Oat has historically been considered as a valuable crop due to its nutritional attributes. In recent years, oat has attracted growing attention as a healthy food due to its content of various bioactive compounds that can positively impact human health, such as β-glucan, avenanthramides, tocols, sterols, phytic acid and avenacosides. These compounds are involved in the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), gastrointestinal disorders and cancer. This short review summarize the current knowledge about the beneficial effects of oat consumption, with emphasis on oats bioactive compounds responsible of the health-promoting attributes of this cereal and their underlying molecular mechanisms.