Dr Amir Khan has urged Brits to ditch a popular ‘sugary’ breakfast staple and replace it with a healthy, cholesterol-cutting alternative. Dr Khan was talking on ITV’s Lorraine show about healthy eating.
He said that the ‘sugary cereals in the cupboard’ that many of us consume for breakfast were not a great choice. According to the public health group Action on Sugar, the amount of sugar in our cereals has increased significantly in the last decade.
Many of us enjoy cereal in the morning. However, many of them contain a surprising amount of sugar and, according to the NHS, sugar raises blood glucose levels faster than insulin can work, especially in the morning. Therefore, high-sugar cereals can cause a rise in blood glucose levels mid-morning, which is hard to manage.
“Low sugar breakfast cereals can be made naturally sweet by adding fruit such as berries or sliced banana,” it says. “Many high-sugar cereals are also very processed. This means that they lose a lot of their fibre content.
“Fibre is important for the body, as it is digested slowly and releases energy more steadily. This helps to prevent rapid rises in blood glucose mid-morning and will also make you feel fuller for longer.”
It was a message Dr Khan agreed with, and he suggested replacing cereal altogether with overnight oats. He said: “Let’s start with breakfast. With breakfast, those sugary cereals in the cupboard – (it’s) great to get rid of them and just put in some plain porridge overnight oats.
“You can add some berries to it and some nuts and seeds – it’s really good for you. Cinnamon adds great flavour, you can try authentic greek yoghurt with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you’re vegan.
“If you want some more hearty meals, scrambled eggs and avocado are a really good way to go.”
Overnight oats involve taking porridge oats and soaking them overnight in a liquid such as milk. Typically, people then add fruits, nuts, and seeds to them in the morning for a tasty and healthy breakfast.
Oats have been found to manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and they help you feel fuller for longer because they are wholegrain. They provide important micronutrients like zinc, copper, selenium and B vitamins, as well as a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels if you consume 3g or more of it each day.
Whole oats are a good source of protective compounds called polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. One variety of these, avenanthramides, may help lower blood pressure by promoting the production of nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow.
A 2021 study said : “Oat is among the food crops and ancient grains cultivated and consumed worldwide. It is gaining in popularity owing to its nutritional composition and multifunctional benefits of select bioactive compounds. Beta-glucan is an important component of dietary fibre found in oat grains. It is the major active compound in oats with proven cholesterol-lowering and antidiabetic effects.
“Oats also provide substantial levels of other bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, tocols, sterols, avenacosides, and avenanthramides. The consumption of oats has been determined to be beneficial for human health by promoting immunomodulation and improving gut microbiota. In addition, oat consumption assists in preventing diseases such as atherosclerosis, dermatitis, and some forms of cancer.”