As we head into autumn/winter, you’ll need a hearty and sustaining breakfast to keep you going through the dark, chilly mornings!
So, to mark World Porridge Day we’ve put together some porridge and oat-related facts along with a few recipe links – all in one handy post!
First of all, let’s look at the numerous benefits of the key ingredient in porridge – oats:
- Oats provide plenty of fibre which can help to slow digestion, increase fullness, and suppress appetite. 1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6352252/
- The high content of beta-glucan, a soluble fibre in oats, can prevent and treat constipation by helping to keep stools soft.2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4891216/
- Oat beta-glucan provides fuel for the good bacteria in the gut, increasing the abundance of beneficial strains such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Roseburia, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. 3https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/16/3534
- When consumed regularly, beta-glucans may help lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, and support healthy blood pressure. 4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6722849/
- Unrefined oats, can be helpful for maintaining stable blood glucose levels throughout the morning. 5https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/soluble-fibre
- As well as complex carbs and fibre, oats contain a good balance of essential amino acids, making them a valuable source of protein. 6https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325078/
- Oats are highly nutritious, being a great source of antioxidants, vitamin E, folate, zinc, iron, selenium, copper, manganese, magnesium and B vitamins. 7https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325078/
- Porridge is easy to make and you can even prepare it the night before.
- It’s also versatile – you can make porridge with regular oats, gluten-free oats or buckwheat, millet or chia seeds.
If you love plain traditional porridge, that’s great, but if you’re looking for a bit more flavour and/or natural sweetness then here are some recipes that might take your fancy –
Banana & date buckwheat porridge
Chocolate Collagen overnight oats
Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.
References
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