Unfortunately, beta glucan (β-glucans) are not yet as well known as they ought to be. After all, they have a wide range of positive effects on human health. The immune boosters Beta Glucan are fibers with particularly valuable functions in the human body.
They are found, among other things, in oatmeal and in oat bran and have been shown to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Even a portion of porridge or overnight oats for breakfast can lead to health benefits. Reason enough to take a closer look at beta glucan.
What is beta-glucan?
Beta glucan is a plant fiber that is mainly found in plant cell walls and serves as a scaffold and storage substance for the plant. Beta glucan is one of the natural source materials within fiber and consists of linked glucose molecules. Beta glucans are chemically polysaccharides and have some peculiarities as soluble fibers.
But before we go into too much detail about beta glucans, we should first look at what fiber actually is.
Beta-glucan effect: These 4 effects beta-glucan has on your body
In summary, we can say that fiber is extremely healthy. Beta glucans in particular seem to be of great importance for the maintenance and health of the body.
1. Earlier & long-lasting feeling of fullness
Beta glucan, as a soluble fiber, ensures a longer chewing process and a longer dwell time of food in the stomach. In addition, the release of hormones that influence satiety is induced. This ensures an earlier, natural feeling of fullness and protects against excessive food intake. Beta glucan thus effectively helps with weight management and achieves this through regulatory functions in satiety, blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
2. Natural cholesterol-lowering agent
Some studies have looked at beta glucan and its effect on blood cholesterol levels. The researchers have found that the soluble fiber can effectively lower the problematic LDL cholesterol by binding bile acids and cholesterol. Beta glucan acts as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent – without any side effects.
3. Activation of the immune system
Beta glucan has been shown to have an immunomodulating effect, which means that it has a positive effect on our immune system. This means that it activates the macrophages, i.e. phagocytes, in the small intestinal wall. As a result, they can react faster and better to any pathogen, such as bacteria or viruses.
4. Regulation of blood sugar levels
By regulating blood sugar, beta glucan can also prevent type 2 diabetes. In addition, the fiber also seems to be able to prevent high blood pressure.
If you want to ensure a healthy portion of beta glucans at breakfast , you can ideally achieve this with a porridge based on oat bran . So we wish you a good appetite and a healthy start to the day!
Is beta-glucan healthy?
Beta glucan or beta-1,3-1,6-glucans are very healthy. Since beta-glucans are soluble fiber, they have numerous positive effects on the body. In in vivo studies, for example, it was found that beta-glucans are so-called immune modulators and interact very well with immune cells, so that they can improve the immune system. In the studies, this led to a reduction in infections and cancer and, in the longer term, to reduced mortality.
With respect to obesity, it should be emphasized that beta-glucans can increase satiety and have a positive effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As such, it plays an important role in the prevention of obesity and associated diseases.
Diabetes mellitus type 2, metabolic syndrome and possibly even high blood pressure could thus be prevented by sufficient consumption of beta-glucans.
What is the daily requirement for beta-glucan?
Beta glucans have great health benefits as representatives of soluble fiber. But how much beta-glucan does the body need per day?
Currently, a daily intake of around three grams per day is recommended. This means that beta-glucan already accounts for around 50% of the recommended daily requirement for soluble fiber.
The question remains as to how this amount of beta-glucans can be achieved. Fortunately, there are some valuable sources, such as oat bran, which can cover a large part of your needs at breakfast.
How is beta glucan absorbed in the body?
Beta glucan is basically indigestible, meaning it passes through the stomach until it reaches the small intestine. There, phagocytes, so-called macrophages, are already waiting for the beta-glucan,
Beta glucan is absorbed either through food or with the help of dietary supplements. Some of these supplements are combined preparations, such as beta-glucan and vitamin C. These are particularly beneficial for a strong immune system.
Which foods are particularly high in beta-glucan?
Beta glucan has been studied closely in the past due to its positive effects on the body. It was also determined which foods are particularly good sources.
Oats and barley are therefore particularly rich in beta-glucans. But the healthy fiber is also found in other foods.
Oat products
Oats are one of the healthiest grains and are considered one of the foods that contain the most beta-glucan. Oatmeal is thus an excellent source of fiber , with numerous health benefits, such as lowering blood cholesterol. However, oat bran is even more suitable when it comes to taking advantage of the oat beta-glucan.
This is because oat bran has the highest beta-glucan content. Oat bran has around twice as much beta glucan as conventional oatmeal.
100 grams of oat bran is therefore equivalent to around 6.3 grams of beta glucan . In addition, they have an increased amount of minerals, trace elements, and vitamins. Biotin, iron, and B vitamins in particular are found in high amounts.
Because of this, at Verival we use oat bran instead of oatmeal in many porridge products. This ensures a healthy breakfast that fills you up for a long time and keeps the cardiovascular system and the intestinal flora healthy.
Barley
In addition to oats, barley is considered the best source of beta-glucan.
Even in ancient Egypt, barley was considered an indispensable staple food . In addition to its satiating effect, the popular cereal was said to have healing powers at an early age.
While this was still something spiritual with the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, we now know that the positive effect can be attributed to fiber.
100 grams of barley grains thus provide up to five g of beta-glucan. Thus, the content is between that of oatmeal and oat bran.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are considered extremely healthy. And rightly so. In particular, numerous positive health properties are attributed to the so-called medicinal mushrooms. These range from antiviral and antibacterial properties to the prevention of tumors. The medicinal mushrooms include porcini and classic mushrooms.
However, as far as the content of beta-glucan is concerned, no one can compete with the varieties of reishi, shiitake, and maitake.
Algae
Algae are true goldmines in terms of nutrition. Depending on the variety, algae contain between ten and one hundred times more vitamins and minerals than land plants or animal products.
Numerous water- and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals are found in algae. But they also contain significant amounts of beta-glucan, especially in green and brown algae.
What is fiber?
Fiber is one of the carbohydrates – more precisely, it is one of the polysaccharides, i.e. the multiple sugars. In contrast to classic carbohydrates, fiber is not usable. This means that they do not act as an energy supplier, as carbohydrates usually do.
Unprocessed plant foods always contain fiber. In animal products, on the other hand, there is naturally no fiber to be found. This is not particularly surprising when you know what fiber actually is.
For example, fiber can be found in all unprocessed plant foods in the cell walls. There, they serve as a scaffolding substance and thus, so to speak, as a natural packaging material . In the human body, they act as a mediator in digestion and ensure a healthy intestinal mucosa and intestinal flora.
However, fiber content varies from food to food. Whole grains, legumes, and some vegetables such as cabbage or potatoes are particularly high in fiber. But fruit also contains plenty of digestive fiber.
These are the main functions of fiber
The functions of fiber in the human body are extremely diverse. These range from better tooth preservation, weight management, and promotion of a healthy intestinal flora to a lowered cholesterol level in the blood.
Natural saturation
Due to the fiber structure of the fiber, they are chewed longer when consumed. As a result, saliva is produced more and thus the food is pre-digested and the teeth are strengthened.
Due to their structure, fiber also lingers longer in the stomach . This ensures a subdued feeling of hunger and a natural satiety . In addition to the longer dwell time, fiber also ensures the release of gastrointestinal hormones that influence satiety.
Easier weight management
Due to the faster onset and long-lasting saturation, fiber prevents you from "overeating". This can be used to curb and regulate appetite.
Healthy intestinal flora
Less appetizing, but particularly important, are the functions of fiber for the intestinal flora. Fiber provides favorable growth conditions for important intestinal bacteria. In addition, the stool volume increases, as a result of which more toxins can be transported out of the body.
Natural cholesterol-lowering drugs
Soluble fiber, such as beta-glucans or pectins , has been shown to lower blood cholesterol. According to studies, sufficient consumption of high-fiber foods with a high proportion of soluble fiber can reduce cholesterol by five to 25 percent.
Particularly rich in soluble fiber and thus ideal for the natural lowering of bad LDL cholesterol are, for example, oatmeal , oat bran, and beans. Insoluble fiber such as cellulose, on the other hand, does not appear to have any significant effect on cholesterol.
Stable blood sugar levels
Another positive effect of fiber is seen in blood sugar levels. Accordingly, soluble fiber ensures a reduced insulin response and thus a more stable blood sugar level . This applies to healthy people as well as diabetics.
Thus, fiber can indirectly protect against obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and numerous cardiovascular diseases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beta Glucan?
Beta glucan is a polysaccharide – a multiple sugar – that can be found in the cell walls of plants, among other things. It is one of the fibers and has a number of positive effects on our health. For example, it keeps blood sugar levels constant, while also lowering cholesterol levels, which can help prevent cardiovascular diseases. In addition, beta-glucan is attributed a positive effect on the immune system and intestinal health.
What is beta-glucan good for?
Beta glucan is one of the fibers and has been the subject of numerous scientific studies for several years. This is due to its effect on blood sugar and our cholesterol levels: Because beta-glucan helps keep our blood sugar levels constant, for example, cravings are avoided. Since beta-glucan also lowers our cholesterol levels, it is attributed health-promoting effects: complaints such as cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by regulating cholesterol levels. Last but not least, there are voices that attribute a positive influence to beta-glucan on the intestine or the immune system.
Is beta-glucan healthy?
Beta glucan is seen as a particularly healthy representative of fiber: it not only keeps blood sugar levels constant over a longer period of time, thus preventing food cravings. In addition, beta-glucan has positive effects on intestinal health as well as our immune system and can affect cholesterol levels.
Where is the most beta-glucan?
Beta glucan is present – in varying concentrations – in a number of foods, including: - oats - barley - some algae - some mushroom varieties (e.g. yeast or shiitake mushrooms)
How much beta-glucan per day?
Currently, an intake of 3 grams of beta-glucan daily is recommended for adults. Studies have shown that this amount is already sufficient for the fiber to exert its lowering effect on cholesterol levels. Depending on your personal eating habits, there are different ways to consume the recommended amount of beta-glucan. For example, 100 grams of oat bran already contain about 6.3 grams of beta-glucan.
What is better oat bran or oatmeal?
Apart from taste preferences, oat bran contains a lower amount of proteins compared to oatmeal, but has twice the concentration of beta-glucan. This is a fiber with numerous positive properties for our health – such as blood sugar-stabilizing and cholesterol-lowering effects. Intestinal health and the immune system also benefit from an adequate supply of beta-glucan.
Which beta-glucan is the best?
Importantly, the amount of beta-glucan that an adult should consume daily can be achieved. In addition to dietary supplements, everyday foods are also available as suppliers. These include oatmeal, barley, some types of fungi, and even algae.
Do oatmeal have beta-glucan?
Oatmeal contains a large amount of beta-glucan: 100 grams of oatmeal contains about 6.3 grams of beta-glucan. Although this is less than can be found in oat bran, oatmeal scores with its higher protein content and easy handling. They can be used universally and are suitable, for example, as the basis for a balanced, high-fiber breakfast.
Does oat milk have beta-glucan?
Oat milk also contains beta-glucan. Among other things, this has a lowering effect on our cholesterol levels, which is associated with health-promoting effects.
How much oatmeal do I need to eat to lower cholesterol?
Oatmeal is suitable for lowering cholesterol levels: according to studies, 3 grams of the beta-glucan contained in it is enough to lower cholesterol levels. Since 100 grams of oatmeal already contain about 6.3 grams of beta-glucan, this amount is more than sufficient.
