Effect of beta-glucan from oats and yeast on serum lipids

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. One way to reduce t he risk of developing;the disease is to lower serum cholesterol levels by m aking dietary changes. In addition to reducing intake of total fat, saturat ed fat, and dietary cholesterol serum cholesterol can be further reduced by added fiber, especially from sources rich in beta-glucan. In this review, two sources of beta-glucan are described; one source is oats and the other yeast. Their chemical structures and physical properties are compared, and their effect on serum lipid levels is described. Oat beta-glucans are found in various breakfast cereals and snacks. Usually, several servings of thes e products are required to meet the Food and Drug Administration's claim of reducing the risk of heart disease. The yeast-derived fiber is a more conc entrated source of beta-glucan than the oat product. It is currently being tested in a wide variety of food products.