The French prefer a croissant and coffee for breakfast, Americans get by with a glass of orange juice and a couple of toasted breads with jam, and the Germans love high-calorie sausages with a side dish. It’s hard to imagine residents of Great Britain without a morning bowl of oatmeal, and in this regard, our traditions are somewhat similar.
Porridge (semolina, millet, buckwheat and others) has been the main dish for breakfast since ancient times. It gives energy and strength for the day and has a positive effect on the body. Oatmeal is considered the recognized “queen”. You will find the benefits and harms, opinions of nutritionists and the most delicious recipes in our review.
Oatmeal works wonders
The benefits and harms of oatmeal – which outweighs? Anyone who has already included oatmeal in their diet only confirms the conclusions of experts. This amazing product has a positive effect on almost the entire human body:
- Antioxidants in oatmeal take care of the beauty of nails, hair and skin, and also give youth.
- Vitamin K, which has long been in the shadow of more well-known vitamins, improves blood clotting, normalizes kidney function and serves to prevent osteoporosis.
- Biotin improves overall well-being and strengthens the body.
- Oatmeal is indispensable for athletes who want to build muscle mass.
Regular consumption of oatmeal will help lower cholesterol levels, prevent blood clots and improve the condition of the cardiovascular system.
Nothing extra
“Oatmeal: benefits and harm”, “oatmeal: calorie content”, “oatmeal for weight loss” - these are the most popular topics for discussion regarding the favorite dish of prim Englishmen.
You can achieve maximum benefit from a huge amount of nutrients and minimal calorie content by cooking oatmeal in water. This method will please your stomach and intestines the most.
Porridge coats the walls of the stomach in a special way and facilitates the digestion process. For the intestines, oatmeal does another important job - it is like a brush to remove accumulations of harmful formations.
Doctors especially recommend including oatmeal in the diet of patients with duodenal and gastric ulcers. In addition, one serving of porridge contains a quarter of the daily fiber requirement.
How long does it take to digest oatmeal and how many calories does it contain?
The time allotted for digestion and absorption of nutrients is different for everyone - it depends on the level of acidity of the stomach. Dishes made from grains that have not undergone additional processing (whole) will take the longest to digest – up to 4 hours. But for flakes, 2 is enough. However, all products with the addition of this component are considered “long-lasting” - with them you will not remember the feeling of hunger for a long time.
The calorie content of a valuable breakfast is quite high - 350 kcal per 100 g. However, this porridge is still called dietary, since it acts on the body in a special way: removes toxins, improves digestion, saturates for several hours, saving you from overeating and unplanned snacks.
Is it possible to eat oatmeal for breakfast every day to lose weight? It’s possible, but you will achieve results only if you change your entire diet and diversify your menu. Still, the monotony gets boring - porridge with water can get boring after a week. So that you don't get sick of the dish you eat in the morning, we offer several healthy recipes.
Water oatmeal recipe
It takes very little time to prepare morning porridge. Some of us prefer to use a multicooker, with which all the necessary ingredients can be loaded in the evening, and in the morning the aromatic dish will be ready at the appointed time. But even without such a smart device, a novice “cook” can do it in no time.
- Bring two glasses of water to a boil.
- Add three quarters of a glass of oatmeal and cook over low heat. In terms of time, we focus on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- If desired, add salt and a few tablespoons of butter.
- You can improve the taste of oatmeal with a small amount of honey, nuts, candied fruits, or frozen and fresh berries.
For those who are used to drinking only coffee in the morning, such a breakfast may seem too filling. But once you try it, you will notice the boost of cheerfulness and good mood that oatmeal gives. The benefits and harms of this simple recipe do not require additional comments, because even with water, porridge can be very tasty.
Reviews from doctors
Igor Knyazkin MD, PhD, urologist, sexologist:
“Oatmeal is a healthy thing. After all, it contains vitamin E, which is so necessary for men. This vitamin is a prohormone from which testosterone is created. As everyone knows, testosterone is a male sex hormone. Please note that when testosterone levels decrease, this is fraught with premature aging. This vitamin is responsible for increasing sperm count and activity.”
Alisa Shabanova is an expert on proper nutrition, ideologist and developer of the original GrinDin menu:
“To begin with, we will dispel the well-known misconception that absolutely any oatmeal is healthy. Actually this is not true. Only whole grain cereals or coarse flakes that have been boiled in water or milk are healthy. All instant variations of oatmeal almost always contain a huge amount of sugar, various additives and flavor enhancers, which are undesirable for the body.
Almost all nutritionists believe that healthy porridge can only be obtained by mixing several varieties at once. Use rolled, steamed and oat bran. As a result, steamed flakes will make the base soft, harder flakes will make the structure, and with the help of bran the porridge will be healthy and tasty.”
With milk
Another cooking option is with milk. Many people will like this oatmeal. The calorie content, benefits and harms of milk oatmeal cause a lot of controversy. Nutritionists say that this breakfast is most suitable for small children and athletes. These two categories are united by one goal - to gain weight.
In other cases, it is better to avoid eating porridge with milk. As a compromise, you can significantly dilute the milk with water and omit the butter and sugar. Then the declared calorie content (100 grams contains more than 110 kcal) will be slightly reduced.
It is worth noting that even milk porridge for breakfast will be much healthier than a sausage sandwich or strong coffee. Therefore, those who are not worried about their figure can eat as much oatmeal with butter as they want.
Baby food
The World Health Organization recommends that new mothers maintain breastfeeding for as long as possible. But babies often have problems with nutrition, and as a result, constipation, colic and bloating appear. If the child’s age is already ready for complementary feeding, then pediatricians advise starting with buckwheat or oatmeal.
Ten years ago, the main porridge for children was semolina, but today its benefits are questioned. Frequent consumption of semolina by babies under one year old can lead to serious intestinal diseases, so it’s not worth the risk.
The benefits and harms of oatmeal for the body of an infant are also of concern to every mother, but after reading the opinions of experts, you can easily make the right decision. Modern baby food manufacturers offer instant dry cereals. The choice is really great, and at first you can use ready-made products. However, as your baby gets older, it is better to switch to regular oatmeal.
Depending on the desired consistency, you can use a coffee grinder to grind them into flour or a little coarser. Thus, a healthy breakfast will appear in the child’s diet, which will also train chewing skills.
Cleansing the body
Using the following recipe, you can cleanse your body and get rid of extra pounds:
- First, grind the oatmeal using a blender.
- Then pour boiling water so that the water slightly covers the crushed flakes.
- Let it sit for five minutes.
- Do not use any additives.
- Before drinking, drink 250 ml of green tea.
- Oatmeal should be eaten warm.
With this product you can lose excess weight in a couple of weeks.
Problems start in childhood
It is impossible to answer the question of what are the benefits and harms of oatmeal. How to choose without full information about the danger that awaits oatmeal lovers? Let's talk about celiac disease.
Few of us know about a similar disease, in which eating the famous British dish is contraindicated. Celiac disease, or celiac disease, is inherited.
Substances hordein, gluten, avenin in cereals (oats, wheat, barley) disrupt the digestion process, damaging the villi of the small intestine. As a result, intestinal absorption is impaired, which, in turn, leads to malnutrition and the manifestation of rickets-like syndrome. Unfortunately, the consequence of such a failure is food allergies, polyhypovitaminosis and other health problems. Obviously, the benefit of oatmeal for breakfast for the intestines of a patient with celiac enteropathy is reduced to zero.
Most often, celiac disease is diagnosed in infants. After introducing porridge into your baby’s diet, it is very important to monitor changes in stool. Weight loss, an enlarged tummy and frequent, loose, grayish stools should be an alarming signal for parents. Without proper treatment and monitoring, the child may lag behind in psychomotor development.
Oatmeal, sir!
The benefits and harms of oatmeal for breakfast are directly related to the type of cereal. The most correct and longest cooking method requires purchasing whole or crushed oat grains.
If you choose this option, then be sure to use the original Scottish recipe. Oatmeal, or porridge, is beloved by residents of this part of the UK. Traditionally, porridge is prepared without adding salt, milk, butter or sugar, so that the additional ingredients do not overpower the original taste.
The grains are poured into boiling water and cooked over low heat, stirring constantly, for about half an hour. As a result, oatmeal acquires an unusual nutty aroma, which the Scots are so afraid of missing out on. While eating, you can add salt to the porridge.
Traditionally, the dish is cooked for the whole week at once. The finished oatmeal is cooled, cut into portions and consumed as needed. For residents of Great Britain, it is very important to observe centuries-old rituals, so they are not particularly concerned about the benefits and harms of oatmeal.
How to choose oatmeal?
In the modern world, time is valued even more than money. Many of us do everything on the go, including breakfast. To prepare yourself the right oatmeal you need at least 20-30 minutes, which sometimes there is simply nowhere to get it. However, there is an easy way to organize a healthy breakfast in a matter of minutes - instant porridge. Let's figure out what this oatmeal is.
Benefits and harms, beneficial properties, composition, preparation time - these are the main points that we will focus on.
“Quick” porridges can be divided into two types according to the duration of preparation: instant readiness and the need to cook for several minutes.
The first option dissolves in a plate in a matter of seconds. You pour out the contents of the bag, pour in hot milk (less often water) - and a hearty breakfast is on your table. But how many nutrients are lost during the cereal production process? Answer: almost everything.
At the first stage, the husks are separated from the grains, and at the second, they are crushed. The less time you need to cook the porridge, the finer the flakes. Such a product instantly absorbs liquid, and our body absorbs the starch inside it at an incredible speed. In addition, information about additives in the form of fruits, nuts or honey once again confirms the harm, because we are talking about flavorings and flavor concentrates. Regular consumption of the wrong oatmeal can lead to serious consequences: from weight gain to diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Such oatmeal, the benefits and harms of which are so obvious, should not appear in the diet of adults and children.
What does oatmeal cure? How to take it for medicinal purposes
Oatmeal is widely used for medicinal purposes; it can be used to cleanse the stomach without any fear for your own health. To do this, natural oatmeal is ground in a blender, bringing it to the state of flour. Three tablespoons of oatmeal are poured with boiling water so that it is all covered with water. Leave for a few minutes to swell. Then consume 30 minutes before breakfast. It is allowed to add dried fruits or honey to the porridge, but in no case should it contain sugar or salt. It is also best to drink a cup of green tea 30 minutes before eating oatmeal. The full course of treatment is 30 days.
You can prepare oatmeal jelly, it improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and allows you to effectively cope with constipation and reduce the manifestations of gastritis. To prepare the drink, pour 2 cups of flakes with 1 cup of cold water and leave to swell for 12 hours. After this, water is added to the mixture so that it completely covers the flakes and put on fire. Boil for 1.5 hours, adding water little by little so that the dish does not burn.
Instant porridge
The beneficial and harmful properties of instant oatmeal are the subject of constant debate. The processing process is very similar to what we described earlier for instant porridges. The difference is in the degree of grinding of the flakes, and this affects the cooking time.
Nutritionists have concluded that the presence of minerals in instant cereals outweighs the harm from starch. Therefore, you can still afford such a breakfast several times a week. Choose unflavored instant oatmeal - it's best to add pieces of fruit or nuts before eating.
It turns out that the healthiest oatmeal cereals are those that are packaged in large, nondescript boxes. They do not need additional advertising or colorful packaging. As a rule, the cooking time for such oatmeal is from 10 to 20 minutes.
What is the difference between flakes and cereals, what varieties are there?
But when choosing “raw materials” for oatmeal dishes, you need to understand: in the absolute maximum, only oatmeal has all the beneficial properties described above. These are whole oblong grains that have not been subjected to intensive processing.
Flakes are made from the same grains. But the top layer is removed, and the grains are flattened by rolling. As a result, such a product becomes more convenient to prepare, but loses some of its useful components. The flakes themselves are divided into varieties, which depends on the technology and intensity of processing of the cereal.
- "Extra No. 1." This type of cereal is suitable for baby food and for people with gastrointestinal problems. The plates are light and thin, so they require no more than five minutes of cooking.
- "Extra No. 2." The cereal for rolling out such flakes is pre-cut. They also turn out tender, but will take about ten minutes to cook.
- "Extra No. 3." They are distinguished by a large amount of carbohydrates and a dense texture. They cook for about 15 minutes, but the porridge turns out very thick and satisfying. It is better not to use this option when losing weight.
- "Hercules". Made from premium grade oats. These flakes are perhaps closest to the original composition of the grains. They are dense and will cook for over 20 minutes.
Oatmeal is stored in a special way. She better be cool. At high temperatures, excess sugars are formed in the grains, and the beneficial properties disappear. It is better to pour the oats into a glass container, close it well and keep it in the refrigerator.
Oatmeal diet
In pursuit of a beautiful figure, representatives of the fair sex are ready to make sacrifices. Unfortunately, few people prioritize physical activity and proper nutrition.
It’s easier to stay on a diet for a couple of weeks than to completely rebuild your lifestyle. Such experiments very often end badly for health, and even such a healthy product as oatmeal can cause irreparable harm. But first things first.
A two-week oatmeal diet consists of eating porridge several times a day - this way you maintain a feeling of fullness. Many believe that since oatmeal, the benefits and harms of which have long been proven, is rich in all kinds of microelements, then it can be consumed in any quantity.
Chemical composition and calorie content
The most important thing is the chemical composition and calorie content of oatmeal. This cereal is rich in various beneficial substances. It contains large quantities of iron and magnesium, as well as potassium, fluorine, chlorine, calcium, and iodine.
If we talk about vitamins in the chemical composition of the product, they are primarily classified as “beauty vitamins”, among them there are vitamins of the retinol group, B vitamins, nicotinic acid and tocopherol.
The cereal also contains the following beneficial substances:
- nickel;
- sulfur;
- sodium;
- aluminum;
- manganese;
- iodine;
- iron;
- silicon;
- zinc;
- phosphorus;
- cobalt;
- copper;
- molybdenum;
- fluorine;
- magnesium;
- B1; B2; B4; B5; B6; B9;
- H;
- PP;
- E.
Hazardous components
A mono-diet, the main role of which is oatmeal, is unacceptable for one very important reason. In addition to all the beneficial vitamins and minerals contained in oatmeal, scientists have identified the presence of phytic acid.
This substance is the main enemy of calcium. Phytic acid prevents its absorption in the intestines and also actively rids our body of this essential element. Therefore, a diet based on oatmeal should be agreed with a nutritionist. The doctor will certainly advise you to take an additional vitamin complex, including calcium.
