A recent research done by scientists at Harvard suggests eating porridge to lower the chance of dying from cancers.

The cancer study is meta-analysis - involving 800,000 participants

The studies took place in the US, UK and Scandinavian countries including health information from nearly 800,000 participants. The study analyzed participants who ate 70 grams of whole grain per day (equivalent of a bowl of porridge).

The finding suggests that consuming whole grains can lower the risk of dying from cancer by 20 percent. For all this time, whole grains have been said to reduce diabetes risk and boost bone mineral density.  Whole grains can help to lower down cholesterol, reducing heart related disease risks and fat forming in arteries.

Eating a bowl of porridge can reduce the chance of dying from cancers

Dr. Qi Sun from Harvard Chan School of Public Health recommends people to eat whole grain foods to achieve better health. And medical experts should also encourage their patients to do so. Foods such as oatmeal, quinoa and bran are high in whole grains and rich in fibre, folic acid and protein, Telegraph reported.

This study also reveals that the whole grain foods intake for each person is varied. Thus, it is unknown whether the finding can be applied to general population since the studies were concentrated in the US, UK and Scandinavian countries, Harvard News confirmed.

However, dietitian at British Heart Foundation said that switching to whole grain food could be the simple change that improves health and reduce risk of diseases. The researcher also suggests swapping to whole grain breakfast like porridge.

The study is backed by another finding from Cancer Research UK which also conducted a research on whole grain food consumptions. Scientists suggest that the whole grains diet can reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer.