Effects of overnight soaking on nutritional functionality, gut microbiota, and metabolic outcomes of oats: A mini review

¹ Amity Food and Agriculture Foundation, Amity University, Noida - 201313, India
² Founder & Director, Serenum Products Pvt. Ltd. (MiHeSo), Mumbai, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The health effects of oats (Avena sativa L.) have been well documented and include cardiometabolic and glycemic benefits, which are thought to be primarily attributable to a soluble fiber called β-glucan, for which a number of health claims have been established across various regulatory areas. The greater portion of clinical evidence comes from cooked preparations. Overnight soaking with cold preparation allows a comparative evaluation of its effects on bioactive retention with conventional formats on health outcomes, for which it was shown that its beneficial effects reside in the ability to increase the viscosity of β-glucan, which slows down the gastric emptying and the attenuation of the peak of postprandial glucose and insulin. Colonic fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that help strengthen the intestinal barrier and shift the composition of the intestinal flora toward Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. A meta-analysis found that 3g of beta-glucan daily led to a median reduction in LDL-cholesterol of 5 to 10%, which was supported by other anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects observed. Probiotic cultures have been shown to work in foods such as overnight oats that contain a high amount of probiotic-friendly carbohydrates. The scientific research gaps are holding potential benefits: impact of soaking conditions on the viscosity of β -glucans, the storage quality of refrigerated products, and extended clinical validation in populations with metabolic diseases.