Porridge, or “porridge” in German, has been eaten around the world for thousands of years. This oat dish originally comes from the Scottish Highlands in Europe, where it has been eaten as “brochan” since the first historical records. In China, it is proven that the first rice porridge was eaten earlier, around 4,500 years ago.
Some of us may remember from childhood that we were given porridge when we were unwell or had stomach problems and found it rather bland in taste. But porridge has now become an absolute trend food due to its excellent nutrients and easy digestibility. Exotic and unusual recipes have given the traditional dish a good reputation. The fact that you can have a warm breakfast with porridge that is not only healthy and filling, but can also help you lose weight, ultimately makes this oat meal an all-rounder.
In this article we would like to take a closer look at why porridge is so healthy, why it is recommended to have a warm breakfast and what nutrients the porridge provides us.
Why have a warm breakfast?
We have already heard from our grandmother that porridge is a healthy and warm breakfast. However, numerous experts and nutritionists now advise eating a warm breakfast and often recommend warm porridge.
Aside from the fact that warm meals are easier to digest because the warmth of the food means they relieve our intestines of a little work in the digestive process, they also relieve the strain on our immune system. Why? Quite simply: If our intestines have to worry less about digestion by providing energy for digestion, then it has more energy for other tasks in our body, such as immune defense. A win-win situation for everyone: the intestines, the stomach, the immune system and your taste buds.
In addition, people in particular who find it difficult to get going in the morning are better served with a warm breakfast because it is not as heavy or long in the stomach as, for example, muesli with cold milk.
Larks, owls and porridge
Did you know that people can be divided into two chronotypes based on their biological clock, their biorhythm?
Anyone who sleeps late and has earned a reputation as a morning person is not necessarily lazy or sluggish, but rather an owl.
Early risers, on the other hand, are referred to as larks - and these are not cute nicknames that have found their way into our everyday language, but are scientifically based. Sleep doctors divide people into two sleep types: larks and owls.
Which type we belong to is partly in our DNA and can also be learned by us. So if you are a lark by nature, but have to work the night shift in the hospital, there is no reason to despair. Because: a team of researchers from Monash University in Melbourne has discovered that we can influence our biorhythms and sleep types through training. It is also interesting that larks live a day according to the 23-hour rhythm, while owls actually live their day according to 25 hours. But what exactly does this have to do with our porridge?
The biological clock ticks faster in larks. This means that early risers are more active and awake faster in the morning, which is why their digestion is also more active than that of owls.
Early risers therefore cope better with a cold breakfast than owls. So if you tend to wake up late and have trouble getting up in the morning, the same applies to your intestines.
Your digestion will therefore thank you for a warm breakfast, such as a bowl of warm porridge. Nevertheless, a warm breakfast is also recommended for larks, as these sleep types have their peak performance in the morning. Larks can therefore work and think best before lunchtime. A fiber-rich breakfast that regulates blood sugar levels is therefore also recommended for this type of sleeper, so that a low point does not set in around midday because the energy from breakfast has already been used up in the first few hours after getting up. Likewise, the energy saved by eating warm porridge for breakfast can be better used for peak performance.
Carbohydrates in porridge
The carbohydrates contained in oat flakes are complex carbohydrates. This means that our body processes them very slowly, which in turn has a good effect on our health and weight.
By the way, the carbohydrates in porridge do not mean that you can lose weight with this food.
Quite the opposite: the dreaded yo-yo effect of losing weight very quickly and then gaining it again very quickly is avoided by the carbohydrate-containing porridge. Carbohydrates are vital for our body and as long as they are consumed in large quantities and come from healthy sources such as oatmeal, there is nothing wrong with eating carbohydrates regularly.
Low carb not recommended
If you avoid carbohydrates during a diet, the so-called low-carb diet, your body will probably quickly break down fat reserves, but will build them up again just as quickly when you then eat normally again.
Studies have shown that low-carb diets can lead to premature death, promote cardiovascular disease and lead to digestive problems. Instead, rely on high-quality, complex carbohydrates and get your body used to a healthy diet.
Is porridge healthy?
This question can be answered very clearly: Yes, porridge is healthy. A lot! Oat flakes are made from the oat grain. After harvesting, the hull and inedible parts of the oats are removed, leaving behind a kernel, the whole grain, so to speak. This core contains a high proportion of carbohydrates, proteins and soluble fiber, as well as unsaturated fatty acids.
The oat flakes from which the popular porridge is prepared also contain numerous vitamins, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 as well as vitamin K and vitamin E.
Oat flakes are also not lacking in trace elements and minerals. Iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium and manganese are found in oatmeal.
The health potential and benefits of oatmeal can have a positive impact on our holistic health and well-being. All of these nutrients offer our body a balanced and ideal basis for starting the day with new energy. In addition, oatmeal also keeps our blood sugar levels constant, which prevents sudden cravings. Oatmeal also creates a deep glycemic response in our body, which in turn is gentle on the pancreas.
Studies have also shown that porridge probably has probiotic properties that help keep and regulate our intestinal flora healthy.
If oatmeal and porridge are so healthy, wouldn't it be the perfect food for losing weight or are the carbohydrates putting a damper on our plans?
Lose weight with porridge
If you want to lose weight, you should avoid carbohydrates - that was the motto for a long time. However, we now know that there are some carbohydrates that can even help us lose weight. And the good news is: This includes the carbohydrates in our oatmeal!
You can lose weight with porridge if you pay attention to a few things. If you want to reduce your weight healthily with porridge, you can definitely achieve this with oat gruel without suffering from cravings or having to do without important nutrients. Since porridge can be prepared in any number of ways using different recipes, it can be created in ever new variations without you getting bored or throwing in the towel with a growling stomach.
When following your porridge diet, make sure that you prepare the porridge with water or milk and do not mix in too much sugar. Our porridge varieties, such as the BIO Protein Porridge Berries , already contain high-quality Swiss milk protein, so you can prepare the porridge with just water, which makes it particularly suitable for diets and weight management.
When preparing our protein porridge variants, avoid additional sugar if you want to lose weight. Instead, you can garnish the porridge with fruit. Types of fruit with little sugar include any soft fruit (which is full of vitamins), grapefruit, apricots or prickly pears.
Hearty porridge recipes, such as those with avocado and egg or spinach and mushrooms, also ensure a varied and tasty diet that allows you to lose weight healthily without having to go hungry.
Eat smartly and sensibly
With Swiss Smartfood® you eat sensibly and enjoyably. The quickly prepared and culinary sophisticated porridge recipes all have a deep, glycemic response and are packed with exquisite and natural ingredients from local producers in Switzerland.
BE THE CHANGE Protein Porridges are the perfect meal for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy, quick-to-prepare and long-lasting meal without compromising taste and health. We offer various variants of delicious organic porridges that offer you an easily digestible oat meal with Swiss organic oat flakes and Swiss milk protein.
We basically produce Swiss made. This means that we almost exclusively use local ingredients, often from the farm. This means we have short transport routes and ensure quality. We implement our own projects to promote regenerative and organic agriculture, as well as sustainable animal welfare. This creates new sources of food or gives new life to well-known things. We network with experts and specialists from agriculture, food technology, the packaging industry, science and medicine in order to explore new, innovative paths together.
ORGANIC Protein Porridge Dates & Figs
Swiss Smartfood® 1 Dates & Figs is a tasty porridge, i.e. an oat meal, with a balanced recipe made from selected Swiss organic ingredients. Mixed with boiling water, the natural aromas develop and the organic oat flakes swell to a fine culinary delight. The organic dates and organic fig pieces give the porridge a natural sweetness.
The oat flakes it contains are rich in beta-glucans, which help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels. A positive effect can be seen from a daily intake of 3g of oat beta glucans. The formula's deep glycemic response is gentle on the pancreas.
ORGANIC Protein Porridge Swiss Chocolate Cacao Nibs
Swiss Smartfood® 1 Swiss Chocolate Cacao Nibs is a tasty porridge with a balanced recipe made from selected Swiss organic ingredients. This porridge was made with the finest Swiss chocolate and delicate cocoa nibs to round off the taste experience.
Here too, the oat flakes contained are rich in beta-glucans, which help maintain normal cholesterol levels in the blood. A positive effect can be seen from a daily intake of 3g of oat beta glucans. The formula's deep glycemic response is gentle on your pancreas.
ORGANIC Protein Porridge Berries
In the BIO Protein Porridge Berries, fine organic berries were selected that perfect the palate pleasure.
Swiss Smartfood® 1 Berries is a tasty porridge with a balanced recipe made from selected organic Swiss berries. Mixed with boiling water, the natural aromas develop and the organic oat flakes swell into a delicious and fruity porridge.
Credentials:
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/74/2/131/1924832?login=false
https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/ernaehrung/ernaehrungs Formen/gesunde-ernaehrung/porridge