If you’re looking for a quick breakfast that supports your heart, peanut butter toast and oatmeal can both do the trick. Oatmeal provides fiber that helps lower cholesterol, while peanut butter toast contains healthy fats and plant-based proteins.
So, is this a better choice? Here’s how they compare and what to keep in mind when preparing your morning meal.
Oatmeal is a whole grain with many benefits, including for heart health.
One cup of cooked oatmeal provides about 4 grams of fiber. Part of this is beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Too much LDL can cause plaque buildup in your arteries, which can increase your risk of heart disease.
A large study found that oat beta-glucan reduced LDL cholesterol by about 4% on average.
Beta-glucan also feeds helpful gut bacteria. Researchers are studying how this may contribute to its heart health benefits. Oats also contain antioxidant compounds that can help reduce inflammation and cell damage.
Research has linked the consumption of oats and oatmeal to a lower risk of death from any cause.
Steel-cut, rolled, and plain quick-cooking oats can all be healthy choices. Choose unsweetened varieties and add fruit, nuts or peanut butter for more flavor and a heartier breakfast. Keep added sugar, butter and cream to a minimum.
Peanut butter toast provides healthy fats, plant-based protein, and fiber, especially with whole-grain bread. Most of the fats in peanut butter are unsaturated, which can help lower LDL cholesterol when they replace saturated fats from foods like butter.
Peanut butter also provides magnesium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure and promotes a normal heart rhythm.
Whole grain bread adds fiber, making it a better choice than white bread. Look for “whole wheat” or another whole grain as the first ingredient – “multigrain” doesn’t always mean whole grain.
Look for peanut butter made only with peanuts and compare labels to find one low in added sugar and sodium. The American Heart Association recommends choosing varieties without added palm or coconut oil, which add saturated fats.
Both are good choices for your heart. Oatmeal provides fiber that helps lower cholesterol, while peanut butter on whole-grain toast contains healthy fats, plant-based protein and fiber. You don’t have to choose just one.
Here are some ways to make either breakfast more heart-healthy:
- Choose whole grains: Opt for plain oatmeal or wholemeal bread. Look for bread with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
- Add fruit: Try chopped berries or apples in oatmeal, or sliced banana or strawberries on peanut butter toast.
- Stir in nuts or peanut butter: Unsalted nuts add crunch to the oats, while peanut butter makes them creamier.
- Compare the labels: Look for peanut butter that is low in added sugar and sodium. Also check the sodium and added sugar in bread and instant oatmeal.
- Limit added sugar and saturated fats: Use a little honey, syrup or brown sugar for added sweetness, and use less butter and cream to reduce saturated fat.
What you eat throughout the day matters more than just one meal. Breakfast or lunch can be part of a heart-healthy diet.
Gn Health
