Is Porridge Really That Healthy?

The real star among cereals is now oatmeal. For many, breakfast is an integral part of their morning. Among the numerous breakfast classics, porridge has also crept in.

However, few people know that warm oatmeal, contrary to many assumptions, is not a newly discovered trend food. In fact, it's a dish with a millennia-old history .

Today, the old recipe is fully on trend again and enriches almost every menu in hip breakfast restaurants in the form of various porridge variations, making it a fixed part of a healthy diet. But what makes porridge so healthy, and does it really help with weight loss?

Why is porridge so healthy?

The reason that oatmeal or oatmeal is considered such a healthy breakfast is because it provides a variety of positive effects for the body.

The classic version of oatmeal not only contains the superfood oatmeal and thus plenty of healthy nutrients , but also satiates for a long time and keeps your immune system fit.

The healthy fiber ensures a constant blood sugar level and thus prevents food cravings. The immune system and digestion benefit from enjoying oatmeal warm.

Superfood oats – the secret ingredient in porridge

The real star of porridge that makes it so healthy is oats. Grain flakes from oats are easily digestible and thus have a positive influence on our intestinal flora . In addition, oats contain important nutrients such as biotin, vitamins B1 and B6, as well as the minerals zinc, iron, and magnesium, which are beneficial for health.

Therefore, it is a true superfood when it comes to nutrients. In addition to the vitamins and minerals, oats also score with their digestive fibre , which keeps you full for a long time and is beneficial for your intestinal health . Learn more in our blog post about the superfood oats and their effect on the body .

Sugar levels in oats – Nutritional table

In addition to healthy nutrients, oats also score with their low content of simple sugars . In the table below, you will find a small overview of the calorie and sugar content per 100g of oats.

What are the health benefits of oatmeal?

Anyone who has thought that it was just one health benefit is far from it. Because oats can do much more. With 12g of protein per 100g of oatmeal, it is an excellent vegetable protein source and is therefore ideal as an athlete's breakfast.

Incidentally, the aforementioned beta glucans not only provide a demonstrably long-lasting feeling of satiety , but also have a positive effect on blood sugar levels by developing their blood sugar-regulating effect .

Thus, porridge is helpful in type 2 diabetes , as the consumption of oats does not increase blood sugar levels as much and quickly. When oatmeal is heated, beneficial mucous substances are also formed, which protectively lie on the mucous membrane and therefore work wonders, especially for an irritated stomach.

In addition, a study by the European Food Safety Authority – EFSA showed that "oats beta-glucan lowers cholesterol levels in the blood".

Thus, "a lowering of the cholesterol level in the blood" can be achieved, which, according to the authors, can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. ^​2​

Oats are naturally gluten-free. Therefore, it is also suitable for people suffering from celiac disease.

Healthy hot breakfast

In another post, we have already discussed the advantages of a hot breakfast. Since the hot breakfast no longer needs to be heated by the body, less energy is needed for digestion, which in turn protects our digestion.

In addition, the nutrients contained can be absorbed better and faster – this ensures a strengthened immune system .

Porridge is an excellent satiator

But it's not just the warmth of porridge that has unimagined advantages. The fiber in oats is also good for your body. This is how they swell in the stomach and make us feel full. The long-chain carbohydrates, as well as the fiber, also keep the blood sugar level constant , so that cravings can be avoided and a long-lasting feeling of satiety can be achieved.

Speaking of fiber and satiety, the effects of oats on satiety were examined in more detail in a study by the National Center of Biotechnology Information. The majority of the evidence suggested that the soluble fiber beta glucan contained in oats has a positive effect on the perception of satiety.

Oatmeal is also a very good choice as a vegan protein source for muscle building! ^​3​

Make porridge yourself – with this basic recipe you can

You can quickly and easily prepare your own healthy oatmeal yourself. All you need is 50g of (delicate) oatmeal and 200ml of plant milk, milk, or water. Feel free to read our popular post on how to easily make your own plant-based drinks in just five minutes.

Put the oatmeal and the milk of your choice in a saucepan and heat the mixture on medium until a creamy porridge is formed. Do not forget to stir; otherwise, lumps could form. Regular stirring of the porridge also prevents the oatmeal from burning in the pot and ensures optimum consistency .

At the end of the cooking time, it is advisable to add a pinch of salt to the mixture. The salt acts as a flavor enhancer and ensures that the sweet taste of the porridge can unfold in the best possible way.

Finally, you can refine your porridge with various toppings. Nuts , chia seeds , flaxseeds, various fruits including berries or almond or nutmeg are suitable for this: there are no limits to your creativity. Different toppings will never make your porridge boring and provide plenty of variety.

For example, some cinnamon or roasted almonds are particularly suitable as a topping for the cold season. In the warm season, on the other hand, you can optimally enhance your porridge with seasonal berries or various seeds.

Expert tip : For an extra nutty aroma in your porridge, it is advisable to fry the oatmeal briefly in a pan without oil – so that it can unfold its full aroma.

Healthy sweetening options for your porridge

If you prefer your cereal porridge sweet, you can sweeten it a little more if you like. We recommend healthy sugar alternatives such as dates, agave syrup, or maple syrup . For example, you can cut the dates into small pieces and bring them to the boil together with your oatmeal, so that the natural sweetness of the dates can fully unfold in the oatmeal.

However, for most other sweetening options, it is advisable to add them only towards the end of the cooking time. Fresh fruits also provide a refreshingly sweet note. Especially juicy berries can enhance the taste of your oatmeal. But a sweet apple is also a good and refreshing choice.

How to make your Verival porridge

Your delicious hot breakfast from Verival is not only prepared in 3 minutes , but also tastes delicious. You can find out how to prepare your porridge with a kettle or microwave and what exactly you need for your porridge here:

By the way, many of our Verival Porridges are refined with freeze-dried berries and therefore completely free of added sugar .

Is porridge suitable for slimming?

Are you a porridge fan and want to lose weight at the same time? Then you can consider yourself lucky, because delicious oatmeal is ideal for this.

The high proportion of fiber keeps you full for a long time and thus avoids unnecessary food cravings. But the complex carbohydrates they contain also play their part.

In contrast to simple sugars, they are processed more slowly by the body and thus ensure a long-lasting feeling of satiety, a constant blood sugar level and consequently an optimal supply of energy throughout the day.

If you still want to save some calories, you can prepare porridge with hot water instead of milk . Sweetening your oatmeal is another important factor when it comes to losing weight. This will optimally cover your calorie needs .

Since classic sweetening variants, such as table sugar, quickly raise and lower your blood sugar levels and reduce your fat burning, it is advisable to use alternative sweetening variants .

For your healthy oatmeal , chopped dates, a little agave syrup, or fresh fruit are particularly suitable.

Do you already know your BMI value?

Anyone who deals with their diet, regardless of whether they want to achieve top athletic performance or lose weight, will sooner or later come across the term BMI. The so-called body mass index is often the first measurement that shows you whether you have your body weight under control.

Here you can calculate your individual BMI (Body Mass Index) in a few seconds and find out interesting background information about this value.

Porridge also works without oats – these alternatives are available

In classic porridge recipes, the porridge is prepared with oatmeal. But did you know that porridge can also be made without oats? In particular, rice, spelt, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, or even amaranth offer plenty of variety and new taste experiences . If you want to try something new and be inspired by our creations, we recommend our reinterpretation of the healthy breakfast – our gluten-free coconut-orange rice porridge .

But the Verival spelt porridge apricot strawberry also offers a good alternative thanks to its slightly cooling recipe if you are not in the mood for the classic oat breakfast. If you prefer to stick with the oat porridge, you should try our delicious sour cherry cocoa oat porridge. All three porridges are prepared according to the 5-element doctrine from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and are composed of ingredients of the 5 elements wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

Tasty overnight oats: Portion of porridge to take away

If you don't feel like warm oatmeal, you can easily prepare delicious overnight oats . This variation is prepared in just 5 minutes and is ideal as a to-go breakfast .

We recommend this delicious overnight oat recipe with apple and cinnamon:

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

Preparation time 15 min.

Refrigerator 2 hrs

Total time 15 min.

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: Apple, Overnight Oats, Cinnamon

Servings: 4 glasses

Ingredients

• 200 grams Verival blueberry apple porridge
• 2 apples
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 250 g soy yoghurt
• 400 ml water, soy, or rice drink
• 4 tbsp grated almonds
• 1 pinch of cinnamon (also some cardamom depending on taste)
• Agave syrup as a sweetener at will
• 4 tbsp Verival blueberry apple crunchy
• Fresh berries, possibly blossoms at will

Preparation

• Screw on the glasses and fill each glass with around 50 g of Verival blueberry apple porridge (approx. 5 tbsp).
• Wash apples, cut in half, remove stem, and grate with a kitchen grater. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
• Divide the apple slices into the four glasses and add 1 tablespoon of grated almonds to each.
• Top up each glass with 2 tablespoons of soy yoghurt and 100 ml of plant-based drink (e.g., almond milk), refine with cinnamon and agave syrup, and mix well.
• Screw the glasses together and put them in the fridge overnight.
• Take out of the fridge the next day and enjoy.

If you are now overwhelmed by the many variations and do not know exactly which oatmeal variation to start with, it is best to read our blog post on porridge types. You can find out which porridge type you are and be inspired by our matching recipe ideas.

In summary, the hype surrounding porridge is completely justified, as the hot breakfast offers various health benefits. The warm oatmeal keeps you full for a long time, protects your stomach, is easily digestible, and is a true superfood thanks to the main ingredient oats.

In our shop, you can easily and conveniently buy your porridge, buy cereals, or buy your favorite granola .