Cholesterol is a type of fat that is made in the liver. It is essential for normal body function and can be found in every cell in the body. It is also used to synthesise certain hormones that are essential for good health.

Our bodies need a certain level of cholesterol but too much in the blood can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This is because a high level of cholesterol causes a thickening of the walls of the arteries and blood vessels making them narrower, which in turn, makes it more difficult for blood to pass through. If the heart’s blood vessels become blocked it means we are much more likely to have a heart attack and if the blockage occurs in a vessel in the brain it may induce a stroke.

One way to help protect our heart and reduce the risk of having heart disease or a stroke is to follow a heart-protective diet. This includes eating five or more daily servings of fruit and vegetables, two daily servings of high quality protein such as lean meat and oily fish as well as foods rich in soluble fibre.

That’s where porridge oats can help. Porridge provides a rich source of the soluble fibre beta-glucan. This complex carbohydrate works by helping to ‘soak up’ cholesterol and eliminate it from the body. Beta glucans have also been shown to be very effective in the lowering of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), decreasing hypertension (raised blood pressure) and maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels. One 40g serving of porridge oats provides 1.8g of beta glucan which is about two thirds of the recommended daily intake of 3g per day¹.

^{1 The inclusion of oats as part of a diet low in saturated fat and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce cholesterol}