Oatmeal: benefits and harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Oatmeal is a favorite dish of many people and is great for a hearty and he althy breakfast. There are a huge number of various recipes on how to properly cook a dish. Some of the methods presented will certainly be useful to you.

How did oatmeal come about?

Mongolia is called the birthplace of oatmeal, as well as the northeastern parts of China. At first, oats were regarded by people as a weed that simply sprouted in the fields near other, already ennobled cereals. The very first occurrences of oats date back to the Bronze Age in France, Denmark and Switzerland.

In our country, oats have been used for a very long time, and at the beginning of the XII century, cultural traditions regarding oatmeal began to form.

What you need to know about this cereal?

The modern development of the food industry presents a choice of a large number of products based on oatmeal. It should be noted that not all of them have the same benefits. Conditionally, the following products obtained thanks to oatmeal can be distinguished:

• Steamed non-crushed cereals. This is the most useful option, as it is presented in the form of a whole grain. It contains a large amount of starch, but also many mucous components, which makes it very useful in a therapeutic diet. During cooking, cereals increase in volume by about 5 times, however, the cooking time is very long. In order to properly prepare the dish, you will need to simmer the cereal for two hours. In this regard, she is almost never chosen in everyday life.
• Flattened sanded. The grains are subjected to a double mechanical treatment, which reduces their fiber content. However, the nutritional value retains its performance, and the benefits of oatmeal are in no way inferior to the previous version. The main advantage of this cereal can be called a short cooking period - no more than 40 minutes. During this time, the dish acquires a grayish-yellow hue.
• Flakes. They are obtained after processing polished cereals. Depending on the intensity of processing, the grade of the finished product is determined. Flakes of the Hercules variety are the least subjected to flattening - due to the preservation of the structure, they do not lose their fiber volume. It takes about 20 minutes to cook. Variety "Extra" has several types that differ in size. Large ones are prepared from a whole kernel, and the smallest ones are made from small and chopped ones. Variety "Extra 3" can be prepared in just five minutes. However, their composition is not very useful. The smaller the grain becomes, the more its glycemic index increases, which carries extra calories into your body. If youwant to eat oatmeal for weight loss, it is best to choose a variety with large grains.

Purchasing Tips

It is better to buy oatmeal in plastic packaging, as during its storage, cereals are very quickly able to absorb moisture. Cardboard boxes do a poor job of protecting cereal from this. Coarse grind varieties are best suited for a he althy diet. It takes about 8 minutes to prepare them. Don't be tempted by instant oatmeal packets. This is not he althy food. Their calorie content, given the presence of sugar, is equivalent to a cake, while the absorption rate is the same.

The most useful dish will be according to this recipe: pour boiling water over oatmeal so that it brews under a tightly closed lid. As soon as the flakes inside swell, you can eat the dish.

Store oatmeal best at 8 to 10°C. At a higher temperature, sugar begins to form inside, which significantly affects the beneficial qualities of the product. Store oatmeal inside a glass container, tightly closed, inside the refrigerator.

Benefits of the dish

How to cook oatmeal so that it is he althy? According to nutritionists, it is very difficult to find more suitable food for a normal diet. The grains are almost entirely composed of coarse fibers. Some of them are insoluble, which means they will leave the body in their original form. And during their exit, they can pick up a lot of unnecessary components, such as fats. oatmeal promotescleansing the body of the harmful type of cholesterol. Slags, which may contain dangerous acids and toxic components, also go away.

Useful qualities of the dish:

• oats help lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots;
• helps improve thought processes and memory;
• improves body tone;
• improves blood clotting;
• helps regulate metabolism, which also affects the process of losing weight;
• positive effect on kidney function;
• slows down the possible development of osteoporosis;
• generally strengthens the body;
• beneficially affects the condition of hair, skin and nails due to the increased content of useful vitamins and trace elements;
• reduces gastric acidity;
• due to the presence of dietary fiber, it helps to cleanse the body, normalize digestive processes;
• stabilizes the functioning of the thyroid gland and liver;
• porridge has a low glycemic index (the dish gives the body useful carbohydrates that do not remain on the hips, but are consumed after a few hours, helping to maintain a feeling of satiety), which is why you should not pay attention to the calories of oatmeal.

Can porridge be harmful?

Of course, oatmeal is one of the most useful dishes, however, it also has its contraindications. The harm of oatmeal is manifested in the early feeding of a child under eight months old. It is undesirable to cook such porridge forcow's or goat's milk, because the young body is not yet able to fully cope with the breakdown of animal fat.

You should also consider the following risks:

• Gluten intolerance. Oatmeal is a product that contains gluten. It is this protein that creates the "gluten" that is so highly valued by people who experience difficulty in the digestive tract. However, with personal intolerance, it can cause inflammation in the intestines, which affects the deterioration of absorption of substances. This condition is called celiac disease. The tendency to such a disease, according to the analysis of experts, is present in one percent of the entire population of the planet.
• Impaired absorption of calcium and other trace elements. This problem may appear due to the enveloping qualities of the product. With reasonable use, however, porridge will not be harmful. Despite its benefits, porridge should not be abused. Consuming it three times a week will be more than enough.
• Increased calorie content. This point applies to all types of oatmeal and cereal, but in instant varieties it can be dangerous for the body. Such products give an instant release of calories, which stimulate the formation of adipose tissue. Such oatmeal will not help you lose weight, so do not use it in your diet.

Oatmeal recipes

The classic recipe says that you need to cook the cereal over low heat, stirring it constantly. You can cook the dish with water or milk. To enhance the beneficial qualities of porridge, youyou can add one spoonful of vegetable oil to the plate.

The he althiest method is simply steaming the cereal with hot water, or you can soak it in cold water or milk for several hours.

To steam a dish, you need to take the required amount of flakes and pour boiled water over them. The dishes are covered with a lid and infused for half an hour until the flakes become soft and swell.

To prepare cereal using the "cold method", you need to fill it with milk, kefir or liquid natural yogurt and leave to infuse overnight. In the morning they will become soft and swell, you just need to add your favorite ingredients to improve the taste of the dish. This method makes it possible to best preserve the beneficial qualities of oats.

Recipe for porridge with milk

Oatmeal with milk is the most common and familiar recipe in our time. This recipe will be a great solution for baby food. Here are the ingredients you need for oatmeal with milk:

• 2 cups of milk;
• 4 scoops of cereal;
• butter, sugar and s alt of your choice.

Start cooking:

• Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over low heat.
• Add sugar, s alt and wait until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Add oatmeal to the container, reduce the heat to the minimum state and continue to cook the porridge for 7 minutes, stirring the contents occasionally.
• Remove the porridge from the stove,add butter to it and wait for it to infuse for another 5 minutes.

Oatmeal porridge with milk obtained according to this recipe will not come out very thick. If you want to have a thicker dish, you need to take more cereal.

Whole grain porridge

The recipe for oatmeal with whole grain milk is considered one of the he althiest options for the dish. It is this version that contains the largest number of useful components, thanks to which we love and appreciate oatmeal so much. This dish takes a little longer to prepare than the standard version, but the result is an exceptionally nutritious and he althy meal.

Ingredients needed:

• a glass of whole grains;
• 400 milliliters of milk;
• 3 spoons of sugar;
• s alt and butter optional.

How to cook oatmeal:

• Rinse the cereal, fill it with water and let it brew for 5 hours.
• Next, rinse it again, place inside the pan, add 3 cups of cold water. Turn on a small fire and cook the dish for 40 minutes. After that, you can add milk, granulated sugar, a little s alt and continue to cook the dish until it thickens completely.
• Next, place the porridge inside a cauldron or clay pot, put it in a preheated oven and cook it for another hour.

The resulting porridge can be laid out on plates, adding a small piece of butter to each serving.

If you want, you can add some jam, dried fruits, condensed milk orother products at your own discretion.

On the water. Is it delicious?

Oatmeal with water is a recipe that has been used by mankind for many centuries. Such a breakfast is considered to be a classic not only in the UK, but also in our country. If you prefer to lead a he althy lifestyle, then this is the way to cook oatmeal for you.

This dish contains only 88 kcal per 100 grams of product.

What's in the dish?

Oatmeal contains components such as gluten, vitamins B1, B2, E, H and PP, as well as various mineral components such as calcium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and others. Dietary fiber is also found in large quantities in this dish, thanks to which it is possible to stabilize the digestive tract. These components act like a brush, which removes various unnecessary elements from the walls of the stomach. The consistency of porridge can be described as "jelly-like". Thanks to this, it envelops the intestines and helps prevent various inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract, and also helps with gastritis or stomach ulcers.

This oatmeal makes it possible to reduce the amount of "bad" cholesterol in the blood and affects the stabilization of the cardiovascular system. The dish is a source of natural protein, which is very quickly absorbed, and due to the presence of starch, it is distinguished by its increased nutritional value. The dish will energize you for a long time.

Is there any harm from porridge on the water?

As mentioned earlier, people who are allergic togluten, should not add this dish to your diet. Also, in rare cases, with a large consumption of oatmeal, phytic acid can accumulate in the body, which affects the decrease in beneficial enzymes.

Can I lose weight?

Oatmeal is often a staple in many diets and he althy ways of eating. Don't worry, if you make yourself such a dish for breakfast once a week, you will not start gaining extra pounds.

How is this dish prepared?

You need to take ¾ cup of cereal, pour it over two cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook porridge for ten minutes. You can also pour boiled water over oatmeal, heat the dish in the microwave in the morning and serve it to the table. You can simply soak the cereal in cold water, let it steep for 12 hours, then add berries or other ingredients and enjoy your breakfast. Oatmeal in a slow cooker is even easier to prepare, because you just need to add cereal, pour water and set the desired mode on the device.