Contents
The history of the appearance of oatmeal in nutrition
Oats are an annual plant that originated in Mongolia and northeast China. Entire fields of heat-loving spelt were grown there, and wild oats began to litter its crops. But they did not try to fight him, because they immediately noticed his excellent feeding properties. Gradually, oats moved northward and replaced more heat-loving crops. He is very unpretentious, and in Our Country they said about him: “oats will sprout even through a bast shoe.”
Oatmeal was crushed, flattened, ground into oatmeal, and many peoples ate it in this form. Oatmeal, kissels, thick soups and oat cakes are especially common in Scotland, Scandinavia, Latvia, among s and Belarusians.
Composition and calorie content
| Calorie content per 100 g (porridge on water) | 88 kcal |
| Proteins | 3 g |
| Fats | 1,7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
Benefits of oatmeal
Oatmeal is rich in beta-glucans, a soluble dietary fiber. They allow you to feel full longer, slowly giving up energy during digestion. Beta-glucans help lower bad cholesterol levels. In the intestines, when dissolved, the fibers form a viscous mixture, which binds cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed.
According to studies, consumption of 3 grams of soluble oat fiber reduces cholesterol levels by up to 20%. That’s how much fiber is in a bowl of oatmeal. Fiber, which is abundant in the shell of grains, helps to reduce blood sugar levels. Thus, oatmeal is extremely useful for the elderly, as well as people with diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Oatmeal is also good for the gastrointestinal tract. It has the ability to protect the mucosa, enveloping it. Also, oatmeal, due to insoluble fiber, stimulates intestinal motility, removes toxins.
There are many vitamins in oatmeal: tocopherol, niacin, B vitamins; as well as various trace elements: silicon, iodine, potassium, cobalt, phosphorus and others.
– It contains a large amount of proteins, which improves the condition of muscle mass. Choline has a positive effect on liver function. Oatmeal is indispensable for the pathology of the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, liver. Gastroenterologist Liliya Uzilevskaya.
All this makes oatmeal an ideal breakfast, satiating and giving energy for many hours. At the same time, the stomach is not overloaded unnecessarily, because oatmeal is easily digested.
Harm of oatmeal
– Those who daily consume large amounts of cereals, legumes, nuts should remember that the body may develop a deficiency of certain trace elements. This is due to the ability of phytates to bind cations of iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and they are poorly absorbed. Phytic acid is also present in oatmeal. Although its positive properties are also discussed, it is still not worth eating oatmeal for a long time, and even more so daily for those who suffer from a violation of mineral metabolism (for example, with osteoporosis). It is also harmful for anemia and in childhood.
You can reduce the content of phytic acid by soaking the cereal for at least 7 hours or overnight and adding an acidic environment, for example, yogurt, lemon juice in the amount of a couple of tablespoons, – says dietitian Inna Zaikina.
Eating oatmeal 2-3 times a week will be sufficient. But it is necessary to exclude it from your diet for people with gluten intolerance.
The use of oatmeal in medicine
In nutrition for many diseases, it is coarse grains of oats that are used: crushed or flattened. They retain all the nutrients, fiber, as well as their glycemic index is lower. Therefore, whole grains of oats can be eaten with diabetes. Quick-cooked oatmeal will not bring benefits – they have a lot of sugar, the glycemic index is much higher, and the useful is almost not preserved.
On the basis of oats, medicated kissels, liquid porridges on water are cooked. They envelop the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, stimulate digestion. It is useful for ulcers, gastritis, constipation. Oatmeal inhibits the disease, does not allow it to worsen. It has been used to feed the sick for decades.
It also reduces the risk of bowel cancer, which is much higher with stagnation of feces, that is, constipation. Regular emptying, which is promoted by oatmeal, reduces the risk of oncology.
The use of oatmeal in cooking
Oatmeal is loved by many, although it is usually prepared simply: boiled with milk. But there are many interesting recipes for oatmeal, some of them even simpler and healthier than the usual cooking.
Oatmeal with kefir and honey
A healthy breakfast that allows you not to bother with cooking porridge, but just mix the ingredients. This method allows you to save a maximum of useful substances, as well as reduce the amount of phytic acid, which is controversial in its effect on the body. Instead of kefir, you can use fermented baked milk, yogurt, yogurt. Add your favorite nuts or seeds
| Oat flakes “Hercules” | 150 g |
| Kefir | 300 ml |
| Honey | to taste |
| Orange (or apple) | 1 piece. |
Pour long-cooked oatmeal with kefir – you may need a little more or less. Add liquid honey, mix.
Peel the orange, cut into cubes and add to the oats. Arrange the porridge in portioned containers, you can put an orange on top or mix everything. You can use jars, molds, bowls.
Put it in the fridge overnight and in the morning you can enjoy a ready-made breakfast.
Caramel oatmeal
A simple porridge with a pleasant caramel flavor. Serve well with sliced banana and almonds
| Milk | 300 ml |
| Oat flakes | 30 g |
| Powdered sugar | 50 g |
| Salt, butter | to taste |
Take a saucepan with a thick bottom, mix all the cereal and powdered sugar in it. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar caramelizes. A characteristic smell of burnt sugar will appear, the flakes will become darker.
Then pour the oats with warmed milk, mix, add salt and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Add butter before serving.
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How to choose and store oatmeal
Oats are sold in different varieties. Most useful in the form of whole grains. This porridge is very tasty, but it is difficult to cook it – you need to soak it in water and cook for an hour.
Therefore, there is a more convenient option – crushed oatmeal, which is cooked for only 30-40 minutes. Even easier to cook “hercules” – flattened grains of oats, about 20 minutes. They can be simply soaked and eaten without heat treatment, as well as added to pastries.
The main benefit of oatmeal is in the shell of the grains. Quick-cooking cereals, which are ready 3 minutes after pouring boiling water, are deprived of almost all the benefits. In them, the grains are processed and peeled to cook faster. Sweeteners, flavorings are added to these cereals, oatmeal turns out to be very high-calorie and “empty”. Very quickly you will feel hungry again. Therefore, it is better to choose the oats that cook for as long as possible.
Pay attention to the packaging – in the composition, apart from oats, there should be nothing at all. If the package is transparent, look for pests among the grains.
Dry oats are stored in airtight glass and ceramic containers, in a dry place. Once cooked, oatmeal will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.