Professor Tim Spector has spoken out about one of Britain’s favourite breakfast staples – porridge. A favourite among millions across the UK, the NHS champions this hearty meal for its contribution to our daily iron, fibre, B vitamins, and protein needs.
Not only is it packed with nutrients, but porridge also boasts slow-release energy, keeping hunger at bay for longer stretches. Every type of porridge oat is a wholegrain and brimming with a soluble fibre known as beta-glucan, which can lower cholesterol if you consume 3g or more each day, within the bounds of a balanced diet.
A 40g serving of quality porridge oats gives people 2g of beta-glucan. And Professor Spector, who is an expert in genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, warned that not all porridges were created equal.
“Are oats healthy or not? It’s a question I often get asked and it depends,” Prof Spector said. “It depends on your own body, how you respond to sugars, and it also depends on which ones you pick.
“You’ve got sachets of highly refined, ground-up oats that you can make in just a few minutes. (The ones) with bran make a huge difference in fibre and have a different effect on your body.
“Studies have shown that, if you eat enough oats, you can reduce your blood cholesterol but you do have to eat a lot of oats to do that. And it’s because they contain beta glucan which ends up lining your intestines to stop those lipids, those blood fats, getting into the system rapidly.”
It is a message backed up by British Heart Foundation dietitian Victoria Taylor. She said that there are many varieties of porridge oats, including rolled, quick and instant. But she warned against consuming too much sugar which can make porridge less healthy than people think.
“There’s nothing wrong with microwaving porridge, especially if you are in a rush in the morning,” she said. “Instant porridge is fine if you stay away from flavoured or sweetened versions. Even healthy-sounding flavours such as apple and blueberry generally contain added sugars.
“Whichever porridge you choose, make it with low-fat milk or water to keep the calories down and minimise saturated fat, especially if you are trying to lower your cholesterol levels.”
Prof Spector continued: “As goldilocks knows, not all bowls of porridge are created equally. The type of oats you choose makes a difference to their impact on your health.
“For gut health, I would recommend higher fibre options such as oat bran (~16g/100g) or whole rolled oats (~10g/100g) to the refined ‘instant’ oats which have less fibre (~3g/100g) and are absorbed more quickly, potentially causing a larger blood sugar response.
“Beta glucan in oats can help reduce blood cholesterol but again, the type of oats you choose matters. While instant oats only contain ~4g of beta glucan per 100g, oat bran contains up to ~10g/100g.”