Fibra dietética de la avena (Avena sativa l.) y sus beneficios en la salud.

Abstract

Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate polymer that cannot be digested or absorbed in the small intestine; but this element has remarkable characteristics in digestive and metabolic processes. Due to the aforementioned, several researchers have focused on the meticulous study of this element in order to better understand the effect of its nutritional properties on consumer’s health. The purpose of this paper was to investigate and describe data regarding the dietary fiber of oats (Avena sativa L.) and its benefits to consumer’s health. In addition, it was pretended to emphasizing the most important dietary fiber of this cereal (beta -glucans) and basic and relevant aspects about the studied grass. The information in this document comes from electronic sources, the majority corresponding to journals (Scielo, Revista Chilena de Nutrición, Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Revista de Nutrición Hospitalaria, among others), technical reports, regulations, surveys, undergraduate paper, postgraduate and doctorate degrees which guarantees the reliability and seriousness of the information presented. The result of several investigations shows that the dietary fiber of oats acts as an adjuvant in functional and bioactive effects in the human system since it helps to decrease of total cholesterol, mainly low-density lipoproteins, as well as causing the reduction of postprandial glucose content and prevention of colorectal cancer. Therefore, it is concluded that the dietary fiber from oats (Avena sativa L.) is the most suitable for human consumption because it is the only one that has a significant content of beta-glucans in its composition and it is found in a product that is easy to access.