Instant porridge, a breakfast that Aldi sells at 95p for 10 sachets, left adults eating 85 fewer calories at lunch than a ready-to-eat oat cereal, despite the two meals containing the same number of calories.
According to a report in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the finding came from a small US experiment involving 48 adults. Each participant tried both equal-calorie breakfasts on separate visits at least a week apart, and reported feeling fuller after the porridge breakfast.
How the trial measured fullness
Researchers served lunch four hours later and measured how much food energy was consumed. On average, participants had 85 fewer calories of food energy at lunch after the instant porridge than after the ready-to-eat cereal.
Researchers pointed to differences in the amount and properties of beta-glucan, a soluble fibre in oats, and in the thickness of the prepared breakfasts as possible reasons for the fullness difference. Because the two foods differed in nutritional composition, the experiment did not isolate one ingredient as the sole cause.
What the findings mean for weight loss
None of those on the trial were taking weight loss drugs, but a pharmacist says the findings may help those trying to lose weight without intervention and those taking medication. Weight-loss guidance from Happy Pharmacy includes oats alongside milk or yoghurt as practical ingredients for people using weight loss treatments, with portions adjusted to appetite and tolerance.
Palvinder Deol, superintendent pharmacist at Happy Pharmacy, said: "Porridge can be a useful breakfast, but it is still worth looking at the whole meal. Milk or yoghurt can add protein, and fruit can add variety. The aim is a breakfast you can comfortably eat that gives you useful nutrition, not one that leaves you trying to avoid food for the rest of the day."
Limitations of the study
The result does not mean every bowl of porridge will outperform every breakfast cereal. The study compared two particular products, included PepsiCo researchers and measured appetite plus one subsequent meal, not weight loss over weeks or months or everything participants ate that day.
It was not a study of people taking Mounjaro or Wegovy, and the experiment does not show that adding porridge makes either medicine work better, warned the pharmacy. For people whose appetite has fallen during treatment, Happy Pharmacy advises manageable portions and including protein rather than simply eating as little as possible. Its guide also recommends introducing higher-fibre foods gradually if bloating or digestive discomfort is a problem.
Deol added: "If a big bowl feels uncomfortable, there is no reason to force it down. A smaller portion that you tolerate, alongside enough food across the day, is more useful than treating breakfast as another target to hit."
