Other components of wheat bran — such as natural antioxidants like phytochemical lignans and phytic acid — may play a role as well ( 3, 10, 14). However, if you eat a healthy, balanced diet or take a multivitamin supplement, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.

Arguably, wheat bran’s most impressive trait is its fiber content. Half a cup (29 grams) of wheat bran provides almost 13 grams of dietary fiber, which is 99% of the DV ( 1). Summary No added sugar muesli contains a mixture of grains, fruit and nuts and the combination will differ between brands and varieties so the amount of oat beta glucans will be more variable than porridge, which is made only of oats. The dried fruit that is added should provide all the additional sweetness you need and will also count towards your five a day but choose a muesli with no added sugar and be aware that many fruit and nut mueslis (especially tropical fruit versions) contain sweetened dried fruit, which means they have sugar added even if it isn’t listed separately on the ingredients. Banana chips are another popular muesli ingredient that will contain added sugars and saturated fats. Porridge is our top choice for a heart healthy breakfast – when it is made with low-fat milk or water and unsweetened. All porridge oats are wholegrains and they all contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which can help lower your cholesterol level if you have 3g or more of it daily, as part of a healthy diet. (A 40g serving of porridge oats contains 1.6g of beta-glucan.) As well as this, you’ll be getting the fibre from the whole grains, plus there is no added sugar or salt. Gluten ingestion can also damage the lining of the gut and small intestine in celiac patients ( 33). This recipe has an estimated glycaemic index (GI) of 37.1 and glycaemic load (GL) of 6.6, and is thus a low-GI or low-GL meal. It is a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, including:

Directions

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly targets gluten as a foreign threat to the body, causing digestive symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea. Better poos. Bran consumption decreases the likelihood of constipation by improving the size of stools and speeding their passage through the colon. 3 Furthermore, wheat bran appears to hamper tumor development in people’s colons more consistently compared to other high-fiber grain sources, such as oat bran ( 11). In other words, the insoluble fiber present in wheat bran can help relieve or prevent constipation and keep your bowel movements regular. Numerous studies in both humans and mice have linked wheat bran intake to a reduced risk of colon cancer ( 8, 9, 10).

Most people enjoy bran flakes each morning as their breakfast cereal. Milk (including plant-based varieties) complements bran flakes, as it softens the bran to help your body digest the fibre easily. This helps reduce digestive complaints associated with excess fibre, like bloating. Studies have shown that fiber may increase the amount of estrogen excreted by your body by inhibiting estrogen absorption in the intestines, causing a reduction in circulating estrogen levels ( 3, 22, 23 24).I skipped dried fruit and honey (high-glycaemic) and served mine with fresh raspberries, pomegranate seeds, mixed seeds, and yoghurt. I added mixed seeds to boost the meal’s fat content and nutritional profile. Better heart health. Eating fibrous cereals is likely to improve heart health, as its correlated to lower blood pressure and stable body weight. 4,5 I usually make granola and muesli when I want cereal, but sometimes I eat bran flakes, Weetabix, or All bran. Although these cereals contain less sugar than most, they still have a reasonable amount of sugar, making them easy to overeat and unsuitable for people with blood sugar imbalances. Wheat bran’s effect on colon cancer risk is likely attributable in part to its high fiber content, as multiple studies have associated a high-fiber diet with a reduced risk of colon cancer ( 12, 13).

Lower cholesterol. Studies indicate that eating bran flakes reduces ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol but preserves ‘good’ HDL cholesterol (the cholesterol that helps your body process the bad kind). 6 For a ready to eat cereal that is an even more heart-healthy start to the day, swap for a shredded whole wheat cereal or no added sugar or salt muesli (see above) as these don’t contain any added sugar or salt. In addition, studies have shown that wheat bran can reduce digestive symptoms, such as bloating and discomfort, and is more effective in increasing fecal bulk than other forms of insoluble fiber like oats and certain fruits and vegetables ( 4, 5).

2. No added sugar or salt muesli

Such a decrease in circulating estrogen may be related to a reduced risk of breast cancer ( 25, 26). Summary Sign up to our fortnightly Heart Matters newsletter to receive healthy recipes, new activity ideas, and expert tips for managing your health. Joining is free and takes two minutes. I’d like to sign up 2. No added sugar or salt muesli However, if you eat high-phytic-acid foods with most meals, you may develop a deficiency in these vital nutrients over time. Summary Bran flakes are a popular breakfast cereal made from the external layer of a wheat kernel: the bran. When wheat’s milled to make flour, the bran is disregarded. Resourceful entrepreneurs took that discarded by-product of flour and made it into cereal; an ingenious idea, as bran is full of health benefits. Wholegrain cereals like bran flakes, malted wheat cereal and wheat biscuits are high in fibre and will also have sugar and salt added to them usually, so avoid adding any more sugar and opt for fruits or berries for sweetness. The wholegrains mean they are high in fibre and so have benefits for your digestion too as well as your heart health.