Although there aren’t any symptoms associated with having high cholesterol, there are a number of complications that can develop if left untreated, from heart disease to more serious side effects like a stroke. In some cases, high cholesterol can be hereditary, but it’s usually caused by a number of lifestyle factors, including exercise and diet.
The NHS recommends cutting down on fatty food products that are high in saturated fats, including processed meats like sausages and bacon, butter, cheese and cream. Cholesterol in itself isn’t bad; in fact, it helps the body perform a number of crucial functions, including building cells, aiding digestion and making hormones, but low-density lipoprotein (LD), which is often known as bad cholesterol, can be detrimental.
Maintaining a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds and oily fish, and exercising regularly, even if it’s going for a walk, can help lower bad cholesterol levels and protect against further complications.
But there’s one food that’s often recommended for its ability to lower cholesterol, and can easily be added to your diet at the start of the day as it makes for a nutritious breakfast.
A source of carbohydrates and a number of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, iron, zinc and B vitamins, oats also contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan which can help lower your cholesterol.
Good Food explains that consuming 3g or more of this soluble fibre found in oats can reduce cholesterol levels by binding with the bad cholesterol in your digestive tract and aiding its elimination from the body.
While there’s a number of varieties of porridge oats available, including rolled, quick and instant, they’re sold at most UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s where they cost just 89p and Waitrose for £1.25.
Last year, the UK government announced that some porridge oats would be classed as “less healthy” foods, but this refers to instant porridge with added sweeteners.
In a post written for the British Heart Foundation’s website, Senior Dietician Tracy Parker explained that: “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.”
Instead, she recommends choosing a porridge without any added flavours to ensure you’re getting the most national value from the oats, and using a low-fat milk or water to minimise saturated fat in your diet and maintain lower cholesterol levels.