High cholesterol is a major health issue that is far more common than many would think.
According to a major comprehensive study, around 54 % of adults in the UK have high cholesterol levels.
Over time, these escalating levels significantly increase a person’s risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
Having high cholesterol levels is directly correlated to a person’s diet and if consuming too much fat and carbohydrates, this will impact LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol.
Fortunately, on the flip side, high cholesterol levels can also be lowered by following the correct diet with any of these two breakfast foods proven to help.
As temperatures dip, a delicious breakfast item you can include in your daily routine should be oats.
Not only are they delicious and easy to prepare but they also are renowned for lowering cholesterol levels.
A large part of this is down to their fibre content with a 40g bowl of rolled oats containing around 3 g of fibre.
Fibre works in the body by slowing down the rate at which cholesterol is absorbed in the bloodstream while also increasing the amount of cholesterol that is excreted through fecal lipids, bile and bile acids.
In particular, soluble fibre, which oats are an excellent source of, is known as beta-glucan which lowers cholesterol by binding to cholesterol-rich bile acids in the gut.
Another major health benefit of oats comes to its protein levels, which oats contain more of than any other grains with an impressive 4.8 g of protein per 40g serving.
This amount of protein equates to around 10 percent of the daily protein required for most women and around 8 percent for most men.
Following a diet that replaces animal protein with plant protein will help to reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet.
To get even more health benefits from your breakfast meal, health experts recommend adding some almonds to your porridge oats.
Research has found that those who ate about a handful of almonds a day lowered their bad LDL cholesterol by 4.4 percent.
“Nuts are a good source of unsaturated fats and are lower in saturated fats, a mix which can help to keep your cholesterol in check,” said Heart UK.
The health site added: “They contain fibre which can help block some cholesterol being absorbed into the blood stream from the gut, as well as protein, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, natural plant sterols and other plant nutrients which help keep your body healthy.