Foods made from oats and whole grains are the basis for a healthy, child-appropriate diet and are therefore the basis for a healthy breakfast for children. They contain essential, health-promoting vitamins, minerals, proteins, fiber and unsaturated fatty acids. Thanks to its high-quality nutrients, oats occupy a special position among healthy grains.
Oat flakes, which are the basis for muesli, muesli bars and porridge, are obtained from the seeds or grains of the oats.
The oat seeds hang very characteristically on so-called panicles of the plant stem, which makes oats stand out visually compared to wheat and other common types of grain.
Find out what else oats can do and why they are healthy for children in this article!
Healthy breakfast with oats for children
What do oats and oat flakes really offer children?
Oats and oat flakes are rich in strengthening, anti-inflammatory vitamins. The main components of oats are vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E, as well as iron, calcium, potassium, biotin, folic acid and magnesium. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, proteins and complex carbohydrates complete the composition of oats.
The ingredients of oats keep children full for a long time, prevent cravings and increase the concentration of the little ones. At the same time, oats refuel the body's nutrient and energy stores and stop inflammation. They promote the regeneration of the body and stimulate blood formation. In addition, the vitamins fuel the body's own growth processes and sharpen attention.
Oats make children smarter, healthier and fitter. As a source of valuable minerals, the grain improves the transport of nutrients and oxygen through the bloodstream. Thanks to its calcium content, oats also strengthen bones and teeth. Dietary fiber stimulates intestinal activity and promotes detoxification of the body.
Unsaturated fatty acids slow down inflammation and help the body to utilize fat-soluble vitamins. The mix of proteins and complex carbohydrates balances blood sugar levels. Regularly consuming oats is a weapon against restlessness, stress, nutrient deficiencies and concentration problems.
Because of their low glycemic index, oat-based foods prevent cravings and are ideal for keeping you full. If you're clever, you'll incorporate whole grains and oats into your children's diet. For children in particular, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the most important source of energy.
Children have only small reserves of glycogen, the storage form for glucose, in their liver and muscles in the morning. It is therefore particularly important that they replenish the energy stores that have been depleted overnight. A balanced breakfast with complex carbohydrates and a low sugar content is the ideal way to prepare the little ones for an energetic day.
Whole grain for smart and healthy children?
The soluble fiber contained in oats boosts digestion and binds fluids. The food components trigger a lasting feeling of satiety and serve to generate energy. In addition, they neutralize toxins in the body and promote a healthy intestinal flora that boosts the immune system. The mix of cell-protecting, regenerating vitamins and minerals activates processes in the body that are responsible for regeneration and repair.
The health-promoting nutrients also improve the exchange of information and nutrients between the individual cells. This process sharpens concentration and increases performance. In addition, the unsaturated fatty acids counteract inflammatory reactions that trigger cell damage and promote the development of various diseases. Essential fats regulate blood pressure and are the basic building blocks of cell walls. The proteins found in whole grain stimulate muscle growth and are the basic building blocks of organs, cells and blood.
Whole grain is rich in healthy ingredients that positively influence children's physical development and performance. Cereals in children's nutrition and pseudograins are also a source of valuable active ingredients that fight inflammation and boost the immune system. Children who regularly eat food made from cereals and pseudograins have a higher performance curve, i.e. an increase in attention and concentration.
Whole grain versus white flour – the comparison:
Unlike whole grain, white flour contains only the inside of the grain and is therefore low in nutrients. White flour consists mainly of simple carbohydrates, which the body quickly converts into energy. As a result, blood sugar levels skyrocket, triggering cravings and hunger. In contrast to whole grain, white flour has many empty calories. Accordingly, foods made from white flour are considered to be relatively low in nutrients.
In direct comparison to whole grain products, the consumption of white flour is not associated with any high health value. If you want to provide your children with high-quality food, you should definitely include whole grain in their diet. In this way, you trigger complex processes in your child's body that are associated with a wide range of positive effects. However, for many children, wholegrain products are not on their wish list.
For children to enjoy breakfast without protest and persuasion, they have to like the breakfast. At the same time, it should be healthy and balanced. Is this balancing act possible?
However, this was precisely our aim at VERIVAL when we decided to develop high-quality children's products. “All parents know that ‘healthy’ alone is not much use if the little ones refuse to eat it. We believe that the concerns of parents and the wishes of children must be taken equally seriously,” explains VERIVAL founder Wolfgang Fojtl.
Healthy VERIVAL breakfast for children
What can you do when children refuse grains?
To give grains and whole grain foods an exciting, aromatic twist, it is worth trying refinement with nut butter, maple syrup, coconut blossom sugar, low-sugar jam or Ceylon cinnamon. They contain healthy nutrients and stabilize blood sugar.
Peanut butter gives oat porridge a pleasant nutty flavor reminiscent of peanut nut chocolate bars. Ceylon cinnamon tastes sweet and evokes thoughts of gingerbread and cinnamon stars. Coconut blossom sugar scores with a caramel-like note, while maple syrup serves as an exciting sugar substitute. Alternatively, low-sugar jams are suitable for sweetening oat-based foods and giving them a fruity note.
Delicious and healthy products for children
At VERIVAL we are aware of the importance of a healthy breakfast for children. VERIVAL founder and father of three Wolfgang Fojtl knows from his own experience: “Breakfast should not become a battleground. Experience shows that this is only counterproductive. Eating should not just be a matter of energy intake for even the youngest children, it should above all be fun.”
We want our packaging to reflect this too. Our VERIVAL children's breakfast products are all about the cheeky siblings Yanick and Fee. Their funny adventures in the Tyrolean mountains put you in a good mood – and who wouldn't want to enjoy the same breakfast as the two rascals on the packaging?"
