Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters 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 yo.