What will happen to the body if you eat oatmeal for breakfast every day? The benefits and harms of oatmeal in the morning

Oatmeal is an excellent antioxidant and depressant. Removes toxins from the body and cleanses the gastrointestinal tract. Hippocrates considered it the most valuable product and advised making tea from it, and in Rus' they prepared a lot of healthy dishes from it.

Mass stabilization

The need to eat oatmeal for breakfast is considered an axiom. Not everyone eats, but everyone knows it. Nutritionists vying with each other advise making oatmeal your constant morning ally, which will help solve many problems.

For example, stabilize weight, keep in order immune system, activate brain activity, get rid of blood clots.

British and Scottish doctors - and in these countries oatmeal is considered a national dish - based on numerous studies, claim that daily use oat porridge will enrich the body with a huge amount of vitamins and minerals, which have a beneficial effect on the genitourinary and nervous systems, dilate blood vessels, ensure normal blood clotting and an active metabolic process in the skin, strengthen general state health and slow down the aging process.

Cons of oatmeal

The more you read about this cereal, the more positive characteristics you discover. And for the most part this is true. However, nothing ideal exists in the world. And oatmeal is no exception.

It should be especially noted that all positive characteristics characteristic only of real porridge made from whole oat grains, cooked in water without adding sugar or any flavoring additives.

But even if that is what it is, Russian nutritionists, based on the latest research, do not recommend eating oatmeal every day. As it turned out, oats contain phytic acid, which not only prevents the calcium contained in oats from being absorbed, but even washes away the calcium that was already in the body. So, with regular long-term consumption of oatmeal, you can easily develop osteoporosis.

You will be hungry

In oatmeal minimal amount proteins and fats and a complex composition of carbohydrates. Therefore, it is very high in calories: 100 grams of product contains 350 kilocalories. And due to the small percentage of protein, oatmeal has a very low energy value: after a serving of porridge, a person will soon want to eat again. Doctors advise eating oatmeal, alternating with porridges made from other cereals: buckwheat, millet, rice. And the oatmeal itself can be eaten with the addition of some protein food: cottage cheese, eggs, milk.

These tips do not apply to those with medical conditions gastrointestinal tract. Patients with gastritis or stomach ulcers simply need to eat whole grain oatmeal with water.

It has enveloping properties and helps the stomach process food painlessly. Those who want to lose weight should eat the same porridge. Oatmeal without any additives cleanses the intestines well and rids the body of all kinds of toxins that can be activated in the body in the form of poisons during the diet.

Semi-finished products don't work

However, today, when time is most valuable, cooking whole grain oatmeal for 40 minutes is an unaffordable luxury. And to save time, many people buy semi-finished oat products in stores.

Processed on industrial enterprises oats in the form of flakes and porridge in bags contain a significant amount of starch, sugar, flavor enhancers, and flavorings. From it, as from white bread, all the most useful substances have been removed.

IN industrial production During evaporation, all vitamins and minerals disappear from oats, and artificial additives take their place. This type of oatmeal does more harm than good. All that the body gets from its daily use is additional kilograms.

For stable full-fledged work During the day, the body must be provided with energy and nutrients. Therefore, doctors do not recommend skipping your morning meal. In the morning there is usually little time for preparing delicacies, and many people prefer oatmeal for breakfast - a simple healthy dish.

The benefits of porridge for breakfast every day

Oatmeal not only saves time, but also has a large number of positive properties, due to its composition. With an energy value of 340-360 kcal per 100 g, the BJU of oat flakes is as follows:

  • proteins – 13 g;
  • fats – 6 g;
  • carbohydrates – 63 g.


B vitamins regulate processes occurring in nervous system. They are responsible for the absence of such unpleasant conditions like apathy chronic fatigue, bad dream, irritability. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that removes toxins. I owe it to him good condition skin and hair. PP is involved in hematopoietic processes and is also necessary for good blood clotting.


The product is high in potassium and magnesium, which makes it useful for patients with cardiovascular diseases. There is a lot of phosphorus, which is necessary for successful brain activity and condition bone tissue. Calcium also serves this purpose. As is known, drugs based on it are created for the prevention of osteoporosis. Contains the product and iron, iodine, sulfur, manganese, fluorine.


If you eat porridge for breakfast every day, you can significantly improve your health.

  • Complex useful substances will have a beneficial effect on all body systems and all functions they perform.
  • The presence of dietary fiber and fiber allows you to regulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore is useful for people suffering from constipation. Fiber and fiber, which speed up metabolism, promote weight loss and keep cholesterol levels low.
  • The overall tone of the body increases.
  • Happening fast recovery strength after hard times physical activity. Oatmeal is needed in the diet of athletes and people engaged in physical labor, as well as those who have undergone surgery and simply weakened people.
  • Porridge is useful for breakfast for schoolchildren and students, since it regular use concentration and ability to absorb information increases.



Possible harm to the dish

Despite the abundance of positive properties, in some cases rolled oats porridge may turn out to be harmful. First of all, this may be due to individual intolerance product, which happens extremely rarely.

Another problem may be related to the plant protein gluten. Gluten, or gluten, is found in cereals. There is especially a lot of it in wheat, rye, and barley. People suffering from celiac disease (gluten intolerance) should not consume foods containing it.


Due to the risk of developing an allergic reaction, these people are primarily contraindicated in pasta and bakery products, as well as all other products that may contain these cereals.

Today it is considered proven that oats are not harmful to those suffering from celiac disease, and in small quantities they can be beneficial, as it makes it easier to adhere to the diet. This is true for pure oats. Although oats are a gluten-free plant, the substance can get into them in production facilities where various grains are processed. Various precautions are taken to obtain pure oats. Packages containing pure products are usually marked with a special symbol.


Another unpleasant moment is associated with the presence of phytic acid. This substance interferes with the absorption of calcium. Of course, it would be an exaggeration to say that regular consumption of oatmeal leads to osteoporosis, but you will have to take care of additional sources of calcium.

Sometimes women, having read the calorie content of oatmeal on the packaging, refuse them because they are afraid of gaining weight. Their fears are unfounded: calorie content is indicated for a dry product. During cooking, the grains swell, and from 100 g. It turns out to be a very large portion. Weight gain will occur when consuming excessively large quantities of porridge.


Discussions about the dangers and benefits of oatmeal often lead to contradictions if one important detail is not taken into account - the type of product. The beneficial properties will be fully inherent in whole grains. But it takes a very long time to prepare porridge from it.

Manufacturers offer us a product that significantly reduces cooking time - flakes. To make flakes, that is, flattened grains, the shell is removed from them. She is the most valuable part and is known to us as “bran”. Depending on the degree of processing and grinding of the grain, flakes are obtained, the cooking time of which can vary from 3-4 minutes. (fine grind) up to 20-25 minutes ( coarse).


The more oats are crushed, the more the structure of the grain is damaged and the less useful substances remain in it. In addition, some manufacturers add preservatives, flavors and sugar to the cereal. And if whole grain porridge, which has a low glycemic index, is recommended for diabetics, then fast and instant food products are harmful to consume even for healthy people.

They are high in starch, so consuming them causes a rapid increase in blood sugar, which triggers insulin spikes. Excessive indulgence in instant porridges can lead predisposed people to diabetes.

Minimize somewhat possible harm adding oat bran to cooked porridge will allow. Modern stores always have shelves with healthy food products; the product is often presented by various manufacturers.


How many times a week can you eat?

The answer to the question, how often can you eat oatmeal, meaning healthy eating, depends on the product from which the porridge is prepared. Whole grain porridge can be eaten almost every day. With regular use, positive changes in the body's condition will be noticeable quite quickly. One of the significant ones may be weight loss.

To lose weight, nutritionists recommend fasting days on oatmeal. Once or twice a week you need to boil the cereal in water. For one day you will need 200 g. The porridge can be seasoned with honey at the rate of 1 teaspoon for the entire volume of porridge. You can drink on this day green tea, herbal decoctions.



Whole grain oatmeal, which is cooked in milk and to which butter and sugar are added, will, of course, give the body the whole complex of useful substances, but only in this case about dietary product there is no talk. In this form, porridge should not be eaten more than twice a week. However, oatmeal cooked with milk will be richer in composition due to the presence of calcium, fats and other beneficial substances contained in milk. In addition, dairy animal protein will increase the digestibility of vegetable protein from cereals.


Cereal porridges should not be present often in the diet. Hercules flakes, which are not highly processed and retain some fiber, can be consumed 3-5 times a week. “Hercules” contains enough useful substances, and the calorie content and starch content are not too high.

In flakes that have been processed in high degree, that is, quick and instant preparation, very few nutrients and dietary fiber, and they may also contain additives that significantly increase calorie content. Abusing them will not lead to anything good.

Despite the calorie content, the feeling of satiety that they give passes very quickly, the body will require the next portion. And although such cereals simplify the preparation of breakfast and save us time, they should not be consumed more than once a week. It is advisable to increase the intervals between breakfasts of “quick” cereals. Use them only as a “lifesaver” (rare use will not cause harm), and ideally, completely exclude them from the diet.


When is the best time to do this and why?

Doctors advise eating oatmeal in the morning: after eating it, the feeling of hunger recedes by a long period, the body is provided with the necessary energy. In addition, the need for proteins and carbohydrates is greater in the morning; the body quickly absorbs vitamins and microelements.

It contains a substance that envelops the walls of the stomach and protects it from the effects of more aggressive substances that may be found in other products. Interesting fact: Finely ground flakes are better suited for this purpose. Coarsely ground flakes will irritate the unhealthy mucous membranes of the stomach.


You can learn more about preparing and eating oatmeal in the next video.

Some people prefer oatmeal for breakfast, others look at such a dish with disgust, and still others lean on the product, trying to lose weight and consume it in large quantities. Of course, excess is bad, but regarding underestimation, let’s say that nutritionists recommend including daily diet oatmeal. If you eat a little of it every day, it will be beneficial. This cereal has high value for the body, we will talk about this now.

Oatmeal and its benefits for humans

Oatmeal can be called a healthy porridge, which also has rejuvenating properties and helps increase life expectancy. It is known that all centenarians ate oatmeal throughout their lives. By eating oatmeal for breakfast, a person increases his energy potential, receives the necessary vegetable proteins and complex carbohydrates. Oatmeal is an excellent food for allergy sufferers, it is also rich in fiber, promotes intestinal motility and is easily digestible. In addition, it contains vitamins and minerals, among which there are antioxidants, organic acids, more about everything below.

Energy value of oatmeal:

  • Calorie content per 100 g: 67 Kcal.
  • Proteins: 2.4 g.
  • Fat: 1.4 g.
  • Carbohydrates: 12 g.

The carbohydrate part is represented big amount dietary fiber, fat base includes polyunsaturated, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid. Oatmeal has no cholesterol, but it has a lot of sodium and potassium, it also contains iron, magnesium, and a complex of vitamins: A, B6, D, C, K. This composition will not give a hint of doubt about the benefits of oatmeal. And its benefits in preventing thrombosis, lowering cholesterol, improving memory, and mental flow are legendary. And this is true, porridge is very healthy, it’s not for nothing that English lords have been using it for several centuries and include it in diet menus sick, it is recommended to give it to children.

More information about the composition

Oatmeal replenishes vitamin and mineral reserves; after eating it, your mood improves and your performance increases. Vitamin B6 makes breakfast anti-stress, allows you to calm down and reduce the impulse of nervous tension.

Vitamin A and vitamin C give the product antioxidant properties. When you eat oatmeal, you can be sure that free radicals will not be able to attack your cells, which means they will not change and will not turn into cancer.

Oatmeal also contains vitamin K; when consumed together with milk, bones are strengthened and the likelihood of osteoporosis is reduced. Vitamin K also improves blood clotting and is useful for normalizing kidney function.

The same vitamin B6, vitamins and minerals of an antioxidant nature, help strengthen hair and nails, and breathe youth into the body. By eating oatmeal in the morning, you will not allow toxins to accumulate in the body; oats will immediately remove them.

Why is it useful to include oatmeal in your daily menu?

  • Oatmeal has a low glycemic index, if you cook it in water, it will make it possible to lose weight, and at the same time it will not make you suffer from hunger and lack of nutrients.
  • With systematic consumption of oatmeal, the risks of acquiring heart disease are reduced, and it also helps lower blood sugar if it is cooked in water and without fillers.
  • Oatmeal with milk is an excellent source of calcium, so it is recommended to include it in the menu of young children, teenagers, and old people to strengthen bone tissue and joints.
  • The polyphenols contained in oats and alimentary fiber, help lower cholesterol levels, improve digestion, reduce appetite, eliminate constipation, and help regulate microflora in the intestines.
  • Useful for diabetics, reduces blood sugar by early stages allows you to do without additional insulin injections.
  • Oatmeal is not only anti-allergenic, but also helps eliminate allergy symptoms resulting from eating other foods or flowering plants. This is possible due to the inclusion of aventramides in the porridge; they also help reduce itching and inflammation in eczema.

Why do you sometimes feel hungry half an hour after eating oatmeal?

Digestion of oatmeal is easy, but it lasts for 3 hours. During this period, energy is synthesized, the person is full of strength and has increased performance. This means that there are no thoughts about food, and the daily dose of calories consumed is reduced. But this does not always happen, sometimes within an hour, or even 30 minutes after breakfast, hunger simply overwhelms a person, how to explain this?

It's all about the degree of processing; raw grain has enzymes that improve digestion and ensure a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Most porridges, including flakes, are steamed or flattened to speed up the cooking process, which reduces their nutritional value. But this only affects the speed of digestion, the nutritional value of the product is not reduced.

All oatmeal is obtained from oats, the grain is steamed, flattened, and the film is removed. As a result, uncrushed, flattened and flaky oatmeal ends up on store shelves. The healthiest option would be simple oatmeal; it takes a little longer to cook, but it saturates a person with energy for a long time. long time. You can prepare porridge with water and milk, and also add dried fruits, fill it with berries, nuts, honey, flax grains, sesame seeds, seeds, etc.

How to make the healthiest oatmeal for breakfast

First of all, you should take whole oat grains, wash them well, and then boil them in water. This porridge is better accepted by the stomach than milk porridge. If you use cereal, then know that they are less beneficial, and within a couple of hours after breakfast you will want to eat something.

The porridge should be prepared according to the following proportions: take ¾ cup of oatmeal for 2 glasses of water. Add the oats after the water has boiled, stirring constantly so as not to burn. When the porridge is cooked, it is poured into bowls, nuts, dried fruits, berries, and honey are added. If the dish is for weight loss, then fillers are not introduced.

Of course, porridge with water cannot compare with oatmeal with milk. To prepare it, wash the oatmeal, put it in a saucepan and add water so that the flakes are not completely covered. Then bring to a boil while stirring, set the flame to low, boil for 2-3 minutes, then add milk, cook until tender and make sure it doesn’t burn.

Attention! Oatmeal cooked with milk, with the addition of butter, honey, nuts, drying, will be quite high in calories, so such dishes are recommended for men, as well as those who want to gain weight.

Specifics of dividing oat flakes, which ones to choose

  • Flakes marked “Extra No. 3” cook the fastest, they are very thin, you just need to steam them with milk or water. This is an ideal option for children and people with stomach problems. If there are no marks on the package, but simply the cooking method “steaming” is written, then this is “Extra No. 3”.
  • “Extra No. 2” already requires boiling (5-7 minutes). This type is made from chopped oats; the porridge turns out soft and boiled.
  • The highest carbohydrate cereals are “Extra No. 1”, they are flattened from whole grains, such flakes require 15 minutes of cooking, porridge from them has the highest nutritional value than the two previous species.
  • Hercules is a separate variety of oats, these flakes have a dense texture, the preparation of such porridge takes 15-20 minutes, but it is healthy and tasty.

If you have stomach problems and need food to be digested faster, give preference to the first two options (flakes made from crushed and half grains). When you want to get a lot of energy and not feel hungry for a long time after breakfast, buy rolled oats, rolled whole grain flakes or lightly crushed oats, they are also sold in stores.

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Attention: the information in the article is for informational purposes only. It is recommended that you consult a specialist (doctor) before applying the tips described in the article.

Oatmeal is a favorite treat for 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 very nutritious and useful 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 oatmeal is considered a national dish, exclusively whole grains are cooked. They contain a lot of fiber and mucous substances.

However, this dish has a number of disadvantages. The most important thing is the long cooking time. 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 oatmeal harmful to humans? instant cooking?

“Extra” flakes are obtained from crushed oat grains. Because of industrial processing oats lose their structure. The flakes are characterized increased content starch 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 short cooking time - 20-25 minutes. However, Hercules still cannot be compared with fresh oats in terms of its beneficial properties.

Contrary to popular belief, eating oatmeal every day for breakfast is not able to improve your body's 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 leach 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. Harm 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 threaten development diabetes mellitus. The starch they contain in large quantities is converted 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 its high carbohydrate content. A sharp feeling of hunger develops: a person eats, but is not satisfied.

Listed harmful properties oatmeal does not mean that you need 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 do more harm than good;
  • Do not cook porridge with milk, as this combination of products worsens digestion.

On your menu. To figure out whether eating oatmeal every day is really so beneficial, ELLE turned to an expert on proper nutrition, ideologist-developer of the original GrinDin menu, a service for delivering delicious and healthy food for the whole day, Alisa Shabanova.

PHOTO GettyImages

Firstly, let us immediately hasten to debunk the well-known myth that any oatmeal is healthy. This is far from true. Only whole grain cereals or coarsely ground flakes cooked in water or milk can be considered “correct”. All instant oatmeal analogs typically contain a large number of sugar, additives and flavor enhancers that are harmful to the body.

Secondly, not just any porridge can help you lose weight. Many people are sure that by including oatmeal in their diet, the weight loss process will start by itself. The statement is practically true, but it does not specify that the cereal must be coarsely ground, boiled in water, not in milk and without adding cream, and also exclude sugar and its substitutes. Nutritionists also recommend consuming porridge mainly on days when you have a workout planned - complex carbohydrates will be absorbed faster in the presence of physical activity.

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Thirdly, many will be surprised, but, despite popular belief, oatmeal in pure form- far from the best option for healthy breakfast. The fact is that it contains too little protein, which is vital for the body after waking up. Therefore, it is better to eat porridge either for second breakfast, or combine it with protein dishes - omelets, cheesecakes, cottage cheese or a slice of cheese.

And now about the pleasant things. Of course, oatmeal also has beneficial features, which doctors and nutritionists love to talk about. Indeed, it is this cereal that is primarily recommended to be included in the diet when acute diseases Gastrointestinal tract, as it has enveloping properties, facilitating digestion and ridding the body of toxins. IN in this case Doctors recommend properly boiling and mashing the grain, since coarse dietary fiber can only harm the gastric mucosa.

Also, due to the high fiber content in its composition, oatmeal helps not only normalize intestinal function, but also lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It contains the most important components for health - magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and a whole mix of useful substances that are responsible for the formation and development of bones and muscle tissue: This is why doctors recommend cooking this cereal for children.

To make breakfast not only healthy, but also tasty, it is important to choose the right grain. As a rule, there are three main types of oatmeal available in stores. The first is whole grains, which require long-term cooking. It is this option that many doctors consider the most beneficial for the body due to the high concentration of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Due to its hardness, preparing such grain will take about 30 minutes - a luxury that few people have time for today.

Whole grain cereals are much more popular. In this case, the grain is rolled in a press without heat treatment, and as a result it becomes less rigid without losing its beneficial properties. This oatmeal can be either steamed using boiling water or simmered over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

The third type is steamed flakes, which are considered the most convenient and quick option for preparing breakfast. You just need to pour boiling water over them or cook them in hot milk for a couple of minutes. In this case, in addition to being rolled by a press, the grains are also treated with steam, which reduces their hardness and makes them boil faster.

It is believed that thermal exposure can destroy some of the beneficial components in the cereal. However, most valuable substances, included in oatmeal - natural antioxidant vitamin E, B vitamins and useful minerals(magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus) - remain intact and unharmed during cooking.

Nutritionists are sure that the most delicious, and most importantly, healthy porridge it will work if you mix several types of flakes at once: steamed, rolled and oat bran. Thus, steamed flakes will create a delicate base, harder ones will give structure, and bran will make the porridge healthier, since they contain the most fiber. You can take the proportion 2:2:1 as a basis.

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As for the cooking method, cereal cooked in milk can be no less healthy than oatmeal in water. Choose low percentage fat content and do not forget that the predominant vitamin E in oatmeal is a fat-soluble component and fats are necessary for its absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to add nuts or linseed oil, and in case of lactose intolerance, regular milk can also be replaced with coconut or almond milk.

Important point: Do not add sugar to the porridge under any circumstances. Try to use its substitutes, fruits or dried fruits - they will add flavor to the oatmeal and will not cause harm to the body. Fruits, unlike cereals, contain many vitamins, the beneficial properties of which disappear during heat treatment. Therefore, it is better not to cook them together with cereal, but put them on a plate, pour hot porridge over them and leave for 5 minutes. You can also decorate the finished dish with fresh berries.”