When it comes to food for breakfast, you can't do much better than oatmeal. At the time I lived in Great Britain it always was called porridge, and I am sure it is more well-liked there as opposed to within the United States. It has a long history there, because it was the peasant food of that area, especially in Ireland and Scotland.
When these areas weren't blessed with a wealth of healthy natural foods like we find within the Mediterranean region, having oatmeal as a staple was extremely important. Dietary fiber will be on the top with the nutrient list, and the advantage here with oatmeal is the mixture of roughly 50/50 insoluble and soluble fibers. Each of them will be extremely important to our health for suitable digestion. It will be also thought to be heart-healthy thanks to its tocotrienols, which are antioxidant compounds which slow synthesis of cholesterol resulting in lower blood cholesterol.
Additional benefits to having soluble fiber within your system is how it controls insulin levels and blood glucose, therefore preventing insulin spikes as well as diabetic problems. It works by slowing down digestion by forming a gel inside the intestines as it becomes absorbed by water. The gel becomes digested more slowly, prolonging the time frame the carbohydrates are taken into the body. Slower absorption means dramatic spikes of sugar levels in your blood stream are averted.
Which takes us to the initial question: what is actually better, steel cut or rolled oats. The solution can be from an absorption point of view, we are going to favor the steel cut oats. They are essentially the same oats as rolled, but it is just how they are processed that produces the difference. Because steel-cut are denser, they will take longer to digest as opposed to rolled oats. And by and large, the more a food becomes processed, or the less natural it really is, the less healthful it will be for you. The minimum quantity of processing that will go into steel-cut oats make them the more healthy choice.
The downside (and it is not much of a downside when healthiness is concerned) is that they're somewhat harder to cook. Steel cut oats require somewhat longer to prepare, but we believe it's worth the time. Combine 3 cups of water, a cup of steel cut oats, plus a little salt to bring out the naturally nutty flavor.
Much like cooking rice or quinoa, bring to a boil, then cut the heat back to let it simmer without covering the pan. Stir regularly then at about the 20 minute mark start checking the oat's progress. The more time you permit it cook at this time, the less chewy it is going to be.
Finish the oatmeal off using fruit, fresh or dried, and toasted nuts. Cinnamon also works well, as will a spoonful of honey or maple syrup. If you are cooking breakfast for only one or a couple of people, it is possible to make a larger quantity and store it in the fridge for as much as a week. Just microwave it for only a minute, mix in a little milk and heat for another minute.
Author Resource:
It has been known for centuries that oatmeal is one of the healthiest and heartiest of all breakfast foods. Read more about healthy foods and how they combine to add to a diet that keeps us fit on our website http://healtheybalanceddiet.com/ . Rich Carroll is a writer and avid health advocate now living in Chicago.
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