Eat a bowl of oats for breakfast and it may be enough to cut your risk of a heart attack, according to new research published in The British Food Journal.

Experts believe that following such a diet can reduce bad cholesterol by up to 20 per cent because oats contain a compound called beta-glucan and just three grams a day are enough to cut the risk of heart attack. This new research based on the results of 21 studies over the past 18 years provides yet more evidence that regular oat consumption is an effective dietary strategy for helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fifteen of the studies found regular consumption of oats cut total cholesterol levels among the 1,450 volunteers. In 13 studies cholesterol levels were reduced by up to seventeen per cent. Three studies reported significant reductions in harmful low density lipo-proteins (LDL) and several found eating oats regularly boosted good cholesterol. High levels of harmful cholesterol significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Oats are a heart healthy food and can be eaten not only as porridge but also as oat cakes.  If you buy cereal bars containing oats then make sure they are just sweetened with fruit or fruit juice otherwise they can have a large amount of sugar which will increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

Eggs have been in the news quite a lot recently with the nine egg a day diet – something I certainly would not recommend, by the way, as the key to a healthy diet is always balance and moderation. I would, however, recommend including eggs, preferably free range and organic in your diet on a regular, if not daily basis, especially as new research has suggested that eating two eggs a day may help you lose weight and cut cholesterol.

 

Previously, there was thought to be a direct link between cholesterol rich foods such as eggs and an increase in blood cholesterol levels which raises the risk of heart disease. But recent research from Surrey University published in the European Journal of Nutrition has found that those who ate two eggs a day while on a calorie restricted diet recommended by the British Heart Foundation not only lost weight but saw a reduction in their cholesterol levels. Experts believe eating eggs for breakfast contributes to weight loss by making people feel fuller for longer.

 

The research shows that there is no convincing evidence to suggest that there is a link between eggs and high cholesterol. In fact eggs make a nutritional contribution to a heart healthy diet. It is saturated fat found in pastry, processed meats, biscuits and cakes that is more responsible for raising blood cholesterol than cholesterol rich foods such as eggs, which are low in saturated fat.

 

Other recent research from Pennsylvania State University and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that snacking on pistachio nuts twice a day can also lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Nuts, like pistachios, are thought to reduce the risk of a range of illness because they are high in immune boosting antioxidants.

More than 16 million Britons have high blood pressure – also called hypertension – and an even larger number are thought to suffer from the condition without knowing it. Without effective treatment, either medication or healthy lifestyle changes, such as cutting salt, losing weight and getting fit, the condition can trigger heart attacks and strokes.  New research pubished in the scientific journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, shows, however, that a daily dose of garlic can help to lower blood pressure naturally and can be as effective as drugs. In fact, the higher a participent’s blood pressure at the beginning of the study the more it was reduced by garlic.

In this latest research scientists looked at 11 international studies in which patients were given a daily garlic supplement for between three and five months. They found significant blood pressure falls among participants and in some cases, the drop was as much as that seen in patients taking drugs such as betablockers and ACE inhibitors. The 600mg to 900mg dosage used in the studies was equivalent to 3.6mg to 5.4mg of garlic’s active ingredient, allicin. A fresh clove of garlic contains 5mg to 9mg of allicin.  (The Aged Garlic I use in the clinic is made from organically grown garlic and there is 1000mg in just one tablet – see Resources Page X).

Although this research is exciting it is important not to assume that taking garlic supplements is all you need to do to reduce high blood pressure. It is also important to manage your weight, take regular exercise, cut down on hidden salt in processed foods and to eat a healthy diet.