Strength, endurance, energy, beauty and perceptiveness. All are qualities attributed to the oat. The last two might be pushing it ever so slightly, the first three are bang on.
What has the oat got that other grains have not? Why are we, in the UK, eating porridge on a scale not seen since the introduction of Corn Flakes and sliced bread?
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| Take a handful of oats... |
Let's start with the smell
Inviting, sweet and friendly, like an old pal.
Then there's the taste
Porridge is warming, comforting and familiar. Reason enough to love it.
Moving on to strength, energy and endurance.
Oats are rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron and magnesium. They provide slow release energy which means you'll feel fuller for longer and you won't be climbing the walls by 11am on a sugar crash. They are high in fibre, so keep you regular. You know what we are saying.
Finally Apparently oats can also boost your sex life.
Inviting, sweet and friendly, like an old pal.
Then there's the taste
Porridge is warming, comforting and familiar. Reason enough to love it.
Moving on to strength, energy and endurance.
Oats are rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron and magnesium. They provide slow release energy which means you'll feel fuller for longer and you won't be climbing the walls by 11am on a sugar crash. They are high in fibre, so keep you regular. You know what we are saying.
Finally Apparently oats can also boost your sex life.
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| soak overnight in water... |
Getting the most from your oats
To maximise your chance of getting at least 3 of the 5 qualities, you need to prepare your oats correctly. You should soak the oats in warm water overnight before cooking. 'Why?!' I hear you cry, as you dash between applying mascara/shaving and shoving lunch in your bag. Soaking breaks down the enzymes and in turn the phytic acid. And it's the phytic acid within the oat that reacts with the other nutrients and can block absorption within the gut - not great for digestion. Soaking the oats starts the process of breaking down the phytic acid, leaving less work and more nutrients for your stomach. Cooking the oats by making them into porridge continues the process.
For those wanting an A* in nutrition, add a spoonful of live yoghurt when you soak the oats. This energises the fermentation process, which further breaks down the difficult-to-absorb proteins. Read on.
To maximise your chance of getting at least 3 of the 5 qualities, you need to prepare your oats correctly. You should soak the oats in warm water overnight before cooking. 'Why?!' I hear you cry, as you dash between applying mascara/shaving and shoving lunch in your bag. Soaking breaks down the enzymes and in turn the phytic acid. And it's the phytic acid within the oat that reacts with the other nutrients and can block absorption within the gut - not great for digestion. Soaking the oats starts the process of breaking down the phytic acid, leaving less work and more nutrients for your stomach. Cooking the oats by making them into porridge continues the process.
For those wanting an A* in nutrition, add a spoonful of live yoghurt when you soak the oats. This energises the fermentation process, which further breaks down the difficult-to-absorb proteins. Read on.
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| stir gently and... |
Milk or water?
So you've soaked the oats overnight and you're feeling smug. What next? That's up to you. If you like it creamy, mix 1 part oats to two parts milk. A purist? Go for 2 parts water and a pinch of flaked sea salt. On the fence? Try a combination of 1 part water to 1 part milk. Each to their own, there's no right or wrong. Then cook. This can take as little as 3 minutes on the hob.
So you've soaked the oats overnight and you're feeling smug. What next? That's up to you. If you like it creamy, mix 1 part oats to two parts milk. A purist? Go for 2 parts water and a pinch of flaked sea salt. On the fence? Try a combination of 1 part water to 1 part milk. Each to their own, there's no right or wrong. Then cook. This can take as little as 3 minutes on the hob.
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| here's one we made earlier...* |
Once your porridge is cooked you're half way there. Now if you want to get the full benefit from those steaming oats add a dollop of cream. Yes. Cream. The fat in the cream aids the absorption of minerals, so not only is it darn tasty it's actually doing you some good. Now that's what we call porridge. Don't have cream to hand? Use butter. Stuck for topping ideas? Raid the fruit bowl, dip into the jam or choose wild or unrefined sugars like maple syrup, honey, bee pollen or rapadura sugar. The possibilities are endless.
That's how we make porridge. What do you do?
