Promising Beta-Glucans

Whole wheat and barley contain the soluble fiber known as beta-glucan. Epidemiological data and clinical evidence support the health claim that various soluble fibers may lower LDL cholesterol and thus decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides from different sources, such as grains and microbes (Ryan et al., 2007). These unique carbohydrates often present unlike structures and contribute to dissimilar functions, which lead to disparate poten…