DIET | DETECTIVE^®

Here's the catch: You need to eat a sizable quantity of oats to reap their benefits. You must eat approximately 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal (about 3/4 cup raw) every day to get the amount of soluble fiber necessary to lower your cholesterol.

If you don't want that much oatmeal every morning, try adding oats to other meals and snacks:

Add to pancake mixes, muffins, and fruit breads. Replace part or all of the breadcrumbs in meatballs and meatloaf with oatmeal. Toss toasted oats (toast them in the oven on a cookie sheet) with a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins to make a crunchy nonfat yogurt or cereal topping. Blend together with nonfat yogurt, skim milk, and/or fruit to create a smoothie or shake.

Besides aiding your blood cholesterol, regular oats are just plain healthy. A cup of cooked oatmeal has only 145 calories and is full of iron, magnesium, and fiber. And just when you think it can't get any better, oats are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat and sodium.

But don't feel limited to only oatmeal! Dried beans such as kidney beans and peas and certain fruits and veggies, including apples, oranges, and carrots, are also rich in soluble fiber and can provide similar benefits.

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