How to Cook Oatmeal to Enjoy its Properties
It can be beneficial to cook oatmeal in order to enjoy its properties. In this way, it becomes a food with better digestion, which allows a better use of nutrients and an inactivation of some substances that block their absorption. For this reason, it’s recommended to follow a series of processes to get the most out of this cereal.
Before starting, it’s essential to highlight that the intake of fiber is essential in order to maintain a good state of health over time. Oatmeal is a good source of this element, so its regular inclusion in the diet will be very beneficial for the functioning of the digestive tract.
How to cook oatmeal properly
One of the key points before you cook oatmeal is to soak it for a few hours. Thus, the antinutrients are inactivated, which will improve its benefits later on. It doesn’t matter if you consume it without soaking, but, with this simple process, you’ll get a higher quality final product.
Oats provide complex carbohydrates and fiber to the diet.On the other hand, when preparing the food, you should opt for milk instead of water as a cooking liquid. Not only will the oatmeal be much creamier, but the final dish will have a higher nutritional value.
In this way, not only will it contain complex carbohydrates and fiber, but a good handful of proteins of high biological value will be added. These elements have proven to be determinant in the prevention of pathologies associated with lean mass.
However, when it comes to cooking, it isn’t a good idea to exceed the cooking time. Otherwise, the oatmeal will be too pasty and hard in the end. It’s better to shorten the process a little and achieve a much more mellow and pleasant result from the organoleptic point of view. In addition, it’ll also prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. We advise that you stir from time to time. We’ll give you more details below.
Read also: Are Breakfast Cereals Healthy or Unhealthy?
Oatmeal recipe
You already know the key points to cook oatmeal optimally. We’ll now bring you a simple recipe that you can prepare on a regular basis to have at breakfast time. It’ll help you start the day with energy and will provide the essential nutrients necessary for the body to function properly.
Ingredients
The products you will need to carry out the recipe are:
- 2 cups full cream milk
- 6 tablespoons oat flakes or oat flakes
- Powdered cinnamon
- Sugar or liquid sweetener
Step by step instructions
- Soak the oatmeal for a couple of hours.
- Then drain the cereal and place all the above ingredients except the cinnamon in a saucepan.
- Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often with a wooden spoon.
- After this time, the flakes should be soft and the texture should be slightly doughy. This is an indication that the oatmeal is ready.
- To finish, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top and allow to temper.
- It can be eaten either hot or cold.
Oats combine very well with other quality foods such as fruit, nuts or seeds. They can be added to the recipe to increase the nutritional density of the dish.
Oats are a delicious and nutritious cereal that can be incorporated into the usual pattern in different preparations.Read more here: The Benefits of Having Oatmeal for Breakfast
The benefits of oats
Oats are one of the cereals with the highest content of soluble fiber. This element acts as a prebiotic, generating a very positive effect on the intestinal microbiota. This is evidenced by research published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. The beta-glucans in oats stimulate the growth of bacteria and reduce the risk of dysbiosis.
It’s also a food that provides a significant amount of high-quality carbohydrates. These nutrients are the main energy substrate for high intensity activities. In addition, they’re key in the recovery process. When consumed together with protein, they efficiently stimulate glycogen replenishment, according to a study published in Nutrients.
Cooking oatmeal optimally for maximum enjoyment
As you have seen, cooking oatmeal is key to getting the most out of it nutritionally. It increases the digestibility of the food and also achieves a higher nutritional value, adding other quality products such as whole milk. It’s an excellent dish for both athletes and sedentary people. In fact, oats are the best cereal to include in the diet.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Martone, A. M., Marzetti, E., Calvani, R., Picca, A., Tosato, M., Santoro, L., Di Giorgio, A., Nesci, A., Sisto, A., Santoliquido, A., & Landi, F. (2017). Exercise and Protein Intake: A Synergistic Approach against Sarcopenia. BioMed research international, 2017, 2672435. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2672435
- Jayachandran, M., Chen, J., Chung, S., & Xu, B. (2018). A critical review on the impacts of β-glucans on gut microbiota and human health. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 61, 101–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2018.06.010
- Alghannam, A. F., Gonzalez, J. T., & Betts, J. A. (2018). Restoration of Muscle Glycogen and Functional Capacity: Role of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate and Protein Co-Ingestion. Nutrients, 10(2), 253. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020253