Make sure that you are rinsing them well. People tend to skip this step, but from my personal experience, I find rinsing them well omits this. It also helps in washing away the sticky starch that can make oats gummy.
Don't I have to rinse the oats? It makes sense that if you're soaking oats to rid them of phytic acid, you would need to discard the soaking water; however, this process is enzymatic. That means the phytic acid is deactivated (to some degree) and you do not need to discard the soaking water.
Put water and dish soap in the bowl and microwave for a minute or two. It loosens everything right up. Helps if you use a dish brush too. For someone who eats oatmeal almost every morning and leaves the bowl around for 30min to harden this works wonders.
Heating or cooking the oats reduces the phytic acid to some extent but it also kills off the phytase.
Because of the high phytate content of cereal porridges, iron absorption of native iron and fortification iron may be very low (6). Absorption can be increased by the addition of ascorbic acid (4, 6–8), by the addition of EDTA (9), and by the degradation or removal of phytic acid (10).
Phytates (phytic acid) in whole grains, seeds, legumes, some nuts—can decrease the absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. [2,3] Saponins in legumes, whole grains—can interfere with normal nutrient absorption.
If you soak your oats overnight at room temperature (do not put them in the fridge!) between 7-15hrs it allows the natural enzymes and other helpful organisms to begin fermenting the grain and this will neutralise a large portion of the phytic acid.
Too much milk will make your oatmeal porridge stickier and thicker. No milk at all and your porridge will lack that creamy taste. Of course, you don't have to use milk at all if you don't want to. Water or milk alternatives are fine but your porridge won't be as creamy just won't get that creamy texture.
The healthiest way to eat oatmeal is cooked in milk with fresh fruit on top. The milk helps add extra protein and makes the oats creamy. The fruits add a delicious sweetness! You can also use almond milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.
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.
By soaking your oats you neutralize the phytic acid. This soaking allows the beneficial enzymes to work and increases the number of vitamins and minerals present that your body will absorb. On the plus side, the process of rolling oats removes at least part of the bran, where a large portion of the phytic acid resides.
Cover the oats and soak them in the fridge for 12 hours.
Allow your oats to soak for at least twelve hours before serving. The longer your oats can soak, the more flavor they will absorb. Avoid keeping prepared oatmeal in the fridge for any longer than 5-7 days.
Heat the water (for example in a kettle). Put the oatmeal in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Pour the boiling water into the bowl. Stir the porridge well until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Just like legumes, oats contain phytic acid. Phytic acid binds minerals to itself, which in turn inhibits our body from absorbing nutrients. When oats are soaked, the phytase enzymes are released which help break down the phytic acid. You can achieve the same effect by roasting oats briefly.
Soaking the oats in liquid for a minimum of 12 hours helps to expel the phytic acid from the oats. Draining and rinsing will wash away the most, however that will also take some of the essential nutrients along with it.
An important thing so many people forget is salt. It adds depth to the porridge and will bring out the sweetness of any toppings – so add a pinch of the stuff as it's coming to the boil and mix it all around.
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).
Phytic acid can be neutralized in as little as 7 hours when soaked in water with the addition of a small amount of an acidic medium such as vinegar or lemon juice. Soaking also helps to break down gluten, a hard-to-digest protein found in grains such as wheat, spelt, rye and barley.
Fermentation and bread leavening (using yeast) can help to break down phytic acid due to the activation of native phytase enzymes, reducing the number of phosphate groups.
It's highly recommended that you use a probiotic-rich liquid like whey (the liquid on top of your plain yogurt), buttermilk, whole-milk plain yogurt, whole-milk kefir, coconut kefir, when soaking your oats. This helps break down the phytic acid the most (and it also inhibits any harmful bacteria from growing).
✅Mineral deficiencies that may be caused by phytic acid in high plant matter diets are rarely a concern for those who also consume a diet that is balanced & high in digestive enzymes, probiotics & animal proteins (diary, meat, eggs.) Animal based foods don't have phytic acids.
Coffee beans contain a modest amount of this kind of acid along with a range of other acids but grains and beans are the main source of this acid. Phytic acid is broken down by a corresponding enzyme, phytase, which releases phosphorus and can support a range of healthy processes in the body.