Aldi's easy breakfast recipe that helps lower cholesterol and manage diabetes

Aldi's easy breakfast recipe that helps lower cholesterol and manage diabetes This is easy to make - and you may already have all the ingredients in your kitchen One of the UK's favourite budget supermarkets, Aldi, has shared an easy breakfast smoothie - and one of its ingredients could lower cholesterol levels and help manage diabetes. In a recipe on its website, Aldi has urged people to try the drink. It suggests: "Start your day off well with this healthy smoothie, made with avocado, banana, kiwi and spinach." Serving four and a prep time of just 10 minutes, it has seven ingredients and a few simple steps. Here's how to make it - and some benefits it could hold. Aldi's breakfast smoothie Ingredients - 1 Large ripe avocado - 1 Kiwi fruit - 1 Small banana - 20g Fresh spinach leaves - 300ml Acti leaf unsweetened soya milk - 2 tsp Grandessa squeezy honey - 1 Lime Method - Juice the lime and put it into a bowl. - Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop out the flesh and add the avocado to the lime juice and toss to coat. - Peel and chop the banana and kiwi. - Put all the above into a blender along with the honey, soya milk and spinach leaves. - Blend until smooth, then serve. The superfood ingredient You may have heard the term 'superfood' before, and while Aldi doesn't call it this, health experts at Benenden say a superfood may describe something that boosts overall wellness. Benenden explains: "According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a ‘superfood’ is classified as any nutrient-rich food that can be beneficial for your health and overall wellbeing." While bananas, kiwis and spinach are great for us, the most popular could be the avocado - and you can use it in many dishes. An expert from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said that avocados are a bit unusual as fruits go: along with plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre, they’re also high in fat. The good news is that more than 70% of that fat is the healthier type. Expert Dell Stanford, a registered dietitian who has more than 15 years’ experience with NHS cardiac rehabilitation patients, said having such a high fat content means avocados contain a higher amount of energy (calories) than other fruits and vegetables too. This means, although avocados are a healthy choice, you have to keep an eye on your portion size if you’re trying to manage your weight. What are the health benefits of avocados? Avocados are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, and they’re high in healthy unsaturated fats, so they can be a good fit for heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and DASH. Their creamy taste and texture can also make them a satisfying swap for foods such as cheese, butter, and fatty meats, which tend to be higher in less-healthy fats. About half a medium avocado (80g) counts towards your five-a-day and contains useful amounts of vitamins, including vitamin E and B vitamins, minerals, particularly potassium and manganese, as well as fibre. Dell added: "Like other fruit and vegetables, avocados can help boost your potassium intake, which studies have linked with lower blood pressure, which in turn helps lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as heart attack and stroke." In bonus points, it is also low in carbs, meaning "they’re popular with people following lower-carb diets for weight loss or to help manage type 2 diabetes. Plus, most of their carbs are fibre, which supports gut health", she further explained. Lower cholesterol levels Dell highlighted that the fat in avocados "is mostly monounsaturated fat – a type of healthy unsaturated fat. Having more foods that are high in unsaturated fats like avocados, nuts, olive oil and other plant oils, instead of foods that are high in saturated fats, such as margarine, butter, eggs, yoghurt, cheese and processed meats, can help lower cholesterol levels that in turn lowers your risk of CVD." She further explains: "Avocados' heart health benefits are backed by research in the Journal of the American Heart Association, which suggests eating 2 or more servings of avocado per week (1 serving is half a medium avocado) can lower your risk of CVD by 16 per cent. "The 2022 study also found that eating a quarter of a medium avocado in place of the equivalent amount of margarine, butter, egg, yoghurt, cheese or processed meats led to a 22 per cent lower risk of CVD." The study also found that swapping nuts, olive oil and other plant oils (like rapeseed or corn oil) for avocado didn’t lower the risk of heart disease. This suggests these foods are all healthy sources of unsaturated fat. It also supports the idea that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help protect your heart. How can I include an avocado in my diet? Avocados contain polyphenols and other plant chemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects linked to lower CVD risk. It is also very versatile and can be used in all sorts of dishes. If you want ideas for how to add them to your diet, try these: - Avocado and poached egg on toast - Mashed avocado on toast (try adding seeds, sliced tomato, fresh basil, black pepper, or a pinch of chilli powder) - Black bean and sweet potato burritos (with avocado in the filling or as a topping) - Fish tacos with avocado (sliced, diced, or as a crema-style topping) - Vegetarian chilli with sweet potato (add avocado on top for extra creaminess) - Make your own guacamole and have it as a snack with carrots, cucumbers, breadsticks or your favourite crisps [Image text:] ALDI SUPER6 5 8 8