(Natural News) Oats are a type of cereal or whole grain food that offers plenty of health benefits. It is a veritable source of fiber, which promotes good digestion and even helps people lose weight. Oats also contain high levels of antioxidants, which fight inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Research on its history suggests that before oats were considered as food, they served various medicinal purposes. In a new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, researchers from Taibah University in Saudi Arabia and Benha University in Egypt looked into the ability of oats to lower blood cholesterol. They found that oat seed extracts can improve lipid metabolism and restore normal liver function in rats with induced hyperlipidemia.

What is hyperlipidemia?

Hyperlipidemia is defined as abnormally high levels of lipids in the blood. These lipids or fats come in many forms, most notably cholesterol and triglycerides — the two types of fat involved in heart disease and liver disease. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol, and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol, greatly contribute to cardiovascular disease. Together with triglycerides, too much cholesterol can harden or clog the arteries, which eventually leads to heart attack or stroke. Meanwhile, a diet rich in cholesterol and triglycerides can also compromise liver function. This type of diet leads to fat accumulation in the liver, which, in turn, causes irreparable damage that affects the organ’s ability to function well. The liver not only detoxifies blood and helps eliminate drugs from the body, it also stores nutrients and breaks down proteins and fats.