Oatmeal is a favorite dish of many people, which is great for a full and healthy breakfast. There are many different recipes for how to cook the dish. Some of the presented methods will certainly be useful to you.
How did oatmeal appear?
The homeland of oatmeal is called Mongolia, as well as the north-eastern 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.
On the territory of our country, oats began to be used for a very long time, and at the beginning of the XII century, cultural traditions regarding oatmeal began to take shape.
What you need to know about this grits?
The modern development of the food industry presents a large number of products that are based on oatmeal. It is worth noting that not all of them differ in the same benefit. Conventionally, the following products can be distinguished, obtained thanks to oatmeal:
- Steamed uncrushed groats. This is the most useful option, as it is presented in the form of whole grains. It contains a large amount of starch, but also a lot of mucous components, which makes it very useful for a therapeutic diet. During cooking, the cereal increases in its volumes 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, in everyday life, she almost never gets out.
- Flattened polished. Grains are subjected to double mechanical treatment, which reduces fiber in their content. However, the nutritional value retains its indicators, and the benefits of oatmeal are in no way inferior to the previous option. The main advantage of this cereal can be called a short cooking period - no more than 40 minutes. During this time, the dish gets a grayish yellow tint.
- Flakes. They are obtained after processing polished cereals. Depending on the intensity of processing, the grade of the finished product is determined. The flakes of the Hercules variety are least subjected to crushing - due to the preservation of the structure, they do not lose fiber volume. It takes about 20 minutes to cook. The Extra grade has several types which differ in their sizes. Large ones are made from a whole core, and the smallest - from small and cut. Extra 3 can be prepared in just five minutes. Nevertheless, their composition is not very useful. The smaller the grain becomes, the more its glycemic index rises, which brings extra calories to your body. If you want to eat oatmeal for weight loss, it is best to choose a variety with large grains.
Buying Tips
It is better to buy oatmeal in plastic packaging, since during its storage the cereal is very capable of absorbing moisture. Cardboard boxes do not help protect the cereal from this. Coarse grades are best suited for a healthy diet. To prepare them, you need to spend about 8 minutes. Do not be tempted to packs with oatmeal for quick cooking. This is not healthy food. Their caloric value, 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 oatmeal with boiling water so that they are infused under a tightly closed lid. As soon as the flakes inside are swollen, you can eat the dish.
It is best to store oatmeal at a temperature of 8 to 10 ° C. At a higher temperature, sugar begins to form inside, which significantly affects the useful qualities of the product. Store oatmeal inside a glass container, tightly closing it, inside the refrigerator.
The benefits of the dish
How to cook oatmeal so that it is healthy? According to nutritionists, it’s very difficult to find more suitable food for a healthy diet. Grains are almost entirely composed of coarse fibers. Some of them are insoluble, which means that they will leave the body in its original form. And during their release, they can pick up a lot of unnecessary components, such as fats. Oatmeal helps cleanse the body of the harmful type of cholesterol. Slag, which may contain hazardous acids and toxic components, also goes away.
Useful qualities of the dish:
- oats help lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots;
- contributes to the improvement of mental processes and memory;
- improves the tone of the body;
- improves blood coagulation rate;
- helps regulate the metabolism, which also affects the process of losing weight;
- positively affects the work of the kidneys;
- slows down the possible development of osteoporosis;
- generally strengthens the body;
- beneficial effect on the condition of hair, skin and nails due to the increased content of useful vitamins and minerals;
- lowers the acidity of gastric juice;
- thanks to the presence of dietary fiber helps to cleanse the body, normalize digestive processes;
- stabilizes the thyroid gland and liver;
- porridge is characterized by a low glycemic index (a dish gives the body healthy carbohydrates that do not remain on the hips, but are consumed after a few hours, helping to maintain a feeling of fullness), which is why you should not pay attention to calories of oatmeal.
Can there be harm from porridge?
Of course, oatmeal is one of the most useful dishes, however, it also has its own contraindications. The harm of oatmeal manifests itself in the early feeding of a child younger than eight months. It is undesirable to cook such porridge in cow or goat milk, because the young body has not yet fully coped with the breakdown of animal fat.
It is also worth considering the following risks:
- Gluten intolerance. Oatmeal is a product that incorporates gluten. It is this protein that creates the “gluten” that is so highly valued by people who have difficulty in the digestive tract. However, with personal intolerance, it can cause inflammation in the intestine, which affects the deterioration of the absorption of substances. This condition is called celiac disease. According to expert analysis, one percent of the entire population of the planet has a tendency to such a disease.
- Violations of the absorption of calcium and other trace elements. This problem may appear due to the enveloping qualities of the product. When used wisely, however, porridge will not be harmful. Despite its benefits, porridge should not be abused. To use it three times a week will be more than enough.
- Increased calorie content. This moment applies to all types of oatmeal and cereal, but in quick-cooking varieties this can be dangerous for the body. These foods give you instant calories, which stimulate the formation of fatty tissue. Such oatmeal will not help to lose weight, so do not use it in your diet.
Oatmeal Recipes
The classic recipe says that you need to cook cereal over low heat, constantly stirring it. You can cook the dish in water or milk. To enhance the beneficial qualities of porridge, you can add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the plate.
The most useful method is simply steaming the flakes with hot water, you can also soak them in cold water or milk for several hours.
To steal the dish, you need to take the required number of flakes and pour them with boiled water. The dishes are covered with a lid and infused for half an hour, until the flakes become soft and swell.
To prepare the flakes “cold method”, you need to fill them with milk, kefir or liquid natural yogurt and put to insist on the night. The next 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 maintain the beneficial qualities of oats.
Milk porridge recipe
Oatmeal in milk is the most common and familiar recipe in our time. This recipe will be a great solution for baby food. Here are the components you need for oatmeal in milk:
- 2 cups of milk;
- 4 tablespoons of cereal;
- butter, sugar and salt at its sole discretion.
Getting started:
- Milk should be poured into a saucepan and over low heat bring it to a boil.
- Add sugar, salt and wait until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add oatmeal to the bowl, reduce heat to a minimum and continue cooking porridge for 7 minutes, stirring the contents periodically.
- We remove the porridge from the stove, add butter to it and wait until it is infused for another 5 minutes.
Oatmeal in milk obtained according to this recipe will not be very thick. If you want a thicker dish, you need to take more cereal.
Whole cereal porridge
A recipe for oatmeal in whole grain milk is considered one of the most useful dish options. It is this version that contains the largest number of useful components, thanks to which we love and value oatmeal so much. To prepare such a dish, you need a little more time than for the standard version, but the result is extremely nutritious and healthy food.
What ingredients will be needed:
- a glass of whole cereal;
- 400 milliliters of milk;
- 3 tablespoons of sugar;
- salt and butter optional.
How to cook oatmeal:
- Rinse the cereal, fill it with water and let it brew for 5 hours.
- Then rinse it again, place it inside the pan, add 3 cups of cold water. Turn on a small fire and cook for 40 minutes. After that you can add milk, granulated sugar, a little salt and continue to cook the dish until it is completely thickened.
- Next, place the porridge inside the 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 or other products to your porridge at your own discretion.
On the water. Is it tasty?
Oatmeal on water is a recipe that has been used by mankind for many centuries. This breakfast is considered to be classic not only in the UK, but also in our country. If you prefer to lead a healthy lifestyle, then this is the method of cooking oatmeal that will be most useful to you.
Such a dish contains only 88 kcal per 100 grams of product.
What is included in the dish?
Oatmeal contains such components 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, due 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 inflammation of the digestive tract, and also helps with gastritis or stomach ulcers.
Such 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 absorbed very quickly, 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 in the water?
As mentioned earlier, people who are allergic to gluten should not add this dish to their diet. Also, in rare cases, with a large use of oatmeal, phytic acid can accumulate in the body , which affects the reduction of beneficial enzymes.
Is it possible to lose weight?
Oatmeal is often part of many diets and healthy eating habits. Do not worry, if once a week you make yourself such a dish for breakfast, you will not start to gain extra pounds.
How is such a dish prepared?
You need to take ¾ cup of cereal, pour them in two glasses of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook porridge for ten minutes. You can also pour oatmeal with boiled water, warm the dish in the microwave in the morning and serve. You can just pour the flakes with cold water, let them brew for 12 hours, then add berries or other ingredients and enjoy 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.