Scientists reveal what you should have for breakfast to reduce heart attack risk

The study also found that replacing butter with olive oil could reduce the risk of heart disease

Having nuts instead of eggs could reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke (PA Archive)

Breakfast has always been the most important meal of the day, and now, scientists have found it could reduce your risk of heart attack and strokes - but it depends on what you eat.

Swapping an egg for a handful of nuts was found to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 17 per cent, according to an investigation into ‘fashionable’ plant-based foods conducted by scientists.

The review, published in the journal BMC Medicine, says that eating one less egg a day and replacing it with nuts could lower the risk of heart disease by 17 per cent, diabetes by 18 per cent and an early death by 15 per cent if replaced with 25 to 28 grams of nuts.

However, it did not conclude that eggs should be removed from your diet altogether.

Replacing an egg with a handful of nuts could help you live longer and avoid heart disease (Sorted Food)

While some experts have long warned that eggs are bad for your heart, the matter has been up for debate as others say more evidence is needed.

Heart disease has long been one of the biggest killers in the UK, with the British Heart Foundation reporting that 460 people die every day and 48,000 every year from heart or circulatory disease.

The results shared by the German Centre for Diabetes Research, shows no benefit of swapping fish and seafood for plant-based options, and no evidence that replacing dairy can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

But swapping it for nuts is linked to a very small reduction in the risk of an early death.

People who replaced 50 grams of processed meat - the equivalent of a sausage - with an equivalent amount of legumes, lentils, chickpeas or beans were found to have a 23 per cent lower risk of dying from or developing heart disease.

The British Heart Foundation reports that 460 people die every day from heart or circulatory diseases (PA Wire)

The risk was even lower, at 27 per cent, if they ate 28 to 50 grams of nuts instead of the processed meat.

Dr Sabrina Schlesinger, a co-author of the review told the Mail: “Many people start the day with an egg or fry-up for breakfast, but the results of this analysis suggests it might be better to replace these foods with plant-based foods.

“There is also evidence that people could benefit from replacing poultry with plant-based foods, although there was little evidence for replacing dairy.”