Making sure your porridge is healthy.
One Minute For Your Health #5
I used to hate porridge. I was convinced it was a none food that would never make anyone feel full.
And oh boy how wrong I was. It took 3 years of studying a Masters degree in nutritional therapy before I realised porridge wasn’t the problem.
I was.
I had no idea how to cook my porridge in a way that would make it nutritious, filling and good for my health.
And I’m willing to bet there are quite a few of you out there who, like me, have no idea how to make your porridge healthy.
If you don’t eat porridge keep reading. The principles of this post apply to any meal.
The health benefits of oats:
The reason you’ve probably heard that porridge is good for you a million times before is that oats are actually good for you.
They contain lots of soluble fibre, which supports good digestion and can help your body get rid of excess cholesterol.
Oats are a whole-grain, which means they contain quite a lot of nutrients. One example are beta-glucans, which play an important role in regulating your immune system (I’ve actually been recommending them to clients struggling with post-viral fatigue following COVID infection).
Why porridge isn’t necessarily healthy:
The problem is that oats are mostly carbohydrates.
If you’ve worked with me before you will know that eating meals comprised of mostly or only carbohydrates (like oats, milk and fruit, or cereal and milk) isn’t good for your blood sugar.
Carbohydrates are quickly broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream.
This leads to a quick blood sugar spike (which might feel nice because it lowers stress hormones and gives you instant energy).
But since high blood sugar damages our cells, the body quickly releases insulin to drop the levels back down. This leads to a dip - with the accompanying low energy, tearfulness and anxiety.
I’ve illustrated the whole thing for you below:
Making your porridge healthy:
The solution to this conundrum is simple.
Add protein and good quality fats to your breakfast.
In porridge that might be nuts, seeds, coconut milk, butter, collagen powder, hemp protein powder, eggs (yep - google it) or whole-milk, natural yoghurt.
For extra fibre grate in carrots, parsnips or beetroot - trust me - it’s gooood.
For an awesome recipe click the button below:
Your #1M4YH challenge this week is to upgrade your breakfast (if it’s not already full of protein and good quality fats).
Share your pictures and recipes with the rest of us on your favourite social media channel and tag them #1M4YH so we can all see what you’re making.
Be sure to tag me @efias_kitchen on Instagram and @insideefiaskitchen on Facebook!
In my next email I’ll share the best photo and recipe you guys post!
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Links and References:
R. Markus, G. Panhuysen, A. Tuiten, and H. Koppeschaar, “Effects of food on cortisol and mood in vulnerable subjects under controllable and uncontrollable stress,” Physiol. Behav., vol. 70, no. 3–4, pp. 333–342, Aug. 2000.
Cytoplan, “The Health Information Series: Metabolic Syndrome,” Worcestershire, 2016.
D. Aronson, “Cortisol — Its Role in Stress, Inflammation, and Indications for Diet Therapy,” Today’s Dietit., vol. 11, no. 11, p. 38, 2009.
O. J. Jeremiah, G. Cousins, F. P. Leacy, B. P. Kirby, and B. K. Ryan, “Evaluation of the effect of insulin sensitivity-enhancing lifestyle- and dietary-related adjuncts on antidepressant treatment response: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Syst. Rev., vol. 8, no. 1, p. 62, Dec. 2019.
G. Rajkowska and C. A. Stockmeier, “Astrocyte Pathology in Major Depressive Disorder: Insights from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue.”
Goff, H.D., Repin, N., Fabek, H., El Khoury, D. and Gidley, M.J., 2018. Dietary fibre for glycaemia control: Towards a mechanistic understanding. Bioactive carbohydrates and dietary fibre, 14, pp.39-53.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/21/how-to-eat-porridge
Decker, E.A., Rose, D.J. and Stewart, D., 2014. Processing of oats and the impact of processing operations on nutrition and health benefits. British Journal of Nutrition, 112(S2), pp.S58-S64.
Katz, D.L., 2001. A scientific review of the health benefits of oats. The Quaker Oats Company. Obtenido el, 15(4), p.07.
Images from www.canva.com
Learn more about me at www.efiaskitchen.com