I have already done a post on my breakfasts and you can see that I have variety of meals that you wouldn't necessarily deem to be the early morning sort (I disagree!!). Porridge, nevertheless, is my stand-by of choice. I genuinely really enjoy it. Its satisfying and so simple - a combination that brings you back and back again. Porridge is definitely popular, most coffee chains have it as an option at breakfast, at the likes of Starbucks you can purchase an overpriced and somewhat artificial tub of the stuff. I just don't like Starbucks, sorry. However, there still looms a negative attitude towards the invariably labelled 'tasteless gloop'. I've had to conclude that this must be down to either people not making it correctly, or people just being annoyingly fussy. Yes those almond croissants may taste good (better than porridge you say), but there is no way in hell they are a good idea for a daily convenient breakfast.
Make porridge with MILK not water, if you are attempting to maintain a low fat diet for some reason then use skimmed milk, I personally don't - its semi-skimmed or whole milk for me. The milk boosts the protein content of the meal and thus the 'fuller for longer' effect. For athletes especially, a high protein diet is essential for muscle repair. During vigorous work-outs such as sprinting and lifting, muscles tissue is broken down. I have been recommended to consume 20-30g of protein after EVERY work out, regardless of intensity. That's equivalent to a whole pint of milk. Adding milk to my porridge naturally boosts my intake and it tastes WAY better.
The consistency of your porridge is down to personal taste, I personally like mine really milky and not very stodgy - just adjust how much liquid you add and how long you cook it accordingly. I tend to do mine in a saucepan on the hob, but this is mainly due to the state of my microwave that likes to sporadically spark. For microwave users I would recommend 1 min 30 then stir, then another minute. I would intuitively deem this advice to be patronizing, but given the negative stick porridge gets, I'm gonna go ahead as I've had to conclude people just don't make it properly! (I am being slightly cheeky here and do recognize that there's a possibility that you just don't like the stuff.) If you add some water first when you are cooking it on the hob it cooks faster.
The benefits of Porridge at a glance:
- Low GI = fuller for longer & blood sugar levels maintained
- Contains:
Vitamin E
Zinc (A single porridge serving can contain up to 41% half of your daily required intake)Iron
Fibre
Carbohydrate
Riboflavin
Calcium
Magnesium
Folic acid
Potassium
- Full of protein
- Ideal for losing weight
- Apparently helps reduce cholesterol (good for heart disease)
- Better bowl function
- Concentration improved compared to sugar packed cereals in the mornings.
- Slow releasing complex carbohydrates helps you sustain energy levels through the morning. The complex carbohydrates also stabilize and slowly raise blood sugar levels.
Still not enjoying your morning porridge?? --> Some ideas to make it more interesting:
(and even more nutritious, with the bonus of variety)
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| Normal Porridge studded with blueberry and topped with Greek yogurt. |
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| Greek yogurt may not be a normal addition but I like it! |
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| Blueberry porridge: add frozen blueberry's to the pan whilst making it! |
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| Chocolate Porridge with banana - add a chunk of cocoa to the pan and melt it in. |
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| I sometimes add peanut butter too- its like a peanut butter cup for breakfast!! If you blend peanut butter, banana and a bit of porridge together its like a healthy version of peanut butter cup filling that you can put on top of your chocolate porridge! yum. |
Other things I like to add:
- Honey
- Almond Butter
- Flax seed sprinkled on top
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