Around 1 in 4 adults in South Africa has high cholesterol, according to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. And that’s an issue, because high cholesterol can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by causing plaque build-up in the arteries and restricting blood flow. The knock-on effect: heart attacks, strokes, chest pain and peripheral artery disease.
READ MORE: If You Can Do This Many Pushups, You Have a 96% Lower Risk Of Heart Disease, Study Finds
Fortunately, overhauling your diet and upping your exercise can quickly bring those high cholesterol numbers down. And it might not take months or weeks to see meaningful improvement; according to a new study, just 48 hours can yield a significant reduction in these dangerous digits.
The Study
New research published has revealed that a short dietary intervention revolving around oats could help slash your cholesterol. In the study, participants with metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that together increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease) followed a reduced-calorie diet for just two days. The twist: their meal plan was almost entirely made up of oats.
READ MORE: 8 Unexpected Ways a Sedentary Lifestyle Can Hurt Your Heart, Sex Life & More
These porridge-eating participants showed a significant drop in cholesterol after just 48 hours even when compared to another group on a similar low-calorie meal plan that didn’t incorporate oats. Even six weeks after the study was concluded, those who ate oats over the two days still presented with lowered cholesterol. Researchers posit that the oats effects on the gut microbiome could be the driving force behind these positive results.
Bonus Benefits: How Oats Can Also Help You Lose Weight
This popular breakfast has a place in almost every serious gym-goers’ meal plan, so there’s no secret that oats are a health and fitness powerhouse. But if you’re trying to lose weight (or resist the temptation of the snack drawer), oats could be your secret weapon.
READ MORE: This Exercise Trend Could Be the Best Workout for Your Heart
Oats contain beta-glucan, a compound that delays the time it takes your stomach to vacate the food it’s digesting, which can help you feel satiated for longer. The chemical can also promote the release of the satiety hormone (PYY), doubling down on its filling effects.
