Bowl of porridge a day keeps early death at bay

Adding years to your life is as simple as eating a bowl of porridge every day, suggests a recent study.

Researchers at Harvard University found that just one 16g serving per day of whole grain cuts the risk of dying from any cause, heart disease or cancer. And, they argued, the more whole grains people eat, the bigger the benefits.

Their analysis of studies showed that for every single serving (16g) of whole grains, there was a 7 percent drop in risk of death from any cause, a 9 percent drop in death from cardiovascular disease and a 5 percent drop in the chance of dying from cancer.

Dr Qi Sun, assistant professor in public health at said: "Based on the solid evidence from this meta-analysis and numerous previous studies that collectively document beneficial effects of whole grains, I think healthcare providers should unanimously recommend whole grain consumption to the general population as well as to patients with certain diseases to help achieve better health and perhaps reduce death."

The research is published in the journal of the American Heart Association.