Many people believe that breakfast is the most important meal as it boosts our energy for the day ahead.
But according to an expert, there is one breakfast food that can help lower our cholesterol levels too.
High cholesterol occurs when you have too much fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood.
This is mainly caused by eating too much fatty foods and being overweight, and can lead to serious health problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
Dr Justine Butler, head of research at vegan-advocacy charity Viva! Health, revealed the best foods to help lower cholesterol levels.
The expert recommended eating oats for breakfast.
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She told the Express.co.uk : “A small 50 gram sized serving provides nearly five grams of fibre and you can boost this by adding dried fruit, nuts, a banana or berries and soya milk.”
Fibre is key for reducing cholesterol as it can lower the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - also known as “bad cholesterol” in the blood.
It forms a gel-like substance in your intestines, which can slow digestion and trap cholesterol.
This prevents your body from reabsorbing it into your bloodstream.
Previous research has shown that regular consumption of fibre is linked with a five to 10 percent reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
The breakfast food is ideal if you’re looking to lose weight on a budget, as one kilogram bag of porridge oats can be bought from Asda for 70p, meaning a 50 gram serving costs three and a half pence.
The expert also recommended these foods for lowering cholesterol:
Fruit and vegetables – Be sure to get at least five a day. All fruits and vegetables are low in saturated fat and provide valuable cholesterol-lowering fibre.
Pulses – Peas, beans and lentils are especially rich in fibre and take a while for the body to digest, which means you feel full for longer and this helps if you want to lose weight.
There are many to choose from: kidney beans, chickpeas, red, brown and green lentils – the possibilities are endless.
Wholegrain foods – Brown rice, wholemeal bread and wholewheat pasta can help lower cholesterol, mainly because of the fibre they contain.
The average UK adult fibre intake is 19 grams per day, well below the recommended 30 grams.
Swap refined white bread, rice and pasta for healthier wholegrain varieties.
Nuts – Many studies show that nuts are good for your heart.
A small handful of Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts or pistachios can help reduce abdominal fat, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar as well as improving the balance of fats in the blood.
Aim for 28 grams a day, which is around a handful.
