Porridge is good for you

and helps you live longer.

Not just porridge but whole-grain foods in general.

Scientists at Harvard School for Public Health studied 100,000 people over 14 years. During that time almost a quarter died but those who ate the most whole grain, including brown rice, corn and quinoa, lived the longest.

For every ounce of whole grains consumed in a day – equivalent to a small bowl of porridge – there was a 5% drop in mortality. This was mainly accounted for  by a 9% fall in cardiovascular deaths.

The scientists couldn’t find a link between whole grains and cancer however.

The research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

A spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation said that people who ate whole grains tended to have healthier life-style anyway but switching to high fibre foods was always a good idea.