Food

10 Proven Health Benefits of Porridge for Breakfast

Eating porridge everyday may not be the number one choice for most people. But once you know the health benefits of eating porridge, surely you would be intrigued to switch your breakfast to porridge.

Porridge is basically hot cereal that made from any type of crushed whole grains, such as oats, wheat, rice or barley. Similar to oatmeal which made from crushed, rolled, cut or coarsely ground oats. Eating porridge in regular basis offers you numbers of benefits that gives you a long life. Who would want a healthy long life?

Eating Porridge Health Benefits

Scientists has discovered that for every ounce (28 g) of whole grains (porridge, brown rice, corn and benefits of quinoa) taken a day or equal to a small bowl of porridge; will reduce the risk of all death by five per cent and heart deaths by 9 per cent.

Dr Hongyu Wu of Harvard School of Public Health has stated that “These findings further support current dietary guidelines that recommend increasing whole-grain consumption”; “They also provide promising evidence that suggests a diet enriched with whole grains may confer benefits towards extended life expectancy.” Yes, there are many health benefits of porridge for breakfast.

Nutritional Facts

Basically you can add anything to your bowl of porridge, but always remember to add healthy toppings like mentioned above. Try to watch on your calories intake.

Below is the nutritional content in a plain oatmeal (one minute oatmeal) porridge, according to Myfitnesspal

Servings: 1 – 1 cup cooked

  • Calories: 300
  • Total Fat: 6 g
  • Saturated:  1 g
  • Polyunsaturated2 g
  • Monounsaturated: 2 g
  • Trans: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Potassium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbs: 54 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 8 g
  • Sugars: 2 g
  • Protein: 10 g
  • Vitamin A: 0%
  • Calcium: 0%
  • Vitamin C: 0%
  • Iron: 20%

*Percent Daily Value are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The secrets and health benefits to long life of eating porridge

So, here are the health benefits of porridge for breakfast:

1. Rich of fiber

Porridge that consists of whole grains, is rich of fiber, both soluble and insoluble fiber. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, a half-cup of dried oats contains 3.8 grams of fiber. And each serving provides 10 percent daily recommended of fiber for men and 15 percent for women.

2. Helps with weight loss

Fiber-rich foods are relatively low in calories but high in volume. This will keep you stay full longer which also automatically lower your food consumption through out the rest of the day.

Insoluble fiber inside oat porridge helps movement of waste through your digestive system which lead to improving constipation, Eating porridge as a breakfast will also improve your metabolism and  energized your body.

3. Source of nutrients

Crushed, cracked, rolled or cooked grains inside the porridge offers many nutrients found in the whole seed. And those nutrients are magnesium, antioxidants, vitamin B, vitamin E and phytochemicals. This list of essential nutrients are able to boost your immune system and fight infection. Oat porridge also contains protein, zinc and iron.

4. Lowering cholesterol

One significant fiber which only found in oat is beta glucans. This important fiber is able to lowering cholesterol.

5. Heart friendly

Lower number of cholesterol in one’s body will protect the person from heart disease. A bioactive compound called avenanthramide is also thought to stop fat forming in the arteries, preventing heart attacks and strokes. Also read: Symptoms of Heart Attack in Women

6. Prevents diabetes

Eating oat porridge in daily basis may help maintain a stable blood-sugar levels which protect you from the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Also read: Health Benefits of Turmeric for Diabetes

A bowl of oat porridge contains soluble fiber, a type of fiber that absorbs water in your digestive system to form a gel which helps people who suffers from diabetes keep their blood glucose in a normal levels by slow down the absorption of sugar. Stabilized blood glucose levels also reduces your chance of having kidney problems.

7. Safe from hemorrhoids

A fiber-rich diet may also lower your risk of getting hemorrhoids.

8. High in zinc

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a bowl of porridge is a great source of zinc. Zinc plays important roles in your body. You need zinc to nourish your immune system and help you fight off infection. Also to help healing process of a wound and assist in cell growth.

Zinc also activates a list of enzymes and supports your metabolism. A half-cup of oats as a meal contains 1.3 milligrams of zinc. It is 12 percent of the recommended daily zinc needs for men and 14 percent for women.

9. Strengthen Bones

Studies have proved that whole grains can improve bone mineral density, thanks to iron content inside a bowl of porridge. Porridge provides you with recommended daily needs of iron. Having enough iron helps your body produces collagen, a protein essential to healthy cartilage and bone.

A half-cup of dried oats for one serving of porridge contains 1.9 milligrams of iron. according to the NYU Langone Medical Center, the serving supplies women with 11 percent of daily recommended iron needs and 24 percent for men. Thus, that’s the proven  health benefits of porridge for breakfast. 

10. Good for digestion system

The high fiber content in porridge improves digestion system. Porridge is good for digestion, not just  because of its texture that easily absorbed and digested but it also promotes healthy gut bacteria which help with digestion process and gut bacteria balance.

How To Prepare Healthy Porridge

When you are preparing a healthy porridge, try to avoid adding sugar or saturated fat to your porridge. Maybe, instead of sweetening your oat porridge with brown sugar or maple syrup, use a natural low-calorie sweetener, like stevia, or simply with fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, it will add more flavor, not just sweetness.

You can also use non-fat dairy, benefits of almond milk or soy milk in your porridge instead of a whole-milk dairy to lower down on your saturated fat intake. Adding healthy toppings like health benefits of having fruits for breakfast, health benefits of nuts and dried fruit and seeds into your porridge will provide you with more nutritional values.

Have a balanced breakfast with a bowl of oat porridge with an 8-oz. glass of skim milk and 1/2 cup of raspberries. Or you can have savory oat porridge with egg and avocado. Just sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper. You will get different taste yet more protein.

So many health benefits you can get from a small bowl of porridge.  It would not hurt if you start your breakfast with oat porridge from now on. Prepare a porridge for breakfast every day and enjoy a long life!