OATS : Researchers say that oat products can have the same positive impact as oat bran for those interested in reducing their risk for heart disease.

When Dr. James Anderson of the University of Kentucky began studying the effects of oat bran on blood cholesterol levels in diabetic patients in 1977, he was considered a bit of a gambler. Although increasing the consumption of carbohydrates in these patients was a common practice, oat bran was at that time practically unheard of for human consumption. It was considered at best a commodity reserved for use in animal feed.

Today, however, nutrition-conscious consumers are thinking differently about oat bran. With increasing attention on the positive attributes of oat bran--specifically its implication in lowering blood cholesterol--supermarket supplies continue to attract attention and diminish in quantity.

Consumers eager to find ways to reduce the risk of heart disease have begun baking batches of oat bran muffins in an effort to increase their intake. They are adding oat bran to everything from soups and gravies to meat loaves and coatings for chicken and fish.

There are even a few bakeries around town that have capitalized on the oat bran craze. People’s Muffinry in downtown Los Angeles boasts that their colossal oat bran muffins are sweetened with fruit and vegetables (such as pumpkin), moistened with a highly monounsaturated oil (rapeseed) and feature whole-wheat flour. They will even make them to a customer’s specifications--offering no sodium, no sugar and other options--upon request.

Yet if this yen for oat bran continues, bran fans may be forced to find an alternative for their miracle ingredient.

Since May of 1987, sales of oat bran have increased 784%, according to Cheryl Holloran, a registered dietitian and consumer communications group specialist for the Quaker Oats Co., the major manufacturer of the product. She admits that the company is having difficulty keeping up with the demand for oat bran and that there’s no projected date when it will return to the shelves.

In the meantime there is good news. Researchers say that oat products in general and oatmeal in particular have the same benefit as oat bran when incorporated into a daily low-fat diet regimen. Persons interested in preventive--as opposed to therapeutic--solutions to the risk for heart disease can indeed reduce their blood cholesterol. Some have even been able to reverse the development of the fatty deposits that clog the arteries and cause heart attacks by including oatmeal as part of their daily diet.

It is true that oat bran contains about twice as much total plant fiber and soluble fiber as oatmeal. But it is much less appealing and versatile as a recipe ingredient.

“Most people think oat bran tastes like wet sand,” said Linda Van Horn, assistant professor and research dietitian at the Department of Community Health and Preventative Medicine at Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago. She admits that the palatability of the product can make it ineffective as a dietary replacement for other complex carbohydrates. She recommends that larger amounts of oatmeal be substituted, to raise compliance and achieve the benefit.

Cholesterol is a wax-like substance found only in the cells of animals. It is essential to human survival, and the body is capable of manufacturing all the cholesterol it needs. Safe blood cholesterol level is 170 to 200 milligrams per deciliter--for proper body function. The danger for most individuals begins when the cholesterol level regularly exceeds 240 milligrams.

When saturated fats and, to a lesser extent, cholesterol laden foods are eaten, they are converted to blood cholesterol in the intestines, which is scientifically known as high-density and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL). These are transported through the blood stream to be used as building material for cell membranes, hormones and nerve endings.

Cholesterol to Cells

The HDL and LDL act as tour guides, setting the cholesterol on its course for use in the body. The chief function of LDL is to carry cholesterol to the cells, while HDL is responsible for removing excess cholesterol to the liver for disposal when the cells are finished with it.

The trouble is that when too many foods containing saturated fat and cholesterol are consumed, the body produces more LDL than necessary. And there is no dietary source for HDL. The extra LDL overwhelms the system and can get deposited in the arteries, ultimately clogging the passageways (atherosclerosis) and constricting the flow of blood to the heart (heart attack) and to the brain (stroke).

Anderson’s research proved that oat products, because they are water-soluble and tend to carry some of the extra LDL out of the body with them, have a positive effect on this process. But his study was conducted on men who already had a high blood cholesterol level or some other medical complication and was seen as limited in its implications for the general population. Van Horn decided to study normal, healthy people living in a free environment. The results corroborated Anderson’s.

In 1984, she and her associates conducted a study on free-living adults with average cholesterol levels who ate reasonable and modest amounts of fiber from oat cereal and muffins and adhered to a fat-modified diet recommended by the American Heart Assn.

The participants in the study were healthy men and women 30 to 65 years of age, all of whom worked for the Quaker Oats Co. and World Book Inc., in the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Their eating pattern called for a reduction in total dietary fat to not more than 30% of total daily calories from fat, with equal distribution of saturated, mono- and poly-unsaturated fat. Dietary cholesterol was limited to 250 milligrams per day, and no oat products were eaten during the first six weeks of the study.

Midway through the study, serum cholesterol was reduced 5% for all volunteers, supporting the theory that following the AHA diet alone can produce a decrease. The volunteers were then randomly assigned to three groups, all of whom continuing to follow the fat-modified diet. But Group 1 substituted 2 ounces of oat bran, and Group 2 substituted 2 ounces of oatmeal, for part of their daily carbohydrates. Group 3 served as the control and didn’t consume any oat products.

By the end of the study, the participants who had eaten oat bran or oatmeal experienced an additional 3% fall in serum cholesterol beyond that which resulted from eating the fat-modified diet alone.

This was demonstrated as a mean serum cholesterol drop by 16.7 milligrams per deciliter or 8% for the participants who added oat bran, and a 19.4 milligrams per deciliter or 9% drop for the volunteers who ate oatmeal. The control group, using no oat products, had a lower figure of 9.5 milligrams per deciliter or 5%.

Diet Modification Stressed

“Dietary modification of saturated fat and cholesterol alone (the American Heart Assn. Prudent Diet Plan) produces in most patients a decrease of as much as 30 milligrams (of cholesterol) per deciliter,” said Van Horn, adding that a decrease of an additional 3% can be expected when oat fiber is added. This translates into a 10% to 25% decrease in the incidence of coronary heart disease, she explained.

One explanation for the similar findings among oat bran as well as oatmeal users offered in the study (which was published in the June, 1986, issue of the Journal of the American Dietetics Assn.) was that the oat bran users typically preferred their product in the form of oat bran muffins, the recipe for which included egg yolk yielding about 50 milligrams of cholesterol, while the oatmeal eaters ate their product in cereal form.

The report suggested three approaches to modifying eating habits to achieve favorable blood cholesterol/lipid-lipoprotein levels: Control calories to prevent and reduce obesity, modify current dietary fat intake and increase intake of vegetable products high in fibers that influence serum cholesterol--oat products and other water-soluble fibers such as pectin-rich fruits.

Some ways to accomplish this, as suggested by the American Heart Assn., are to consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily, consume 55% of daily calories from carbohydrates, consume 15% of daily calories from protein and the remaining 30% from fat.

Some other suggestions for including oat products in the daily diet, taken from a new book, “The Low Cholesterol Oat Plan” by Barbara Earnest and Sarah Schlesinger (Hearst Books: $17.95, 352 pp., non-illustrated), are:

--Keep a box of oat bran on the stove next to the salt shaker and use it as filler or replacement in any type of recipe.

--Substitute oat bran or ground oat flour for another flour in baked goods, but substitute only up to one-third the total amount specified to maintain consistency, since oat bran and oat flour contain no gluten.

--To substitute regular rolled oats for whole-wheat flour, use 1 1/2 cups rolled oats for each cup flour.

--Substitute 1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats for 1 cup quick rolled oats. Instant oats have been so processed that they are not considered a good replacement for either variety.

--Use oat products instead of bread crumbs as a meat extender or in stuffings and fillings, adding up to 1/2 cup oats or bran per 1 pound meat and increasing liquid by 2 tablespoons.

--Coat skinned chicken in oat bran before baking, broiling or sauteing, to seal in juices.

--Use oat bran instead of whipping cream to thicken vegetable purees: use 3/4 cup oat bran and cup nonfat milk for each 4 cups vegetables.

--Use a teaspoon oat bran or rolled oats to thicken salad dressings, but allow to stand several hours before using.

--Make sandwiches on oatmeal bread and pack an oatmeal cookie, muffin or piece of quick bread made with oat ingredients.

--Replace chopped nuts with rolled oats in a recipe by reducing the amount of flour by half the volume of the added toasted or raw oats.

--Substitute 2 egg whites for every whole egg called for in recipes.

“This non-pharmacological approach to lowering serum cholesterol conforms to the recommendations to the general population made by the National Institutes of Health advisory panel,” said Van Horn, “and offers Americans a safe and easy way to reduce the risk of heart attacks--an approach that people can follow all their lives.” HEALTHFUL MEAT LOAF

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1 pound ground turkey

1 pound lean ground beef

3/4 cup oats

1/2 cup oat bran, optional

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

2/3 cup nonfat milk

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine onions, celery, carrots, peppers, garlic, salt, cayenne and black peppers, rosemary and thyme in bowl and mix well. Add turkey, beef, oats and oat bran and mix again.

Beat together egg whites, whole egg and milk and add to meat mixture. Stir in 3/4 cup tomato sauce, reserving 1/4 cup.

Combine remaining tomato sauce and brown sugar. Pour 2 tablespoons tomato sauce mixture into 9x5-inch loaf pan and mound meat loaf mixture in pan. Pour remaining 2 tablespoons tomato sauce mixture over top of meat loaf and bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour. Makes 8 servings.

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon whipped margarine

1/3 cup oat bran

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups thinly sliced broccoli

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

2 green onions, minced

Plain yogurt

Pink peppercorns, crushed

Saute onions in melted margarine in medium saucepan until tender. Stir in oat bran and black pepper. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

In separate saucepan, steam broccoli and green peppers 5 minutes, just until slightly tender, but still green. Drain well.

Place steamed vegetables and milk in blender or food processor container and blend 1 minute. Remove from blender.

Let oat bran mixture cool slightly, then pour into blender and blend 1 minute. Add to milk-broccoli puree, then reheat to desired temperature. Season with parsley, white pepper and thyme, adding additional milk if soup is too thick. Garnish with green onions, dollop of yogurt and few peppercorns. Makes 4 servings.

BLUEBERRY-ORANGE MUFFINS

1/3 cup oat bran

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup nonfat milk

2 egg whites, beaten

3 tablespoons oil

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine oat bran, flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl. Make well in center and add milk, egg whites and oil. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in blueberries, orange zest and vanilla.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups or muffin tins sprayed with non-stick coating spray 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Makes 9 muffins.

COFFEE BREAKFAST DRINK WITH MIXED FRESH FRUIT

1/4 cup oats

1 cup nonfat milk

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup cracked ice or 4 ice cubes

Honey

Mixed Fresh Fruit

Place oats in blender container. Blend about 1 minute, stopping blender occasionally to stir oats. Add milk, coffee, vanilla, ice and honey to taste and blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth.

Serve in tall glasses. Accompany with Mixed Fresh Fruit. Makes 2 servings.

Mixed Fresh Fruit

1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

1 pear or apple, sliced

1/2 cup concord grapes or raspberries

On each of 2 serving plates, arrange equal portions of grapefruit and orange segments spoke fashion. Place slices of pear in center of each dish. Garnish with grapes. Makes 2 servings.

OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES

3/4 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg white

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Ground Oat Flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups oats

1 cup raisins

Beat together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in egg white, water and vanilla. Combine flour, Ground Oat Flour, cinnamon, salt and soda and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 13 to 15 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Ground Oat Flour

1 cup oats

Place oats in blender or food processor container. Cover and blend about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to stir oats. Makes 3/4 cup flour.

TEMPTING TUNA SALAD

1 (6 1/2- or 7-ounce) can tuna, in water, drained

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped pimiento, optional

4 medium tomatoes

1/2 cup oats

Combine tuna, yogurt, celery and onions. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, cut tomatoes into 6 sections, 3/4 down to stem end. Gently pull apart. Stir oats into tuna mixture and spoon about 1/2 cup into each tomato. Serve on lettuce leaves. Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups tuna.

Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane