A medical oncologist at a U.S. cancer center has recommended oats as a breakfast food, saying that unlike refined grains, oats raise blood sugar gradually and help reduce inflammation through the gut. The study that showed a drop in inflammation markers, however, was limited to adults with high cholesterol, restricting how broadly the findings can be applied.
Dr. Andre Goy of the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack Meridian Health recently recommended oats as a breakfast food. Goy, who heads the center, is known for his research on lymphoma. He said oats provide a steady supply of complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber, reducing the mid-morning drop in blood sugar. When fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, he explained, it produces short-chain fatty acids that lower inflammation and improves the immune system's ability to repair damaged cells.
Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber, is cited as the key component behind the anti-inflammatory effect. The evidence often referenced is a paper published by researchers at Mahidol University in Thailand in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2019. When adults with high cholesterol ate 70 grams of oat porridge containing 3 grams of beta-glucan daily for four weeks, their inflammation and oxidation markers declined, while rice porridge produced no significant change.
The findings come with caveats. The trial was a crossover design with 24 participants, and one systematic review classified its risk of bias as high. Several other trials included in the same review found no change in CRP levels. A small trial by researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Britain, which had healthy middle-aged adults eat 100 grams of oats for 12 weeks, also found no improvement in cardiovascular risk markers. Neither study directly assessed cancer incidence.
Goy said there is no need to eat only oatmeal every day and suggested adding toppings. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are rich in antioxidants, while walnuts, chia seeds and almonds contain healthy fatty acids. He said compounds in nuts may lower the risk of hormone-related cancers such as breast cancer. (This reflects his personal view; no separate study was cited to confirm it.) He said tofu provides high-quality protein and also recommended folate-rich vegetables such as spinach. Harvard Health Publishing explains that a folate deficiency can raise the likelihood of cancer through DNA abnormalities. U.S. medical oncologists generally avoid packaged foods such as instant oatmeal with added sugar.
