Humble porridge may reduce risk of heart disease, study of 100,000 people finds

Choosing a bowl of porridge this morning could help you live longer by reducing the risk of heart disease.

A 14-year study by researchers at Harvard University in the US monitored the health and diets of 100,000 people, and concluded those who ate the most wholegrain foods such as porridge, brown rice and corn seemed to be protected from a range of illnesses, including heart disease.

Everyone involved in the study was healthy in 1984 when they enrolled, but when they were followed up in 2010 more than 26,000 had died.

“These findings further support current dietary guidelines that recommend increasing whole-grain consumption,” said lead author Dr Hongyu Wu of Harvard School of Public Health.

“They also provide promising evidence that suggests a diet enriched with whole grains may confer benefits towards extended life expectancy.”

The findings remained even when allowing for different ages, smoking, body mass index and physical activity.