Oats: The Final Word?

A major report in the Journal of the American Medical Association ought to be the last word on whether oat bran really lowers blood cholesterol. The bottom line, based on a survey of previous studies: it does, but by an average of just 2% to 3%. Still, a 1% reduction nationwide could lead to a 2% drop in deaths from heart disease. The biggest reduction occurs in people with the highest cholesterol levels, but bran alone probably won't do much for couch potatoes who eat a high-fat diet. That's only so-so news for the Quaker Oats Co., which sponsored the report.