Breakfast, or brunch depending on when it is consumed, is one of the most important meals of the day as it sets up the body for the rigours and efforts to come after the rest of the night.
As a result, what someone consumes during this period is essential both for their day and health.
According to one expert, the best food to have in order to strike the right balance is one readily available in almost every mainstream shop.
Viva! Health’s Dr Justine Butler recommends oats as the most efficacious breakfast for lowering cholesterol.
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The reason for oats is because of the high levels of fibre present in the dish.
Dr Butler said: “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.”
Why is fibre important?
Fibre is essential for reducing cholesterol as it helps to lower levels of LDL-cholesterol.
It does this by forming as a gel-like substance in the intestines, trapping the cholesterol.
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Fibre has long been known to help reduce levels of LDL-cholesterol.
However, it isn’t the only effective cholesterol lowering food.
The NHS recommends food such as oily fish, brown rice, bread, pasta, nuts, and seeds alongside a balanced diet of fruit and veg.
Alongside eating a balanced diet of fruit and veg, it is also essential unhealthy eating habits are cut out alongside other poor lifestyle habits such as inactivity.
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While statins are effective at lowering cholesterol, like all medications they can cause side effects.
These include:
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Feeling sick
• Feeling unusually tired
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Indigestion
• Farting
• Muscle pain
• Sleep problems.
Each of these side effects will be present on the leaflet which comes with every packet of medication.
Should a side effect occur which isn’t present on the leaflet, patients can report this issue to the government through its Yellow Card Scheme.
