The lining of your blood vessels? Super important. Keeping those cells healthy can help ward off heart disease and more.
So treat them right. Eat your oatmeal. Or your Fiber One. A recent study suggests that a high-fiber breakfast may be kinder to the lining of your blood vessels than a high-glycemic-index breakfast like cornflakes.
Breakfast Breakthrough
When researchers evaluated how eating different types of food affected the health and function of the endothelium-- that all-important layer of cells that lines the inside of your blood vessels -- the results suggested that glycemic index matters. After having cornflakes, a high-fiber cereal, a glucose supplement, or just water first thing in the morning, the study participants’ endothelial cells were most impaired after having either the cornflakes or the supplement. Not good, because impaired function may eventually translate to damage -- and damage opens the door to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Is your blood pressure also putting your heart at risk? Find out here.
Glycemic Index Breakdown
Researchers don’t really know why the foods on the higher end of the glycemic index, like cornflakes and glucose, had a harsher effect on participants’ blood vessels. All that is known for sure is that these types of food move blood sugar higher, faster. And somehow this may translate into wear and tear on blood vessels. Here’s a more detailed explanation of the glycemic index.
Recipe Corner
Got a little extra time this weekend for your morning meal? Keep your blood sugar steady with this delicious high-fiber take on hash browns from EatingWell: Kale & Potato Hash. Or if you have some strawberries and a few minutes, make this for your morning meal: Strawberry Bruschetta.
RealAge Benefit: Learning to read labels and avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats, simple sugars, or processed grains as one of the first five ingredients can make your RealAge 3.6 years younger.
Take the RealAge Test
So treat them right. Eat your oatmeal. Or your Fiber One. A recent study suggests that a high-fiber breakfast may be kinder to the lining of your blood vessels than a high-glycemic-index breakfast like cornflakes.
Breakfast Breakthrough
When researchers evaluated how eating different types of food affected the health and function of the endothelium
Glycemic Index Breakdown
Researchers don’t really know why the foods on the higher end of the glycemic index, like cornflakes and glucose, had a harsher effect on participants’ blood vessels. All that is known for sure is that these types of food move blood sugar higher, faster. And somehow this may translate into wear and tear on blood vessels. Here’s a more detailed explanation of the glycemic index.
Recipe Corner
Got a little extra time this weekend for your morning meal? Keep your blood sugar steady with this delicious high-fiber take on hash browns from EatingWell: Kale & Potato Hash. Or if you have some strawberries and a few minutes, make this for your morning meal: Strawberry Bruschetta.
RealAge Benefit: Learning to read labels and avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats, simple sugars, or processed grains as one of the first five ingredients can make your RealAge 3.6 years younger.
Take the RealAge Test
