products is only 20g per 100g or 20%.

4. Check the carbohydrate content on the label.

Some oat bran products in the market contain a high amount of carbohydrates (monosaccharides & starch) which do not favour individuals with elevated blood sugar level and/or overweight problem. Make sure you check the nutrition information on the packaging for carbohydrate content.

5. Cholesterol lowering effect of the oat bran powder is substantiated with clinical studies and human trials.

Make sure you find out more information about the source of the oat bran powder and check if the oat bran powder was used as the research material in the clinical studies and published journals.

What you need to know about Biogrow Oat BG22™

Biogrow Oat BG22™ is fully made of OatWell ^® oat bran powder imported from Sweden, rich in viscous soluble fiber oat beta-glucan with high molecular weight. Numerous clinical trials have proven the physiological effect of  OatWell ^® oat bran on cholesterol reduction and blood sugar response. OatWell ^® oat bran has more than 30 scientific publications worldwide. ** 3g or more OatWell ^® oat beta-glucan per day has been shown to help reduce cholesterol effectively.

Ruedi Duss, global business manager for OatWell ^® oat beta-glucan at DSM Nutritional Products, discusses how OatWell ^® can be used to add value to food products:

“To help people achieve the recommended daily intake of beta-glucan, DSM has added OatWell ^® oat beta-glucan to its ingredient portfolio. Part of the ever-expanding OatWell ^® product family is Biogrow Oat BG22™ which is high in 20% beta-glucan developed in a proprietary way to retain the highest molecular weight for higher viscosity produced in the upper gut, in order to reduce blood cholesterol level effectively. Compared to other oat products, Biogrow Oat BG22™ provides the highest amount of beta-glucan per serving.”

• 2 scoops/sachets (≈ 18g) of Biogrow Oat BG22™ a day deliver more than 3g of oat beta-glucan , which is higher than the amount recommended by the Ministry of Health for a cholesterol-lowering effect.
• Biogrow Oat BG22™ is high in dietary fiber, protein, magnesium, iron & zinc. Very low in sodium (salt).
• Biogrow Oat BG22™ is all natural with no added sugar, preservatives and food additives.

** EFSA Journal 2010; 8(12):1885. [15 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1885.

How to consume Biogrow Oat BG22™ ?   

Mix one scoopful/sachet of Biogrow Oat BG22™ with 200 ml of cold or lukewarm water and drink immediately before meals, at least twice a day for the maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels. It also tastes great when mixed with honey, soy milk, or fruit juices.

Remember, healthy cholesterol level is the key towards a healthy heart!

This article is contributed by Legosan (M) Sdn Bhd. For more product information, please contact:

Call Infoline: 03-7956 2220 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

Email: [email protected]

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