The benefits and harms of oatmeal, recipes. Instant oatmeal in the morning: benefit or harm


Everyone has heard since childhood: if you eat oatmeal in the morning, you will be healthy. Oatmeal is one of the sacred foods for the Slavs and the official breakfast in Great Britain. In this article we will tell you about the benefits and harms of oatmeal. .

Oatmeal is a cereal, oats. Oatmeal and Hercules should be separated. Our familiar cereal, which is prepared within a few minutes, has the commercial name Hercules. They are prepared using a special technology: first, the grain is polished, steamed, and a special press gives it the usual flake shape.

Natural oatmeal is grains that have been practically unprocessed. Externally, such cereals resemble rice. You need to cook it for about 40 minutes, and finished product The taste and consistency are somewhat different from Hercules.

The following types of oatmeal are available on the market:

  • - Hercules instant cooking;
  • - Hercules 1st grade;
  • - Hercules 2 grades;
  • - Hercules 3 grades;
  • - shelled cereal;
  • - whole grain;
  • - unprocessed cereal.

What we eat every day is Hercules. As a rule, our people buy Hercules 2 and 2 grades; instant Hercules (premium class) is designed for consumers with above-average income.

History of oatmeal

People began to consume oats a very long time ago. There is information that people were the first to try the sprouts of this cereal, and then moved on to processing it.

However, there is another theory. Wild oats differ significantly from domesticated oats (which we eat). Question abouthow to a short time the cereal has transformed radically and remains open. Nevertheless, thanks to its unpretentiousness, high yield and undoubted benefits, oats are widely used in cooking.

Even in ancient times, flat cakes, desserts, and porridges were prepared from oats. In the Middle Ages, oats served mainly as a healthy feed for horses, people mainly used them as a cereal for flour (bread, confectionery, soups) and grains from which they made porridges.

Now oats have become widespread due to the proven benefits of this cereal. It is consumed in the form of porridges, bread, confectionery products are made from it, nutritional supplements. Oat sprouts are widely used in nutrition healthy image life and Ayurvedic medicine as a mandatory food product.

Composition of oatmeal

The composition of oats is typical for cereals:

  • - complex carbohydrates – a source of energy;
  • - vegetable fiber;
  • - high quality vegetable protein;
  • - unsaturated fatty acid;
  • - calcium;
  • - phosphorus;
  • - B vitamins;
  • - vitamins A, E, D;
  • - potassium;
  • - magnesium;
  • - iodine;
  • - substances from the group of antioxidants.

Oats also contain whole line biologically active substances which are necessary for the human body.

Benefits of oatmeal

Due to the high content of proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, vegetable oil, macro and microelements, oats are complete food product. It can be an independent food (provides the body with all necessary substances), and the basis for different dishes. Oatmeal perfectly satisfies hunger and gives you energy.


Benefits of oatmeal for the digestive system

Oatmeal is considered food - medicine for sick people; it is recommended to eat oatmeal for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, exhaustion and poisoning. It gently envelops the walls of the gastrointestinal tract intestinal tract, prevents putrefactive processes. Fiber promotes good intestinal function, restoration of its microflora and removal of waste products.

Beauty benefits of oatmeal

High nutritional value, the content of beauty vitamins and powerful cleansing properties have made oatmeal a favorite product of beauties. It gives radiance to the skin and volume to the hair. The beauty is always in good mood, active and bursting with health.

Benefits of oatmeal for the nervous system

No wonder oatmeal is a traditional breakfast for the Anglo-Saxons. It charges the body with energy, stabilizes the functioning of the nervous system, promotes recovery nerve fibers. It has been proven that regular use oatmeal increases intelligence, mood, removes depressive states, has a beneficial effect on sleep-wake patterns.


The benefits of oatmeal for the heart

Content of B vitamins, vitamins A and E, complex carbohydrates, makes oatmeal a real battery for the heart. It charges the heart muscle with energy (carbohydrates), supplies protein (repairs heart tissue), and magnesium (improves the functions of the heart muscle). Doctors say eat oatmeal and your heart will be healthy.

What are the benefits of oatmeal for children?

Oatmeal with fruit, honey, jam or nuts is a great breakfast for children. It gives the little one energy and provides the growing body with everything necessary substances, strengthens the heart and immunity. Children who regularly consume oatmeal grow well, get sick less, and are psychologically stable.

What are the benefits of oatmeal for older people?

Oatmeal is one of the products of youth. Oatmeal helps restore muscle fibers, nerve tissue, strengthening bones and cleansing the body. All this is very important for older people.

Benefits of oatmeal for immunity

Harm of oatmeal

There cannot be absolutely healthy products without a bit of harm. And oatmeal is no exception.

Individual intolerance to cereals

First of all, people with individual intolerance should not eat oatmeal. If you have celiac disease - intolerance to grains - oatmeal is contraindicated for you.

Excess weight and oatmeal


Oatmeal is a very high-calorie product. Therefore, you should not abuse it. Oatmeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with in a sedentary manner life is a direct path to obesity instead of recovery. Also, excess weight guaranteed if oatmeal is prepared with milk, with the addition butter and with a sandwich for a snack. Know your limits.

Processing oatmeal

The main point is the processing of grains. All harmful effect on the human body is typical for processed oatmeal. For example, premium oatmeal, despite its high cost, is a useless product. The manufacturer completely cleared the grain of all shells, steamed it, processed it, and as a result there was practically nothing useful left in it.

Hercules is also not the most healthy food. Hulling and heat treatment were removed from cereals most useful substances. In practice, such porridge is ballast for the body.

How to benefit from eating oatmeal?

To get the most benefits from eating oatmeal, choose whole grains (whole oatmeal and unprocessed oatmeal). This is the most healthy oatmeal, will bring maximum benefit. Plus - it's cheap. The downside is that it takes a long time to cook.

You can also eat Hercules. Buy third grade cereal. They are “ugly” with debris (grain shells), but they have undergone minimal processing and retained maximum benefits.

Oatmeal should be cooked with water. To get the maximum useful action, eat it with honey, fruits, nuts, herbs. It's also good to add sprouts of oats or other grains.

Oats are very healthy cereal. Choose unprocessed grains and you'll get the most out of them.

Oatmeal included in the system healthy eating. It contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Oatmeal lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, protects skin from irritation, reduces constipation and helps you lose weight.

Oatmeal is prepared from oatmeal in water or milk. Whole grains take a long time to cook, so many people eat cereal or instant porridge for breakfast.

Composition and calorie content of oatmeal

Oatmeal is a source important vitamins, minerals and fibers. It is rich in antioxidants, omega-3 and folic acid. Unlike other grains, oats do not contain gluten.

As a percentage of the daily value:

The calorie content of one serving of porridge on water is 68 kcal.

Beneficial features oatmeal are that it helps you lose weight, lowers blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of heart disease.

The benefits of oatmeal with milk are great for bones due to the calcium and phosphorus content. The product is recommended for children and elderly people.

Oatmeal is rich in polyphenols and fiber, which lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Oats reduce risk factors for heart disease.

The introduction of oatmeal into the diet of children under 6 months reduced the risk of developing asthma.

The benefits of oatmeal for digestion are due to its fiber content. They cause a feeling of satiety and increase growth beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract and relieve constipation.

For balanced nutrition people with diabetes need to eat low glycemic index. Oatmeal contains B-glucans, which help maintain glycemic control. Porridge lowers blood sugar levels, especially in overweight people with type 2 diabetes. It reduces the need for insulin injections.

In patients with type 2 diabetes and severe insulin sensitivity, a 4-week oatmeal diet resulted in a 40% reduction in insulin dosage.

Oatmeal contains aventramides, which relieve itching and inflammation. Oat-based products relieve symptoms of eczema.

Oatmeal takes about 3 hours to digest in the body and releases energy during the digestion process. The feeling of fullness remains for 3-4 hours.

This doesn’t happen to everyone: half an hour after a bowl of oatmeal, you feel even more hungry. This effect explains Ugolev A.M. in theory adequate nutrition" The academician described that raw oatmeal contains enzymes necessary for absorption. But many cereals that are sold in the store have undergone preliminary heat treatment, due to which all the enzymes in them have been destroyed. Once in the stomach, the porridge is not able to be digested and the body has to spend a lot of energy on its absorption: and this is half of the value of the porridge.

Oatmeal during pregnancy

Oatmeal is an indispensable product for the body of pregnant women. It serves as a source of vitamins and minerals that you need future mommy and her child.

Eating oatmeal normalizes digestion, relieves constipation and allows you to maintain normal weight. Oatmeal improves the condition of skin, nails, and hair during pregnancy and reduces anxiety attacks.

Oatmeal for weight loss

Eating oatmeal will reduce your calorie intake and lower your risk of obesity. Healthy breakfast contains nutritious foods that provide energy and make you feel full. The study found that people who ate oatmeal for breakfast felt fuller and ate less at lunch than people who ate cereal for breakfast.

Data were analyzed between consumption of oatmeal and physiological indicators in people over 19 years of age. Oatmeal consumers experienced decreased waist circumference and body mass index. The benefits of oatmeal with water for weight loss will appear faster than those cooked with milk.

There is a diet whose main component is oatmeal. Oat dietlow calorie diet. It is better to consult a doctor before starting it.

Harm and contraindications of oatmeal

Testing of oat products, including infant oatmeal, found glyphosate. There is a lot of it in fast food products with additives. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has clarified that glyphosate is a carcinogen and causes cancer.

Pure oats contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to gluten. Most people who are sensitive to gluten do not react to it. It may cause a reaction in a small percentage of people with celiac disease.

When Soviet scientists studied oat flakes, they had high-quality, environmentally friendly pure product free from impurities and foreign particles. The consumer union "Roskontrol" in December 2016 learned that unscrupulous manufacturers in chemical composition Oatmeal also contains other components:

  • metal particles;
  • mold;
  • pesticides;
  • organic impurity: parts of other plants, grain films.

Ingredients can get into the flakes if grain processing rules, production technologies and product storage rules are violated. Besides inorganic elements, the package may contain “living” creatures that got into the cereal in the store. If the supermarket warehouse is unsanitary and storage requirements are not met, then meal moths, mites and weevils will nestle comfortably in a pack of oatmeal.

Today, every person knows about proper nutrition, which has a beneficial effect on his health. Oatmeal is one of the healthy and necessary products nutrition. How to cook it correctly and why is it so good, as nutritionists say about it? It would be interesting to know if there is any harm frequent use oatmeal.

Healthy cereal

Oats are the grain from which oatmeal is made. The grains are subjected to a certain amount of steam treatment so that they can then be ground and freed from the husk. The color of the cereal is gray, with a yellowish tint, it is of the first grade or the highest. Since ancient times, porridge has been prepared from this grain. It should be cooked for a very long time - 1-1.5 hours. But to speed up the preparation, the grains were ground. The broth turns out thick, and it is used to prepare jelly, make casseroles, and cook soups. Today, for quick cooking, the technology of flattening grains is used. The beneficial properties are completely preserved in them. When flattened, the flakes become completely gray, and they are also divided into premium and the first one. In fact, this is the same oatmeal, the benefits of which are preserved, only in the form of flakes. But their preparation is simplified.

Grain composition

What does this cereal consist of? First of all, it is fiber, which is so necessary for the body. Proteins, vitamins: carotene, PP, C, E. This vitamin series is very necessary for the preservation and nutrition of hair, skin, and nails. In addition, the product has a calming effect on nervous system. From minerals Cereals contain: magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur. Their presence strengthens bone tissue and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart.

Elements such as iron, nickel, copper, molybdenum and zinc contained in grains affect the condition of the skin: it becomes elastic and smooth. Exchange processes in cells accelerate, cell growth occurs more actively, and skin aging recedes. It’s not for nothing that oatmeal is called “cosmetic”. Thanks to fiber and fiber, toxins are removed from the body and intestinal function is improved. That is why oatmeal is so popular in all European countries, the benefits and harms of which are studied by nutritionists.

Beneficial features

After describing the composition of cereal grains, it seems that it brings only benefits to a person. Is it so? The properties that oatmeal has, it also imparts to porridges, soups, and jelly. These dishes help cleanse the intestines and liver. For those who suffer from constipation or, conversely, diarrhea, jelly will alleviate the condition, prevent bloating, and relieve inflammation. Oatmeal is recommended for all those suffering from such diseases and stomach ulcers. She will remove everything from the body toxic substances, will strengthen immune system. Even in case of poisoning, a decoction made from oatmeal will help quick recovery and recovery.

Harm to health

Oatmeal, the benefits and harms of which have been sufficiently researched, brings only health to a person. After all, she is able to remove headache, and for hypertensive patients - lower blood pressure. Thanks to the use of this product, the body becomes stronger, the walls of blood vessels become more elastic. Diabetic patients are advised to eat porridge, but without flavoring it with butter and sugar. Nutritionists create weight loss diets based on oatmeal.

After all of the above, you should also talk about the dangers of cereals. It can cause harm to health, but only if there is intolerance to this product. This is an individual indicator and does not occur often. But pregnant women don't need oatmeal. Harm can also occur during the period when the mother is breastfeeding. Nutritionists suggest consulting a doctor before starting a diet based on oatmeal. Even the most useful product may be harmful to health if overused.

Calorie content of cereal

Oatmeal, which is high in calories, is still considered dietary product. Porridge made from it, cooked in milk, contains 102 kcal. By replacing milk with water, you can get 88 kcal. But these dishes have a very high glycemic level of 55. Oatmeal is quickly absorbed by the body. Oats contain a lot of carbohydrates. They are the ones who charge a person with energy for the whole day. The feeling of cheerfulness does not leave him until the end of the working day.

Thanks to microelements, metabolism is normalized in those who suffer overweight- oatmeal brings invaluable benefits. Proteins act on muscle tissue without increasing body fat. Oatmeal, the benefits and harms of which are described above, is very useful for those who suffer from dermatitis: it perfectly restores the skin. Doctors recommend that it be considered the main dish.

Oatmeal for face

Often flakes are used by cosmetologists for procedures. Possessing antioxidant properties, oatmeal acts on the skin, producing a rejuvenating effect. Its advantage is that it is natural herbal product, in which there is no chemical additives. For skin that is constantly flaking, dry and itchy, a cereal mask will be very useful. Using flakes, they make masks that help preserve water balance, cleanse the skin of the face, making it silky.

If the grains are ground into powder, mix with warm water so that the consistency becomes like thick sour cream, it will turn out wonderful mask to relieve irritation. Adding a little to the mixture lemon juice, a spoonful of honey, a mixture of jojoba and almond oils, you can get an excellent anti-aging mask, which is applied for 10 minutes. Oatmeal, which has only rave reviews, I found wide application in cosmetology. Daily oatmeal baths that last no more than ten minutes will treat any problems associated with skin diseases. The flakes are often used as a scrub.

Lose weight with oatmeal

As practice has shown, many have lost weight well with oatmeal. But not everyone likes the taste of porridge, which should be eaten while on a diet. After all, during this period, neither milk, nor butter, nor salt should be added to food. In order not to suffer and lose weight properly, you need to know what you can add to porridge to give it pleasant taste and not harm your figure.

First you need to decide how to choose the right cereal package. After all, they have the designation: 1, 2, 3. For an adult, choose 1 or 2. They do not boil down as quickly as the 3 intended for children. Cook for up to 10 minutes.

Take a glass of cereal and two glasses of water. Place water in a saucepan and put it on fire. Then pour a glass of oatmeal into it and, with constant stirring, bring it to a boil. Once it thickens, the porridge is ready. For taste, add a little chopped walnuts. Not everyone will eat such a dish. Many people like to add condensed milk or sugar, which helps flavor their food. In our case, you can add a little honey. Or the finished product should include fruits, berries, low-fat kefir, yogurt. A week of such a diet helps you lose several kilograms.

Oatmeal and egg diet

It lies in the fact that it combines porridge with boiled egg. The diet is very simple, but it should be followed:

In the morning, for breakfast, eat porridge and one egg;

Lunch: porridge and two eggs;

For dinner there is only porridge.

After following this diet for a week, you can lose almost five kilograms. Many tried it and it worked. But you should remember that you should not get carried away with diets, so as not to harm your health. Repeating such a week is possible only after six months.

Each of us knows from childhood what oatmeal is. Everyone should know the benefits and harms of this product in order to use it correctly. Although this cereal has practically no contraindications.

Glossy magazines and Internet pages are full of headlines about the benefits proper nutrition. This is partly why adherents of a healthy lifestyle are so absorbed in searching for information regarding the benefits and harms of foods. Oatmeal was no exception. Its formed chemical list of elements has a beneficial effect on the body. However, there is a category of people for whom the dish is contraindicated. Let's talk about everything in detail.

Composition of oatmeal

Oatmeal is famous high content fiber, which has a positive effect on digestive tract. The substance accelerates the absorption of substances into the bloodstream and distribution useful elements throughout the body.

The protein in porridge is in an easily digestible form. All people without exception need it because it restores tooth enamel, nails, hair, bones, muscle tissue.

Carbohydrates are required to curb hunger. Since oatmeal is rich in complex saccharides, your mood and morale are maintained for a long time. There is little fat in porridge, which makes it possible to add the dish to the menu of obese patients, those losing weight, and diabetics.

The composition of oatmeal is multifaceted, but there is no point in describing each element in detail. Retinol combined with vitamin E has a powerful antioxidant effect. Substances relieve the liver of harmful products decay, improve hair and skin health.

Oatmeal contains a lot of B-vitamins, namely thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin. All these substances are necessary for the nervous system. They protect a person from apathy, chronic fatigue, bad sleep and extraneous irritants.

The porridge also contains vitamin K, PP, D. Among the minerals, the dish boasts calcium, nickel, manganese, iron, and sulfur. Oatmeal also contains magnesium, fluorine, potassium, iodine, and phosphorus.

Benefits of oatmeal

  1. A huge number of elements have a beneficial effect on all body functions. Receives special value digestive system, heart, kidneys, liver, respiratory system.
  2. After undergoing surgery on abdominal cavity surgeons advise patients to consume oatmeal for quick recovery digestive activity.
  3. The benefit to the intestines manifests itself in the form of relief from constipation, old waste, severe intoxication of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and all internal organs generally.
  4. Rough alimentary fiber in the form of fiber, they speed up metabolism, start digestion after waking up, reduce weight and maintain blood cholesterol at a low level.
  5. Oatmeal is rich in proteins that athletes and everyone need active people. Protein accelerates mass gain in the form of muscle fibers and prevents them from breaking down during sleep.
  6. Calcium ensures the full formation of bones, teeth, nails and hair. Most often, this mineral is needed by ladies who are faced with alopecia and a stratified free edge of the plate.
  7. Oat-based porridge reduces the likelihood of blood clots because it thins the blood to the desired consistency. The dish gently opens blood channels and seals the walls of blood vessels.
  8. Most valuable porridge considered for patients with heart pathologies. It relieves the symptoms of the disease and helps speedy recovery. The product keeps you full, which is appreciated by those losing weight.
  9. Cereals are recommended for consumption by people who work a lot at the computer or often drive a car. Oatmeal improves vision and also strengthens the eye muscles.
  10. Oat porridge improves the memorization of information and increases the speed of its processing. With systematic consumption, brain function increases, and it becomes easier for a person to concentrate on the main thing.
  11. The dish forms the basis of many fasting days. Oatmeal contains few carbohydrates and a lot of fiber, so a full-scale cleansing of the intestines from toxins is carried out. Nutrients make the porridge suitable for the diet menu.

  1. Most often, oatmeal is used in cosmetology. Face masks are made from ground grains. Since oats have antibacterial properties, home remedies to get rid of acne, inflammatory processes, pigmentation, wrinkles.
  2. Girls also eat oatmeal to speed up metabolic processes. Grain has the ability to cleanse the intestines of old waste, remove toxins and waste.
  3. Oatmeal has a beneficial effect on blood vessels and the whole circulatory system. Therefore, it is consumed when varicose veins veins Representatives of the weaker half of humanity are more often exposed to this disease.
  4. The grain is also used for weight loss. Moreover, it doesn’t matter at all whether you consume bran, porridge or sprouted oats. The effect of the latter will be maximum.

Benefits of oatmeal for men

  1. The porridge contains compounds that have a positive effect on reproductive function men. Oatmeal increases sperm count due to accelerated spermatogenesis. Therefore, the dish is recommended for families facing problems with conception.
  2. In addition, oatmeal helps accelerated growth muscles thanks to the included gluten, protein, and fiber. These properties are necessary for men who go to the gym.
  3. The dish also enhances potency by accelerating blood flow into the groin area. Oatmeal makes a guy attractive in the eyes of a lady because it increases libido.

Benefits of oatmeal for pregnant women

  1. It is recommended to include porridge in the menu of pregnant women, because the dish solves several issues at the same time. Thus, oatmeal compensates for the lack of vitamin B9, which is needed for the formation of the fetus in accordance with the term.
  2. Pyridoxine alleviates the symptoms of toxicosis in the early stages. Oatmeal relieves gagging and normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Pregnant women often experience constipation; oats will solve this problem.
  3. Incoming iron reduces the risk of anemia in a girl and her fetus. Porridge removes swelling due to its ability to remove excess fluid.
  4. In addition, ladies are advised to eat oatmeal during lactation. The dish increases fat content and overall quality milk. It eliminates bitterness, which often appears due to poor nutrition mother.

The benefits of oatmeal for weight loss

  1. Porridge is popular among athletes and individuals who watch their figure and adhere to a healthy diet. The product is in demand among people who are actively gaining weight. Oatmeal is rich in natural protein, which has a positive effect on muscle growth.
  2. Keep in mind that being on a protein diet is harmful and dangerous to your health. In addition to protein, oatmeal contains slowly digestible carbohydrates. This makes the dish balanced. For reliable muscle tissue growth, you need to eat egg whites for breakfast along with oatmeal.
  3. To burn unwanted pounds, oatmeal is also necessary in the diet. The product perfectly stabilizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. The presence of fiber prevents the absorption of fat.
  4. Dietary fiber in combination with slow carbohydrates and protein give the body a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Iron-rich porridge forms the central nervous system. Therefore, regular consumption of the product leads to a stable psycho-emotional background. You are less susceptible to external irritants and depression.

  1. Oatmeal with additional ingredients will be beneficial or harmful depending on the patient’s condition. The product does not always have a positive effect on the body. For some pathologies, oatmeal is contraindicated.
  2. If you are suffering from diabetes mellitus, it is prohibited to consume oatmeal with sweet impurities. In this case, the course of the disease will worsen significantly.
  3. Oatmeal cooked in water with the addition of sweeteners will only benefit the patient. A similar dish for diabetes will help maintain blood glucose levels and control normal weight.
  4. Oatmeal is strictly prohibited if available severe pathologies with kidneys. In this case, the patient is allowed only a protein-free diet. As described earlier, oatmeal is rich in natural protein. Eating porridge can lead to serious complications.
  5. It is worth knowing that oatmeal contains phytic acid. The enzyme opposes the absorption of calcium in the human body. Negative Impact manifests itself in the development of osteoporosis. Bone and muscle tissue are unable to form correctly.
  6. Oatmeal is contraindicated for people who have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Protein predominates in the product. In this case, it is not only not absorbed by the body, but is also accompanied by a number of troubles in the form severe pain in the stomach and diarrhea.
  7. Such an ailment is rare, but before use you should still make sure that it is absent. If you decide to go on a porridge-based diet, go through full examination and get professional advice.

Harm of oatmeal

  1. Undoubtedly, porridge is useful for humans, but we should not forget that the product has a list of contraindications. The composition can have a detrimental effect on the baby’s health during early complementary feeding (up to 1 year).
  2. It is forbidden to cook porridge with milk to a small child, his body is in early age unable to break down animal fat. This can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences.
  3. Do not forget that oatmeal is a food with increased content gluten free Protein will harm people with individual intolerance and gastrointestinal problems.
  4. With individual gluten intolerance, the human body develops chronic inflammation intestines. The disease interferes with absorption beneficial enzymes. This pathology is called celiac disease.
  5. When overeating oatmeal, even healthy person calcium absorption in the body is impaired. This raises a number of problems. To avoid this, it is enough to eat porridge 3 times a week for breakfast.
  6. Remember that the product is high in calories; any type of oatmeal has this indicator. Don't rely on instant porridge. Such products have a quick release of calories. This promotes the formation of fatty layers. Don’t even think about including instant porridge in your diet.

Oatmeal is a unique product. Without a doubt, he is valuable to human body. It is important to comply daily norm consumption. In this case, the porridge will not pose any danger to you. If you decide to lose weight with oatmeal, consult a nutritionist first.

Video: the benefits and harms of oatmeal

Oatmeal - favorite treat many people who care about their health. This dish is considered one of the healthiest. It would seem that if you eat oatmeal for breakfast you will be healthy. But everything is not as simple as it seems. The harm of oatmeal may be no less than the benefits of it.


Oats are a very nutritious and healthy product. It contains many vitamins and microelements, organic acids. Oatmeal is widely used in folk medicine:

  • improves digestion;
  • strengthens hair;
  • eliminates muscle pain;
  • strengthens blood vessels;
  • reduces cholesterol;
  • increases the tone of the body.

However, it is worth noting that not every oatmeal is healthy: the harm to health of cereals is due to the way it is processed in an industrial environment.

The most useful are whole grains oats. This is how the porridge is served in the UK. In Scotland, where oat groats counts national dish, cook exclusively whole grains. They contain a lot of fiber and mucous substances.

However, this dish has a number of disadvantages. Foremost - long time preparations. It takes 40 minutes to cook the porridge. In today's time crunch, this is becoming too much of a luxury. In this regard, many people choose oatmeal, which just needs to be poured with boiling water to be ready. But such a mess carries as much harm as good. Why is instant oatmeal harmful to humans?

“Extra” flakes are obtained from crushed oat grains. Due to industrial processing, oats lose their structure. The flakes are characterized by a high starch content and a small amount of fiber. If you consume them for breakfast every day, you can easily become obese.

The most acceptable raw material option for preparing porridge is Hercules flakes. They are not as delicate in taste as “Extra”, but they retain the integrity of the grain structure. Another advantage is the relatively little time cooking - 20-25 minutes. However, with fresh oats in its own way beneficial properties"Hercules" still can't compare.

Contrary to popular belief, eating oatmeal every day for breakfast is not able to improve your health, but can lead to serious consequences. The harm of oatmeal every day is explained by some of its properties and chemical composition.

  • Oatmeal contains phytin, or phytic acid. It leaches calcium from bones. Despite the fairly high calcium content in oatmeal itself, it will not be absorbed in the body: phytin will prevent this. The harm of eating oatmeal every day in the morning is explained by the fact that you can easily cause osteoporosis.
  • Oatmeal contains gluten, a gluten that can cause allergic reaction. For this reason, oat porridge is contraindicated for babies under 11 months. The harm of daily oatmeal for breakfast will be that gluten sticks together the villi in the intestines and impairs digestion. As a result, celiac disease develops, a disease in which the intestinal villi become incapacitated and stop absorbing nutrients.
  • The calorie content of oatmeal makes it difficult to consume it every day. 100 g of Hercules flakes contain 350 kcal, and Extra - 380 kcal. In this regard, overeating and, as a consequence, obesity are possible.
  • Cereals risk the development of diabetes mellitus. The starch they contain is large quantities, is processed into sugar and increases blood glucose levels.

Many people believe that oatmeal is... the best option for breakfast. However, nutritionists have long rejected this opinion. Why is morning oatmeal harmful to humans?

The main role of breakfast is to charge the body with energy for the whole day and speed up metabolism. This means that meals eaten in the morning should not be digested immediately and maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time. It has exactly these properties protein food(meat, fish, eggs, dairy products).

Oatmeal, even cooked with milk, will give the body 300-400 kcal, which completely covers the calorie content of breakfast. However, the effect of satiety will not last long, and after a couple of hours the person will want to eat again. At the same time, he has already taken his calorie quota. It turns out that oatmeal provokes unnecessary snacking and contributes to overeating. At the same time, it is also unable to provide our body with energy for the whole day, since it does not contain protein in large quantities.

Once in the body, porridge provokes the release of insulin due to high content carbohydrates. A sharp feeling of hunger develops: a person eats, but is not satisfied.

Listed harmful properties oatmeal does not mean that you have to give up the traditional dish. Moderate consumption of a properly selected and prepared product will only benefit the body. Those who prefer oatmeal should remember a few simple rules:

  • eat no more than 2-3 servings per week;
  • To prepare porridge, choose either whole oat grains or Hercules flakes. Instant “Extra” oat flakes will be delivered more harm, than the benefits;
  • Do not cook porridge with milk, as this combination of products worsens digestion.