Soon after the cholesterol-heart disease link came to light, oat bran was proved to help reduce cholesterol levels. Overnight, oat bran muffins became the rage among health-conscious eaters. Then, like most fads, they disappeared just as quickly--before many people realized that oats don't have to come in muffins.

Over the years people have become a lot savvier about the cholesterol-nutrition link, and oatmeal and other oat-filled foods have soared in popularity. But many people are still unaware of its many other health benefits.

Oats are never refined, so all the nutritional goodness of their outer layers, the bran and germ remains intact. That goodness includes plentiful doses of fiber and antioxidants, which makes oats a potent weapon against cholesterol and heart disease.

Oats launch a many-pronged attack against cholesterol:
A soluble fiber called beta-glucan traps dietary cholesterol in the intestine and flushes it out of the body.

Compounds called saponins bind to and eliminate cholesterol and cholesterol-containing bile.

Antioxidant compounds in oats help control oxidation, the process that harms LDL cholesterol and causes it to stick to artery walls, and also act on the liver to reduce cholesterol production. Researchers believe that some of these compounds are far more powerful antioxidants than either vitamin C or E.

Oats Anticancer Power

Vitamin E and other antioxidants in oats also help strengthen the immune system by routing out foreign invaders such as bacteria and cancer cells. Other compounds in oats protect against cancer by neutralizing free radicals before they can cause trouble.

Oats also contain phytic acids, which may help prevent colon cancer by binding to and eliminating dangerous minerals. But phytic acids do have their down side: they can also limit the absorbability of good minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium from other foods. They're not a problem as long as you don't make eating oats an everyday habit.

Quick-cooking oats offer the same nutrients as the old-fashioned kind, but contain added sodium.

If you're trying to cut calories, oat bran is a better choice than oatmeal: a cup of bran has 87 calories; a cup of oats has 145. They both contain the same nutrients.

Because they are high in polyunsaturated fat, oats can turn rancid quickly. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and use them within a few months.

Many people think that if certain foods are good, a lot is better.
This is not always the case, and high doses of certain food are actually toxic.

Read about the healthy food, research the vitamins and minerals and check with your health care provider if you are unsure about how much to eat and how much may be too much.

The best way to get the daily requirement of 13 essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods and take a "Standardized" (quality) multivitamin supplement.