Porridge is a healthy, nutritious way to start the day. However, there is much debate about which oats are the best to use and which cooking method is healthiest. There are many varieties of porridge oats, including rolled, quick and instant.
The Bottom Line
Oatmeal's high fiber content and prebiotic qualities may benefit your body in more ways than one. Making oatmeal a regular part of your menu can potentially lower your disease risk, help your gut health thrive, make bowel movements easier and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Is porridge better with milk or water? Porridge can be made with milk or water, it just depends on what you prefer. Using water will lower the calories in the dish, while milk will make it creamier. We like to use both for the perfect consistency and taste.
Almonds, banana or black raisins: This is what you should eat on an empty stomach. Rujuta's guideline 1 - "Start your day either with a banana or black raisins or almonds." What to eat? Rujuta says that after waking up in the morning, you can drink a glass of normal water.
Whichever porridge you choose, make it with low-fat milk or water to keep the calories down and minimise saturated fat, especially if you are trying to lower your cholesterol levels. Don't add salt, as an excess intake can raise your blood pressure over time, and avoid adding sugar, syrup or honey.
Eating porridge for breakfast is a simple, convenient way to fuel your body for the day ahead. This popular dish is loaded with fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus and complex carbs that provide steady energy. Oats, for example, have a low glycemic index and pack a hefty nutritional punch.
How much oatmeal should I eat a day? Half a cup of dry oats is the standard serving size for oatmeal. However, you could eat up to one cup of dry oats if your caloric intake is above 2500 calories per day. Especially when it's cold outside, oatmeal is a very popular hot breakfast item.
Porridge also has the advantage of containing soluble fibre, which supports good gut and heart health. Now, if we compare this to two slices of wholegrain toast, we're also looking at around 30g of carbohydrates. This is elevated if you choose a bagel, which provides around 50g.
The Verdict. In this scenario, eggs on toast is the breakfast winner due to their protein and complex carb double whammy - it's especially good if you're trying to keep yourself full till lunch. Don't ditch the porridge straight away though, add some greek yoghurt, nut butter and/or seeds for an added protein punch.
Are Weetabix good for Losing Weight? If you're trying to lose a little bit of belly fat, Weetabix could be a good way to start the day. They are low in sugar and fat, yet high in energy, and will keep you full for longer.
Because of its antioxidant, satiating, immune-activating nutrients, porridge is an optimal base for a healthy breakfast or dinner. Porridge is rich in complex carbohydrates, which are digested comparatively slow by the human organism.
Oats are a good natural source of melatonin, which is often taken as a sleep aid due to its ability to help regulate the body's internal clock. They are also another good source of tryptophan, especially when combined with milk.
Porridge made from rolled oats, steel cut oats etc. is much better for you. Oats are a whole grain and have many proven health benefits. Be careful to avoid 'instant oats', and products with added ingredients such as sugars etc.
In order to lose weight, you should consume around 250 grams of oats a day. One portion of oatmeal contains 40-50 grams, so if you are on an oat diet you should eat about 5 portions a day.
Owsianka, an east European (Russia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine) traditional breakfast made with hot milk, oats and sometimes with sugar and butter. Porridge made from rolled oats or ground oatmeal is common in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Finland and Scandinavia.
Superfood oats – the secret ingredient in porridge
Oat flakes are easily digestible and have a positive influence on our intestinal flora. Oats also contain important nutrients such as the vitamins B1 and B6, as well as zinc, iron and magnesium. Oats are therefore a real superfood when it comes to nutrients.
Milk is rich in fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that complements the nutrients in oats. Thus oats cooked in milk have benefits over oats cooked in water. Milk has fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that is normally absent in processed oats. Apart from adding a flavour, it also helps in keeping your muscles and bones healthy.
But the main difference between porridge and oatmeal is that porridge is made with a variety of whole grains, cereal or legumes, and oatmeal is made with oats (either rolled, flattened or ground).
Now that you better understand the difference between porridge and oatmeal, you can decide which dish best suits your lifestyle. Though porridge may offer a wider variety of flavor options, oatmeal is loaded with nutritious and filling ingredients that make it an excellent morning meal.
A mix of fiber-rich carbs, protein and healthy fats are the goal – make sure all macros are represented! Protein at the morning meal is typically the hardest macro box to check, but eggs, low fat dairy, peanut butter and nuts and seeds can all help you get in that hunger-fighting protein.