In the colder months, eating a cooked breakfast is important to give your body the fuel it needs to stay warm and energized throughout the day.
When temperatures drop, your body works harder to maintain its core temperature, which is the perfect excuse for enjoying something warm and wholesome before you head out for the day. While a full English might be top of your list, porridge is a powerhouse of hidden benefits, providing slow-release energy to keep you full and boost your metabolism.
Along with warming you from the inside, porridge can also help to keep your heart and body healthy in the most amazing ways. Making time for this easy two-ingredient breakfast could make a big difference to your day, even if it does mean getting up a little earlier in the dark.
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), a humble bowl of the good stuff is their “top choice for a heart-healthy breakfast.”
Porridge is good for your heart because its beta-glucan fibre helps lower LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and improving overall heart health.
The experts at BHF explain: “Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance in your blood. It’s produced in the liver and it’s also in some of the foods we eat. Cholesterol is important to keep the cells in our bodies healthy.
“High cholesterol means that you have too much cholesterol in your blood. There are many things that can cause this. If you don’t take steps to lower high cholesterol, it can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.”
Even for diners without diagnosed high cholesterol, reducing LDL can improve cardiovascular outcomes and prevent complications like chest pain and coronary artery disease. So all in all, porridge is good for everyone.
The experts at the British Heart Foundation added: “Porridge is quick and easy to make and is a warm and filling start to the day. Porridge oats are whole grains, which provide fibre to help keep your digestive system healthy. They also contain soluble fibre (the kind found in pulses like beans, lentils and chickpeas), which can help to lower your cholesterol level, if you have 3g or more daily, as part of a healthy diet.”
A 40g serving of porridge oats contains 1.6g of beta-glucan, as well as fibre to keep you fuller for longer with no added sugar or salt.
Simplicity itself, you can make a warm delicious bowl of porridge using just oats and milk or water. If you want to make it sweeter, keep it as healthy as possible by adding a banana or some red fruit, helping to meet your goal of five-a-day.