Types of porridges and their benefits. Cereals are the healthiest

What is the benefit?

So, it’s worth figuring out what the benefits of porridge are for human health. Nutritionists claim that the best breakfast is porridge. It is she who should be given preference, instead of eating a sandwich with sausage and cheese or scrambled eggs. The benefits of porridges are very great, since they contain a large number of vitamins and microelements, fiber and complex carbohydrates. If you eat a bowl of porridge for breakfast every day, you can feel full and be energetic throughout the day. This is the benefit of porridge in the morning.

Pediatricians recommend cereals as complementary foods for children during pregnancy and during breastfeeding, because this product is healthy and easily absorbed by the body. When a child reaches four months of age, his need for minerals, vitamins and proteins increases. According to doctors, all this can be achieved by feeding your child healthy grains.

All varieties of cereals contain fiber, which is important element, ensuring proper digestion, helps restore beneficial intestinal microflora and helps remove toxins from the body.

It is worth noting that eating cereals will bring undoubted benefits to the body. Thanks to the consumption of cereals, you can maintain your figure in good condition. Some people are sure that you can get better from porridge. But this is a misconception. In fact, porridge is a low-calorie product. For example, 150 grams of buckwheat contains only 170 calories.

Porridge - full of benefit and minor harm

What's the benefit?

Which porridge is healthier?

Which porridge is the healthiest? The answer to this question is quite difficult. After all, each cereal is good in its own way. For example, oatmeal contains beta-glucan, a substance that removes “bad” cholesterol from the body and gamma-linoleic acid, which we need to prevent hormonal disorders.

The benefits of buckwheat porridge - a favorite product of those losing weight - are in large amounts of iron and lecithin. In addition, buckwheat contains chiroinositol, a component that lowers blood sugar levels and makes it especially important in the diet of diabetics, magnesium, useful for cardiac diseases, and vitamin P, which improves the condition of blood vessels.

The most useful porridge. Porridge - benefits and harm

Whatever the diet, it must include cereals from various cereals. And this is by no means an accident. Cereals are great for breakfast, because due to the large amount of “slow” carbohydrates, they saturate the body for a long time. In addition, cereals, like any other product, contain necessary for a person vitamins and microelements. All that remains is to figure out which one is the best healthy porridge. This is a rather complicated question. But of all, nutritionists especially recommend buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, rice and barley porridge. But the benefits for humans of corn and semolina raise a number of doubts among them.

Buckwheat

Oatmeal

Rice porrige

Perhaps the most common cereal in the world is rice. She even has more varieties than any other. The thing is that rice grows almost everywhere in Asia. Porridge from this cereal is nutritious thanks to great content rice contains slow carbohydrates, protein and minerals. In addition, it is a natural sorbent and has virtually no fat in its composition.

But that's not all it does rice porridge useful for the body. Its most important property is that it does not contain gluten. For people suffering from a rare disease - celiac disease - this is the healthiest porridge. True, you should eat it no more than 2-3 times a week, as it can cause constipation. However, to avoid this, you can combine it with vegetables or fruits. Rice porridge can also be sweet, since the cereal has practically no taste of its own.

Millet porridge

Barley and pearl barley porridge

Another porridge that should not be neglected when following a diet is barley. Since it is made from unpolished barley, all useful microelements and vitamins remain in it. And there are many of them: vitamins B, A, PP and D. In addition, it contains much-needed fiber for the body, thanks to which barley porridge perfectly cleanses of toxins and waste and removes excess cholesterol from the body.

A close relative of barley porridge is pearl barley, as it is made from the same barley, only processed and polished. However, this is the most useful porridge for large physical activity, as it is very nutritious and can give you energy for the whole day. In addition, thanks to the lysine it contains, pearl barley has antiviral properties. By the way, this was Peter I’s favorite porridge.

Corn porridge

But with corn porridge, the benefits and harms are in some balance. On the one hand, it is rich in vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, carotene, tryptophan and lysine. In addition, corn porridge removes toxins from the body due to the fiber it contains. After all, cereal is obtained by simply breaking whole corn kernels. It also helps reduce gas formation in the intestines.

At the same time, corn porridge is quickly absorbed by the body, which can cause weight gain. It is believed that its frequent consumption may cause obesity and diabetes. However, if you eat it no more than once a week, there will definitely be no harm from such porridge.

Semolina

On water or milk?

At first glance, it seems that milk porridge is not as healthy as one cooked in water. After all, it contains more calories, and the cereal in milk becomes very boiled, losing some of its beneficial properties. However, by adding milk to cereals, you can get a nutritionally complete breakfast. After all, it contains so much calcium, protein and amino acids, which cereals lack. This especially applies to buckwheat, oatmeal and rice.

To get an equally healthy, but less high-calorie breakfast option, you can boil the cereal in water, heat the milk separately, and then pour it over the finished porridge. This will make one of the most harmonious breakfasts. For those who suffer from milk intolerance, you can replace it with kefir or cottage cheese. Moreover, the latter can be added even to warm porridge. The result is a breakfast no less valuable in terms of nutritional properties. But it is still better to cook corn, pearl barley and semolina porridge in water, since they themselves are a very high-calorie breakfast.

Porridge: benefits and harm

From childhood, we remember very well how our parents forced us to eat porridge, saying that it brought many benefits. However, we resisted with all our might, and our parents, in turn, used everything possible means, just so we can eat it. Now we have matured and realized that porridge is a very healthy product, which contains a huge amount of vitamins, useful microelements and other necessary to the human body substances. We have already written about the benefits of corn porridge, so read about it separately.

Semolina

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is considered the most popular today. Everyone believes that it only brings benefits to the body, so they eat it every morning. However, not many people know that, along with its benefits, it can also bring harm, so we will talk about it in a little more detail.

Oatmeal contains a large number of these useful substances, such as amino acids, proteins and vitamins, which are directly involved in the metabolism of cholesterol. And the biotin contained in porridge is very beneficial for nails, hair and skin. It is also rich in enzymes that help stimulate the digestive tract.

At the same time, oatmeal contains a substance called gluten, which leaches calcium from bones. That is why it is harmful to use it for those people whose bodies do not absorb calcium well.

Porridges are present in the diet of many peoples. This simple and affordable product has great benefits for our body. Every nutritionist and doctor advises people to eat porridge at least several times a week. They are the basis of any therapeutic diet, proper nutrition and a balanced diet.

Are porridges good for health?

The variety of porridges is very large. Each cereal contains certain vitamins and minerals, the composition of which is different. Therefore, it cannot be said that all cereals are equally useful for each of us. If you healthy man and you don’t have any problems with the gastrointestinal tract or organs, then any porridge will be good for you. However, if you have health problems, then nutritionists advise consuming certain types of cereals. Then you will get more benefits.

Any cereal contains dietary fiber, which has a positive effect on digestion processes. They cleanse our intestines and body of toxins and harmful substances. Porridges consist of slow carbohydrates, which saturate our body with the necessary energy and do not turn into fat deposits. In addition, cereals contain protein, which is good for our muscles.

Any porridge is rich in vitamins and elements. Therefore, it is impossible to single out the healthiest porridge. Each grain has its own effect on the body. For example, oatmeal is considered a “beauty” porridge. This is a dietary product that has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Buckwheat is useful for anemia and vitamin B deficiency. Millet cleanses our body of toxins. It saturates the body with magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur.

Beneficial features cough

Porridges have many beneficial properties. One of the main things is that they are very nutritious. Porridge saturates our body with the necessary energy, and we do not feel hungry for a long time. A serving of porridge contains the daily requirement of fiber, which is beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract.

Semolina is no less beneficial for the body than buckwheat or oatmeal. This product has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, bone tissue and organs. Rice contains a large amount of B vitamins. This cereal is good for nervous system and to cleanse the body. Barley supplies us with energy. People who suffer from constipation cannot do without this cereal. This porridge is harmful for children, as it is too heavy for the stomach.

Wheat porridge should be present in the diet of people who have problems with the cardiovascular system. It contains a large amount of copper, zinc, protein, manganese,.

Buckwheat is considered one of the healthiest porridges. It is rich in minerals and vitamins: phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iron, starch, manganese, proteins, fats, vitamins PP, B1, B6, B2. Buckwheat is useful for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, problems with the pancreas, anemia and many other diseases.

Buckwheat is considered the most useful. It is environmentally friendly, rich in vitamins and minerals, and has low calorie content. It is used in various therapeutic diets, it has a beneficial effect on the entire body and has no contraindications for consumption.

The second place is taken by rolled oatmeal. It saturates the body with energy, lowers blood sugar levels, makes hair, skin and nails more beautiful. In addition, it improves immunity and normalizes metabolism.

The third place is occupied by pearl barley. It contains many minerals, it is low in calories, but at the same time has high nutritional value. When consumed regularly, this cereal promotes the production of collagen, which helps maintain youth.

Benefits of cereals for the body

Benefits of oatmeal

Oatmeal contains a lot of fiber, antioxidants, gluten, vitamin E, iodine, sodium, vanadium, chlorine, sodium, sulfur and other minerals. This cereal stimulates intestinal function, neutralizes the harmful effects of cholesterol, protects the body from aging, cleanses the body of toxins and waste, lowers blood pressure, helps reduce the risk of developing cancer, and helps in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

The benefits of millet porridge

Millet porridge contains a lot of starch, potassium, silicon, magnesium, copper and phosphorus. It is also rich in vitamins B, PP and A. It contains proteins,. Its fat content is about 4%. This cereal has a beneficial effect on the growth of the body, has a positive effect on the condition bone tissue and teeth, normalizes blood circulation, helps avoid the development of constipation, improves the condition of nails, hair and skin, stabilizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, metabolic processes and the digestive system. With regular use of this product, the nervous system is normalized, depression, stress and sleep problems disappear. Cereals cleanse the body of toxins, waste, salts, and cholesterol.

The benefits of semolina

Semolina is rich in sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and B1, phytin, starch, protein, gluten. Semolina is easily absorbed by the body, removes pathological mucous deposits and fats, has a positive effect on the formation of bone tissue and muscles, and cleanses the body of waste and toxins. However, you should not consume a lot of this porridge, as it can lead to gastrointestinal upset and anemia.

The benefits of corn grits

Corn grits are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates and plant fibers, amino acids, micro and macroelements. This cereal is useful for problems with the cardiovascular system, it removes toxins and fat cells, stabilizes blood sugar levels, slows down the aging process, and normalizes metabolic processes. In addition, it is useful for nervous exhaustion and stress.

The benefits of pearl barley

This cereal is capable of synthesizing collagen in the body, so with regular use, the body rejuvenates. The porridge is low in calories, but filling. It is useful for the musculoskeletal and skeletal framework, as it contains a lot of phosphorus. Barley normalizes metabolic processes and is perfectly absorbed by the body.

Benefits of barley porridge

This cereal has a diuretic effect. It contains a large amount of iron, so it is useful for anemia. It is indispensable for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, thyroid gland, kidney and liver diseases. It is a good antispasmodic, useful for arthritis and vision problems. With regular use, the condition of the skin, hair and nails improves.

The benefits of pea porridge

This porridge is rich in amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It reduces the risk of developing, helps get rid of kidney and bladder stones, supports the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improves the condition of the skin, removes toxins from the body, reduces pain in joints, and helps get rid of some dermatological problems.

Benefits of rice porridge

Rice is not only tasty, but also healthy. It normalizes hematopoietic processes, improves metabolic processes, helps get rid of diarrhea, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, prevents the formation of blood clots, has antioxidant properties, strengthens the bone structure, removes toxins and waste. Rice is also good for the nervous system.

The benefits of pumpkin porridge

Pumpkin is rich in magnesium, iron, vitamin A and E. It is natural fiber. Porridge made from this product is beneficial for the whole body. It rejuvenates the body, relieves gout, normalizes blood pressure, and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, helps fight stress, normalizes the gastrointestinal tract, improves blood composition, maintains healthy hair, nails and skin, helps in the treatment of tuberculosis, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, is useful for problems with bladder, kidneys and liver, reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.

Bread and porridge are our food. So goes the old Russian proverb. And if bread is a world-famous and generally accepted dish, then porridge can be considered a national invention. There is an assumption that this familiar word meant something like “mixture”, “union”, “compound”, “mixing”. “Porridge” in Rus' was the name not only for a dish, but, for example, for a wedding.

The frequently used expression: such a mess has been brewed also speaks of the broad meaning of this word, which clearly goes beyond the scope of cooking. You can make a classic manna from porridge like semolina, but read how to do it here https://sovets.net/2081-kak-prigotovit-mannik.html

First of all, porridge is a ritual dish. On the occasion of birth, a special “grandmother’s” porridge was cooked for mothers; wedding ceremonies included the ritual of joint preparation of this dish, and the deceased was seen off with kutya. Porridge could be cooked not only with milk or water. So the most popular in Rus', buckwheat porridge with meat broth, and with pieces of meat and vegetables, turned into a stew. And in the merchant class, porridge from several varieties of cereals, cooked in milk, and with the addition of jam, dried fruits and candied fruits was already a delicacy. The most famous of these recipes is Guryev porridge.

Benefits of cereals for the body

You can devote not just a separate article to the beneficial properties of porridge, but an entire one. scientific work. Any porridge contains a whole list of useful elements, minerals and vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Also, thanks to its rich composition, the folk dish charges you with energy for the whole day. That is why in childhood we were all forced to eat porridge, citing the fact that we would have more strength. Almost any porridge helps the proper functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract, cleanses it, saves from poisoning and diarrhea, and helps remove toxins from the body.

And of course, each type of cereal has its own additional advantages. So dish based wheat cereal is an excellent antioxidant, removes toxins and even excess fat. Corn porridge Helps the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. It helps to calm down, reduces nervousness, helps overcome stress, and you can significantly reduce the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes if you often consume this porridge.

Pearl barley is just a mess of beauty. The elements it contains improve the condition of the skin, hair, nails; in general, pearl barley improves immunity and is very good for the eyes. Any person involved in sports knows that buckwheat porridge can help you build muscle mass. Oatmeal soothes allergies (and is also one of the main ingredients in beauty dishes, as it perfectly cleanses the intestines, read), and semolina porridge, so disliked by many in childhood, saves from chronic fatigue.

There is plenty of variety of cereals for porridges, so you can treat yourself to different healthy and delicious porridge. Eat porridge and be healthy!

Why? They are among the oldest foods in the human diet. It is known that 17 thousand years ago, ancient civilizations ate barley, on which the diet of the Greeks and Romans was based. 12 thousand years ago, oats appeared in the diet of the inhabitants of Rus', which formed the basis of the diet of peasants. And even earlier, the population of the southern regions of Rus' ate millet - a rich source nutrients.

Porridge gave strength and energy to the poorest segments of the population, providing a well-fed and affordable diet. Cereals were used in different ways: ground into flour for baking bread and flatbreads, boiled in the form of liquid jelly and crumbly side dishes. Prosperous people did not refuse them either; they cooked them more skillfully and consumed them with meat.

Today we have access to many more types of cereals than in medieval Russia. But you shouldn’t give up centuries of experience. After all, their most valuable varieties are also among the most ancient. Why is porridge called porridge and how does porridge differ from other porridge?

Rating of valuable cereals. What varieties are there?

So, what is the healthiest porridge? Is there a table of cereals according to their usefulness? Nutritionists name 7 valuable foods that are important to include in your diet. And not only for people with health problems and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. To ensure a balanced, complete diet, you need to regularly eat cereals. Here is their name and photo:

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is considered the best porridge. She is considered a leader in nutritional value with minimal calories. Dozens of diets are based on the consumption of buckwheat. It is used in vegetarian diets as a substitute for animal protein, because its composition contains vegetable protein up to 18%. She hypoallergenic. The product is rich in iron and magnesium. These microelements are important for the hematopoietic system and heart function.

Buckwheat should form the basis of nutrition for people suffering from diabetes mellitus. It has a minimal glycemic index, does not increase sugar levels when absorbed by the body, and therefore does not cause it sharp jumps. There are cases when eating buckwheat and following a strict diet eliminated the need for insulin.

Buckwheat is not a cereal crop, like most well-known cereals, but herbaceous plants. Its closest “relative” is sorrel, so the caloric content of the product is minimal, up to 90 Kcal per 100 grams of product. It comes from India, where it is called “black rice”.

Oatmeal

What kind of porridge is similar to oatmeal? Oatmeal is made from oats that are subjected to different types processing. For this porridge, the beneficial properties are determined by the intensity of grinding. The more rude he is, the healthier product. Therefore, it is recommended to include in a healthy diet not cereals, quick to prepare, and rolled oats. The degree of mechanical processing is minimal.

Cereals are rich in microelements and vitamins. But its main value lies elsewhere - the abundance of fiber. Grains are composed of insoluble fibers that act like a brush in the intestines. They clean out toxins, simultaneously removing cholesterol and toxic substances. But only a product prepared with water has such healing qualities.

Oatmeal is also necessary for people with gastrointestinal disorders. For gastritis and peptic ulcers, it reduces the severity of attacks, as it envelops the walls of the stomach with a film of gluten.

Pearl barley

This cereal is a product of grinding barley grains, which formed the basis of the diet of ancient people. It is known that it was the only food consumed by ancient Roman gladiators, since the protein-rich cereal quickly replenishes strength. The famous reformer Tsar Peter I loved pearl barley, but in Rus' the culture of its use was lost quite a long time ago, replaced by wheat.

Today pearl barley is perceived as government, army, and budget porridge. At the same time, it has a lot of useful properties. It contains protein, rich in potassium and phosphorus. It also contains fiber, which is important for the proper functioning of the intestines. The problem with modern barley is that people have forgotten how to cook it. Because of this, the ancient cereal, which was consumed on all continents, found itself on the margins of cooking.

Barley must be soaked before boiling. It is necessary to fill it with water for 12 hours, then rinse and boil. Over an open fire, you just need to bring the cereal to a boil, then move the pan to a water bath and simmer under the lid for 6 hours.

Millet

Millet is another ancient grain that should be included in a healthy diet. Millet is a product of it minimal processing, so it retains a large amount of valuable fiber. The beneficial properties of this porridge include intensive cleansing of the intestines, the ability to remove toxins and metal salts. Cereals stimulate the cleansing of blood vessels and reduce the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis.

The product is rich in carbohydrates, which ensures a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Not suitable for nutrition with pancreatitis, since the polysaccharides present in the composition cannot be completely processed by the weakened pancreas. For the same reason, people with diabetes should not consume millet.

Corn

Despite the fact that this product is unusual and unusual for our table, it is necessary to use it. Corn has a unique property. It is very filling, so you won’t be able to eat a lot of it. The period of absorption by the body is long, its carbohydrates are broken down over more than 4 hours, providing a gradual supply of energy.

It contains vitamins A, E, PP, a large amount of potassium and magnesium. These microelements are valuable for heart function. It lowers cholesterol and effectively cleanses the intestines, similar to oatmeal.

Rice

The product is included in the diet of the planet's billion people. The value of rice cereal is well known in China, India and other countries of East Asia, where it is an essential component of the diet. We perceive rice differently, and not because we don’t know how to cook it. The fact is that we use completely different varieties of it - white, peeled, the value of which is minimal compared to “classic” rice - brown, unpolished.

The latter has the highest efficiency in cleansing the body of toxins. And it has extremely few calories. Our cereal varieties are less productive in this regard and contain more easily accessible carbohydrates. However, they are also necessary for the health of the body, since rice has sorbent qualities, envelops the intestinal walls, and normalizes digestion.

Linen

The benefits of this cereal are not widely known; it is not customary for us to cook flaxseed porridge. But it is necessary to get to know it as an amazing source of essential amino acids. It supplies the body with valuable substances that are part of the structure of the skin, bones, and joints. Flax is the fountain of youth.

The cereal also contains vitamins and microelements. The leader among the latter is potassium, which is 7 times more than in the well-known record holder for this component - banana. Flaxseed porridge has a similar effect on the gastrointestinal tract as oatmeal and rice: it envelops the mucous membranes with a film and improves digestion.

The most harmful cereals. List

It is customary to endow porridge with exclusively beneficial properties. However, there are also potential “pests” among them. Nutritionists consider these to be cereals with a high glycemic index, as well as those that have virtually no fiber. They bring “empty calories” to the body. There are several record holders here.

• Semolina . What grain is semolina made from? It is a product of finely ground wheat, so it contains vegetable protein and vitamins in a small volume. However, the main share of its composition (70%) is formed by starch, which should not be consumed by people who are overweight or those who are trying to reduce it. The benefits of semolina porridge in the morning are also exaggerated for children. The cereal contains a complex mucopolysaccharide that a child’s body cannot break down. It also reduces the intensity of movement of intestinal villi, inhibiting digestive activity.
• White rice . Nutritionists call it an empty source of calories. White rice actually contains a lot of them, but there are practically no vitamins and minerals. Brown, wild and red varieties of this cereal are of high value.
• Oatmeal instant cooking . Surprisingly, oatmeal can also be harmful. This is the name for finely ground flakes that boil in 5 minutes, or those that can simply be steamed with boiling water. This product contains neither fiber nor other valuable components. The calorie content of oatmeal from a bag of sugar is equivalent to a piece of cake.

Any cereal can be harmful - both rye and wheat, if there is an individual intolerance to it. More than 30% of the world's population suffers from gluten intolerance, and in 1% of people this genetic condition provokes severe consequences after eating gluten-containing cereals. With regular consumption of cereals with gluten (oatmeal, wheat, semolina, pearl barley), celiac disease develops. It manifests itself in persistent digestive disorders with a decrease in the intensity of absorption of nutrients from the intestines.

Gluten is present not only in cereals, but also in products made from them. It is found in bread, pasta, sausage and canned food as additives. There is no cereal protein in buckwheat, rice, corn grits, millet.

Rules for preparing healthy porridges

To get the maximum benefit from a product, it must be selected and prepared correctly. Then the porridge will turn out to be truly healthy. It is especially useful for children. Here are a few subtleties proper preparation products.

• The less processing the better.. Any grain contains the main spectrum of useful substances in the upper shells. Therefore, the less of them is lost during production, the more valuable the dish will be. Eat whole-grain oatmeal, unpolished rice, and cereals that only have their kernels crushed: corn, barley (barley).
• Rinse the cereal. This will rid it of dust and will not wash away any useful substances. The need to wash grains is dictated by basic hygiene.
• Eat without fat. The advantage of oatmeal, for example, is its ability to bind and remove cholesterol. However, it is completely lost when consumed with milk, since the cereal binds milk fat, and not the fat that settles in your intestines. Other grains with fiber work similarly. For maximum benefits, boil them in water.
• Use healthy and tasty supplements. Porridge for breakfast will become much tastier if you add raisins, dried apricots, pieces of apples or nuts, sprinkle flax grains, sesame seeds, and garnish with fresh berries. Such components do not increase the calorie content of the dish, but make it more tasty and healthy.

Regularly buy and consume valuable cereals, rye and millet. The benefits and harms of grains are individual and depend on the characteristics of your body. However, the number of healthy cereals is large. And among them you will definitely find those that will delight you with their taste on the everyday table and will not bring unpleasant consequences.

Legends and epics mention the extraordinary strength of Russian heroes, but few people know that their main food was porridge. Of course, the diet of Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich included meat, fish, mushrooms, vegetables, etc., but when the heroes went on a military campaign, they took with them weapons, a horse and a bag of cereals. This was quite enough to gain strength and energy to win the battle. Thanks to the beneficial properties of the porridge, the heroes were powerful, muscular, healthy and strong. It remains to be seen which cereal they preferred.

Rice in those days was very rare and was very expensive, buckwheat, brought by Greek monks, was cooked on holidays, but there was a lot of millet, barley, oats, wheat and rye. Porridge was cooked from purified and whole grains, which retained all vitamins and minerals. Sometimes the grain was crushed for faster cooking, but the useful bran shell was never removed. The cereal was steamed for a long time in a Russian oven, and this cooking method is still considered the most useful. The benefits of cereals for the body in this case are obvious, since steamed whole grains saturate the body with all the necessary substances, remove toxins, normalize blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and also help to lose excess weight.

The benefit of various cereals also lies in the fact that they contain complex carbohydrates and proteins, which are perfectly digestible even after heat treatment. This is probably why the Russian heroes had such prominent figures. The finished porridge was seasoned with creamy, hemp or linseed oil, and here sunflower oil They began to produce in Russia only in the middle of the 19th century.

Rice is the oldest grain on earth

When discussing the benefits of cereals, it is difficult to say which cereal is the healthiest, because each has its own characteristics and advantages. For example, rice, which appeared in China and India 7 thousand years ago, contains the highest concentration of proteins and carbohydrates that are necessary for a growing body - this is the main benefit of rice porridge for children. In addition, rice contains folic acid, which treats anemia and has astringent properties, so rice water is recommended for intestinal disorders. Yulia Vysotskaya's family loves this cereal very much.

“You can eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the dish will not be repeated - there are pilafs, porridges, sushi, and desserts. The main thing is to choose the right variety and achieve the ideal result from it,” says Yulia.

For porridge and sweet desserts, Yulia advises using Arborio or round Krasnodar rice, which absorbs water perfectly and acquires a creamy texture. Cooking rice porridge is very easy, try the twelve-minute recipe. Rinse the cereal and fill it with milk or water in a ratio of 1:3 and cook for 12 minutes over very low heat, and then cover the pan for another 12 minutes until the remaining liquid is absorbed.

For risotto, Julia advises buying carnaroli and vialone nano varieties, which become soft when cooked but do not stick together. Devzira is ideal for pilaf, and japonica variety is ideal for sushi, which becomes sticky and dense after cooking. Basmati rice, jasmine rice, as well as wild, brown and red rice, which are served as a side dish for meat, fish and vegetables, are very popular in the East. In Asian countries, rice is often steamed by pouring it into a special sieve, which is placed over a pan of boiling water. The rice turns out very tender and crumbly.

Buckwheat is not from Greece, but from India!

Buckwheat is one of Yulia Vysotskaya’s favorite cereals. If we talk about the benefits of cereals for children, then buckwheat is necessary for a growing body, it does not contain starch and gluten, but it contains a lot of iron. Buckwheat increases hemoglobin levels and is a leader in protein content; it also strengthens the immune system and removes heavy metal salts that enter the child’s body along with vaccinations.

If you are cooking classic porridge, there should be twice as much water as cereal. After boiling, cook the buckwheat for about 10-12 minutes, while keeping the lid of the pan loosely closed. After cooking, cover the pan with a blanket and let the porridge stand warm for a while until it becomes fluffy and very crumbly. Without steaming, buckwheat is cooked for 20-25 minutes. By the way, before cooking, buckwheat can be heated a little in a frying pan to enhance the nutty taste. Some supporters healthy image life is used only raw buckwheat, since store-bought cereal is pre-fried for long-term storage. But the taste of green buckwheat is not so bright and familiar, rather an acquired taste.

Oatmeal: variety and benefits

Everyone knows about the benefits of oatmeal in the morning, because oats are very beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract, and regular consumption of oatmeal cures gastritis, ulcers and restores intestinal microflora. Oatmeal is sold in the form of whole grains, flattened boiled grains called oat flakes, and oatmeal - oatmeal.

And although we most often use rolled oats for baking and porridges, according to Yulia Vysotskaya, “whole oatmeal contains a third more nutrients than crushed rolled oats or oat flakes. And compared to rolled oats, it’s not enough to pour boiling water over it, but you need to cook it for about 30 minutes, and the ratio of water to cereal should be 1:3.”

Before cooking, oatmeal should be thoroughly washed and sorted, then steamed with boiling water and left for four hours. Crushed oatmeal is cooked for 30-40 minutes, and whole oatmeal - about two hours. At the very end, you can add a little milk into the pan to make milk porridge. Doctors talk a lot about the benefits of oatmeal during pregnancy, since it contains a high concentration of vitamin B9, which is necessary for the prevention of birth defects. athletes for recruitment muscle mass, and those who want to lose weight eat it to lose weight. The fact is that oatmeal removes excess fluid from the body and saturates for a long time due to its low glycemic index, especially if it is cooked without sugar and milk. The benefits of porridge on water with a minimum of salt and healthy oils proven in practice!

Millet for health and youth

Millet, which is the seeds of millet, is considered the leader in fat content, so it is not stored for long and quickly loses its taste. The health benefit of millet porridge is that it removes antibiotics from the body, so every person should include it in their diet from time to time. Important information for women - millet retains moisture in the skin cells, makes it soft, firm, elastic and rejuvenates the body. In order to preserve the valuable vitamin composition and preserve the benefits of cereals, you need to cook it correctly, and here the recommendations of Yulia Vysotskaya again come to our aid.

She advises thoroughly washing the millet before cooking in 5-6 waters, and then pouring hot water or milk if you want a crumbly porridge. For viscous porridge, from which you will later make a casserole, pour cold milk over the cereal. The proportions for “spreading” are 180 ml of water per 100 g of millet, and for “spreading” the millet you need to take twice as much. By the way, some housewives soak millet before cooking for about an hour to get rid of the characteristic taste of raw cereal, and the porridge is cooked over low heat for about 25-30 minutes.

Barley - favorite porridge of Peter I

As Yulia Vysotskaya says, pearl barley, undeservedly forgotten some time ago, is now experiencing a rebirth; in many countries they even prepare risotto from it. Barley is the oldest grain on the planet, which our distant ancestors used as a medicine, since it contains hordecin, which has antibacterial properties, and lysine, which can even cope with the herpes virus. Pearl barley also strengthens muscles and stimulates brain activity, so it is useful for athletes and anyone involved in mental work.

However, pearl barley must first be soaked in water for 12 hours, although previously in Rus' housewives poured dairy or fermented milk products into the barley so that it became especially tender and acquired a creamy taste. They cook it in a 1:2 ratio with water, but some housewives take a liter of water per glass of cereal, since the barley boils very much. Don't be surprised if you open the pan and see that the volume of the porridge has increased fivefold. The porridge is cooked from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, it all depends on the degree of soaking of the cereal and the size of the grain, because barley can be sold crushed like barley.

Due to its high calorie content and benefits, pearl barley is constantly present in the diet of bodybuilders and supporters of a healthy lifestyle. This was also Peter I’s favorite porridge, although in those days it was prepared in a Russian oven. Try cooking pearl barley in a water bath for 2.5 hours and you will understand why the Russian emperor was ready to eat this dish every day.