The fact that porridge is healthy for breakfast has long been no secret. The trendy breakfast doesn't just look good on Instagram pictures; it 's also good for your body .
We took a closer look at the porridge , also called oatmeal. You can find out which important nutrients you will find in the delicious oat breakfast and how they work in your body here:
Does oatmeal contain a lot of carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates should be a fixed component of a balanced diet and are considered to be the primary source of energy in the diet. Porridge consists mainly of small ground oatmeal , which predominantly contains long-chain carbohydrates (polysaccharides or multiple sugars).
These provide the body with longer energy compared to other carbohydrates (single and double sugars), which are contained, for example, in white bread. This can be explained as follows: Long-chain carbohydrates are only gradually converted into sugar during the digestive process and constantly release new energy into the body.
This will keep you full for longer, and your blood sugar level will only rise slowly . A sharp rise in blood sugar levels is mainly responsible for the rapid storage of fats.
Does porridge provide a lot of fiber?
Porridge contains a particularly high amount of fiber. The high fiber content ensures that you stay full for a particularly long time after breakfast . Fiber is mainly found in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables (soluble fiber) or grains and legumes (insoluble fiber). According to nutritionists, the daily requirement is around 30 grams.
Fiber stimulates your digestion and helps relieve constipation. A high-fiber diet can effectively prevent digestive problems. However, remember to drink enough if you are eating fiber because they need enough liquid to swell. The intestinal movement is only stimulated by swelling.
The fiber contained in oats has an additional advantage: the so-called beta-glucans have been shown to contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels and can even reduce them from 3g per day. Beta-glucans also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Protein – is porridge a good protein supplier?
Porridge contains around 10g of protein per 100g and is therefore a real protein supplier. Oat bran even contains 17g of protein per 100g. Protein is not only an important nutrient for muscle building and metabolism – without proteins, we would not be able to survive. Our body needs the amino acids formed by protein for vital processes in our body.
In addition to building muscle, proteins are involved in the maintenance of our organs, bones, skin, hair, and nails . They are also part of cells, hormones, and enzymes. Even our immune system cannot function properly without proteins.
Proteins are often associated with animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and cheese. But there are also plenty of vegetable protein sources such as beans, lentils, peas, nuts, seeds, and cereals.
What about fats in the oatmeal?
When you think of fat, words like “unhealthy” or “gaining weight” usually come to mind. Fat is one of the most important nutritional components. We need fats to absorb important vitamins and store energy for cell growth. In addition, fat protects our organs such as the liver, kidney, and brain like an internal cushion.
However, you should make sure that a large part of the fat in the diet consists of unsaturated fatty acids . This is because the human body cannot produce it itself. For a balanced diet, the body needs around 65g of fat at 2000 kcal, whereby only one-third should consist of saturated fatty acids.
100g of porridge contains about 10g of fat. The fats in oats consist of almost 80% unsaturated fatty acids and thus contribute to a healthy diet. Unsaturated fatty acids can also be found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, for example.
Oatmeal contains many vitamins
The oatmeal in porridge also contains some important vitamins and minerals. For example, oats are rich in vitamin B1, vitamin K, vitamin E, and biotin.
- Vitamin B1 or thiamine essentially contributes to the utilization of carbohydrates and energy intake. Basically, the body needs more vitamin B1 than it can store. It must therefore be consumed regularly through food.
- Vitamin K is important for cell growth and bone formation. It also plays an important role in blood clotting.
- Biotin or vitamin B7 is known for its rejuvenating effect. The vitamin has a positive effect on skin, hair, and nails.
- Vitamin E is important for our immune system and helps prevent cell damage.
Minerals in porridge
Our body depends on us to absorb minerals through our food, as it cannot produce them itself. Porridge or oats contain many of these important substances such as iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc . All of these minerals help our bodies stay healthy.
Iron is primarily important for the transport and storage of oxygen in the body. Calcium contributes to bone health. It is also important for the work of the heart, lungs, and kidneys. We need magnesium for normal muscle function. And zinc promotes cell growth and wound healing.
Want to learn more about why oatmeal is healthy in the morning? Then we recommend our post "Porridge is really that healthy" .
