Can Porridge Make You Fat Or Cause Weight Gain?

Porridge is essentially any grain, including oats, corn, and even rice, that is cooked and simmered in water or milk until it reaches the creamy, thick consistency that we all recognize as porridge.

It is also referred to as “hot cereal.” 

When you see it, you will recognize it as a gloopy bowl of something cream-colored. You can eat your porridge when you can see individual oats in the bowl; this is considered oatmeal. 

However, in the most traditional British meaning, creamy porridge is made with oats that have been cooked until they have essentially melted and it is difficult to distinguish between individual oat flakes.

Many weight loss dieticians, doctors, and slimming consultants have been advising us for years that porridge oats are the best breakfast option available.

Most of us now recognize that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, followed by post-workout nutrition, but why?

Essentially, porridge oats are low in glycaemic carbohydrates, which means they are slowly absorbed into the bloodstream and turned into sugar, delivering a gradual flow of energy throughout the day.

Hopefully, you are all aware that the breakfast cereals found in so many kitchen cabinets are processed garbage that will guarantee to make you fat, including bran flakes, all bran, etc.

Don’t allow the fact that your morning cereal contains “added minerals and vitamins” to fool you into believing it’s healthy. It isn’t!

The grains used to manufacture the flakes you eat every morning were transported through a pipe under high pressure and high heat (a procedure that makes the grains somewhat poisonous) and then coated with synthetic chemicals and cut into their desired shapes. 

This technique, known as extrusion, destroys the majority of the food’s nutritional value.

Oatmeal is typically prepared with instant, steel-cut oats, or rolled, as well as water, milk, fruit and brown sugar.

However, some oatmeal varieties are more nutritional than others. In contrast to quick porridge with a high sugar content, homemade oatmeal sweetened exclusively with fruits may encourage weight loss.

Regardless of your weight goals, they can be modified to help you either lose or gain weight.

Make It Healthy

If you want to make your porridge more nutritious, consider the following suggestions given by expert nutritionists.

Avoid quick oatmeal that has previously been sweetened. Choose quick oats, rolled oats, or steel-cut oats that are unsweetened.

Use spices for taste. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla impart flavor without adding extra calories.

Be mindful of portion sizes. Larger portions of oats contain more calories than smaller portions. Read the nutrition label on each ingredient and measure your amounts using a measuring cup or a kitchen scale in order to determine the number of calories you are consuming.

Increase the amount of protein. This macronutrient increases muscular growth and satiety following exercise. Protein powder, milk, Greek yogurt, and natural peanut or almond butter are available options.

Add fruit, fresh or frozen. Oranges, peaches, and blueberries contribute to sugar, minerals, and fiber. For a blast of flavor, you may also want to try puréed fruit, such as puréed strawberries.

Preparation Of Porridge Is Crucial

The effects of porridge (oatmeal) on your body rely on how it is prepared.

Oatmeal with many high-calorie additions, such as chocolate chips or peanut butter, may encourage weight gain, but oatmeal served with fruit, minimum sugar and water is an ideal meal for individuals attempting to lose some weight.

This is due to its high nutrient and fiber content, including vitamin B1, iron and magnesium. Depending on the components, it may also be an excellent protein source.

They are particularly rich in beta-glucan, which is a type of fiber that improves fullness by stimulating the production of peptide YY, it is a hormone that may prevent overeating and delay stomach emptying.

In addition, porridge contains complex carbohydrates that help suppress appetite and balance blood sugar levels.

Weight Gain

Nowadays, everything and anything can be topped with additives that contain extra calories. Oats eaten alone aren’t going to make you fat, but the toppings you add might. 

Select rolled oats, steel-cut oats, or instant oatmeal without flavoring. Thus, you can include healthy, high-calorie components while reducing added sugar.

Then, choose milk over water for additional calories and protein, followed by nutrient-dense toppings such as:

  • walnuts
  • honey
  • hemp cores
  • flaxseed
  • dried fruit like dates or apricots
  • almonds
  • natural peanut butter

Finally, add frozen or fresh fruit to your oatmeal to provide nutrition and sweetness.

These nutritious, calorie-dense items help you achieve a calorie surplus for weight gain by increasing your total daily calorie intake.

Weight Loss

It is preferable to make your own oatmeal with steel-cut or rolled oats, which are high in fiber, low in sugar and less processed than instant types. In just half a cup of dry rolled oats, there are 150 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

Choose unflavored, plain items if you like instant packets so you can regulate how much sugar you add. Then you can add other flavorful and low-calorie spices, like apple pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla.

Reducing the amount of sugar prevents a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar, and helps in keeping the calorie content low which can result in hunger shortly after a meal and sensations of fatigue.

To add fiber and nutrients to your oatmeal, prepare it with mineral water and sweeten it with frozen or fresh fruit. Add a scoop of protein powder for added protein and choose milk instead of water.

Conclusion

Whether you’re attempting to gain or lose weight, oats are an excellent breakfast food. Choose unsweetened instant oatmeal or prepare it yourself using steel-cut rolled oats, regardless of your health goals.

Choose low-calorie, nutrient-rich items for weight loss, such as spices, fresh or frozen fruit, and protein powder.

If you’re aiming to gain weight, choose high-calorie foods such as almonds, milk, honey, frozen or fresh fruit and peanut butter.

By adding a few minor tweaks to your oatmeal, you can achieve your health goals while still enjoying a nutritious meal.

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