RESEARCHERS FROM THE University of Science and Technology in Anhui, China, have found that adding dried fruit to your breakfast can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 18% and cancer by 11%.
The study, published in Nutrition Journal, examined the breakfast habits of 186,168 Brits, with participants asked about the type and amount of their breakfast cereal intake. In a follow-up analysis – in which deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer were recorded – scientists found that people who had reported adding dried fruit to their breakfast cereals showed significantly lower risks of premature death.
Interestingly, those who added milk to their breakfast cereals also had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
What is the best breakfast cereal?
One of the other main findings from the study was how the type of cereal you eat can increase or reduce mortality risk. For example, researchers found that muesli significantly correlated to a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and that bran cereal correlated to a lower risk. They also found that a moderate intake of porridge reduced participants’ risk of early death.
However, while a moderate amount of muesli and bran was linked to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, other cereals actually increased risk. Plain cereal – like oat crunch – was linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, and sweetened cereals appeared to correlate with an increased risk of cancer-related death.
So, if you’re committed to a cereal-based breakfast, it might be worth taking a closer look at the ingredients on the back of your regular cereal packet to see if there might be a healthier switch.
What is the best dried fruit to add?
Now that we know adding a handful of dried fruit to your morning meal can be a great low-effort health booster, you might be thinking about which dried fruit is the best. The short answer? Personal preference. Dried raisins, apricots, prunes, dates and cranberries are all tasty, healthy options. Researchers think the fruit-drying process helps concentrate the fruit’s natural nutrients – eg, potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium – and fibre.
Two things potentially worth noting: the drying process can slightly reduce some heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin C, and some manufacturers will also add sugar to their dried fruit. It’s always worth checking the back of the packet for added sugars and you might also want to consider having a glass of OJ with that cereal for the vitamin C boost.
What does this mean for us?
It always comes back to balance, and if you are eating your cereal as part of a healthy, balanced diet, you probably don’t need to make any significant changes. However, if you’re eating sugary cereal every morning, it’s probably worth making some switches. You might also want to consider introducing some more protein-rich breakfasts like eggs or Greek yoghurt with berries into your weekly breakfast schedule.
But, if you’re serious about a cereal-based brekkie, we now know the ideal combo consists of muesli, dried fruit – and milk if you’re not already adding it.
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.
