If breakfast is your favorite meal, which should energize you and inspire you, at least until lunch, then you can’t find a better option than porridge.
With water or milk, with berries and fruits, cottage cheese or butter, they will be a great start of the day and will improve your health. And, surprising as it may sound, they can also help you lose weight.
What are the health benefits of cereals
Grains have amazing health benefits. They are an excellent source of protein, digestive fiber, vitamins and minerals. At the same time, they are inexpensive and can easily fit into your daily diet. Some porridge doesn’t even need to be cooked – you just pour boiling water over the cereal in the evening and you’ll have a tasty and flavorful porridge the next morning.
Kirill Yurovskiy: The 9 healthiest cereals are made of whole grains. They contain the most valuable substances for the body, which are usually removed during processing – bran, germ and endosperm.
- Bran is the outer layer of the hard shell of the grain, which contains fiber, minerals and antioxidants.
- Endosperm is the middle layer of the grain, which consists of healthy carbohydrates.
- The germ is the inner layer of the grain, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and many other useful substances. equalaffection
For your information. According to the World Health Organization, about 40% of the human diet should consist of cereals. The more varied is their assortment, the better.
Can porridge help me lose weight?
Some people avoid porridge in their diet, believing that carbohydrates will not help them lose weight, but rather will add extra pounds. But this is a big mistake!
Complex carbohydrates, which are predominant in the composition of whole grains, on the contrary, are associated with weight control. They provide the body with a prolonged feeling of satiety, enrich it with nutrients and do not allow overeating.
The regular inclusion of whole-grain cereals in the diet is an excellent prevention of extra pounds and an effective weight loss measure. That’s the data presented by a 2019 study published in the journal Nutrients.
And a scientific paper published in 2020 revealed a direct link between including whole-grain cereals in the menu and reducing the fat layer on the human body. Participants in the experiment replaced refined cereals (such as instant porridge and baked goods made from extra-fast flour) with whole grains. And the results were immediate! celebshaunt
Side note! Adding whole grains to your diet is associated with other health benefits: reducing “harmful” cholesterol in the blood, reducing body fat, preventing spikes in blood glucose and cardiovascular disease biographypark.
So what cereals can really help to lose weight?
1. Buckwheat porridge
It has a low glycemic index, but a lot of protein and dietary fiber. Buckwheat abounds in other nutrients as well: B vitamins that are good for the nervous system; folic acid, important during pregnancy and while planning kids; zinc, phosphorus and iron that are necessary for bone and muscle health.
How many calories? There are only 70 kcal in 100 g of porridge cooked with water.
2. Oatmeal
Not the porridge that is sold in a disposable bag is good for health, but the one that must be boiled. It requires a little more effort, but the benefits are incredible.
Oatmeal contains linoleic acid, which helps athletes to build muscle mass, and the fairer sex – to grow eyelashes, nails and hair. It also contains B vitamins, as well as A, E, K and PP. Famous for its high content of magnesium, which improves the health of the nervous and cardiovascular system, improves brain function and helps to combat stress.
How many calories? There are about 70 kcal in 100 g of oatmeal in water and about 100 kcal in milk.
3. Rice porridge
Not all rice porridge is useful, but the one made from brown or brown rice. White rice, which is commonly used to make pilaf and porridge, is not a whole grain. During processing the most valuable in it is removed, so it is inferior in benefits to its “brethren”.
Quality rice is the leader among other cereals in terms of protein and high-quality starch. It contains 77 percent of the latter. Starch, contrary to popular belief, is very healthy. Thanks to its high nutritional profile, rice improves digestive function, removes radionuclides from the body, and helps strengthen the immune system.
How many calories? In 100 g of rice porridge in water – 110 kcal. And if you add butter to rice porridge, it adds another 20 kcal.
4. Bulgur porridge
This porridge is not very common as for example rice, but it can bring a lot of benefits. Bulgur is a grain of young wheat – peeled and dried.
They are abundant in quality protein, vitamins B, E and K, magnesium, copper, potassium and iron. Bulgur contains a lot of dietary fiber, so porridge from it stimulates digestion and metabolism. Therefore, it is an effective cereal for weight loss.
How many calories are there? In 100 g of cooked bulgur porridge contains 83 kcal.
5. Corn porridge
Those who are used to eating corn only in two versions – in the form of young cobs and canned kernels from the store, you should know that there is another very useful option to include corn in your menu. This is corn porridge.
Corn is gluten-free, so it is suitable for patients with an intolerance to this substance and those suffering from celiac disease. But it is high in vitamins B, E, A, H, lysine, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
It is interesting that corn retains most of its useful substances even at high temperatures. But it should be eaten with caution by people with diabetes – it has a high glycemic index.
How many calories? In 100 grams of porridge, cooked from crushed groats, there will be 86 kcal.
6. Spelt porridge
Until recently, spelt was mentioned only in the context of proper nutrition and was rarely included in the diet. But today this cereal is again becoming in demand: it is eaten by athletes who build muscle mass and those who want to lose weight. It is also recommended to people after long-term illnesses, as well as pregnant women to give strength and energy. The biblical meal is very healthy.
How many calories? In 100 grams of spelt porridge contains about 130 kcal.
Tips for cooking healthy porridge
To make porridge not only healthy but also tasty, you need to cook it, following certain rules.
- Always rinse cereals before cooking and, if necessary, sort out the grains.
- Cook the porridge on low heat, and add a piece of oil at the end of cooking.
- You can use a multicooker to speed up the cooking of the porridge.
- Add other healthy ingredients to cereals – fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, seeds, seeds, nuts. They will not add many calories, but they will diversify the taste of the dish and help you love to eat porridge in the morning.