Oatmeal is one of the breakfasts we rely on when we want to eat sensibly and at the same time tasty. Someone likes it hot, creamy and fragrant right in the morning, while others prepare flakes in a glass in the evening and just reach into the fridge in the morning. But which option is healthier?
Oatmeal is an ideal choice for breakfast when we want to eat healthy and tasty. Some prefer it hot, creamy and fragrant right after waking up, others prepare the flakes in a glass in the evening and just take them out of the fridge in the morning. This is where a frequent question arises, is cooked or raw porridge actually healthier? ?
For a video by Jamie Oliver with recipes for five types of porridge, check out YouTube:
Raw versus cooked oatmeal
The difference between them is not in the flakes themselves, but in how we deal with them. When the flakes are cooked, their structure changes and the body can handle them a little easier. The porridge is finer, and it is especially useful in the morning, when digestion is not yet running at full speed. This is precisely why our grandmothers, who cooked it even for small children or the sick, did not allow it.
Raw oatmeal, often referred to as overnight oats, works a little differently. The flakes are not heat-treated, they are simply allowed to swell in liquid. Thanks to this, they retain more natural fiber and energy is released from them more slowly. Such a breakfast fills you up for a longer time and is especially useful on days when you know you won’t be able to get to a snack.
There is no healthier option
So it cannot be said that one option is clearly better than the other. It depends more on how you feel after it. If you have sensitive digestion or eat breakfast right after waking up, you will usually be more comfortable with warm cooked porridge. If, on the other hand, you have breakfast later or need energy for the whole morning, raw porridge may be a better choice.
“I always recommend adding a little cinnamon and a few spoonfuls of chopped nuts to oatmeal. The taste will improve significantly and at the same time you will get a dose of healthy fats,” advises chef David Šlapák.
What you add to the porridge also plays a big role. The flakes themselves are just the base. Fruit, nuts, seeds or a spoonful of yogurt will decide whether the breakfast will be just dietary or really nutritious and filling. Whether you cook the porridge or leave it in the fridge overnight, it is still one of the easiest and cheapest ways to give your body exactly what it needs in the morning.
