Versatile, tasty and easy to prepare, porridge can help you lose weight and is a preferred breakfast for many health-conscious people. It is no coincidence that oats are considered a cheap superfood because they affordably provide nutrients such as minerals, complex carbohydrates and fiber. Additionally, porridge as a healthy part of the daily menu would be a great food option for weight loss. Just stick to homemade porridge instead of sugar-flavored instant varieties, which would be higher in calories and less beneficial for a balanced diet. Below you will find some nutritional tips and suitable recipes with which you can enjoy your morning portion of oatmeal without any worries.
How do you use the calories in porridge to lose weight?
The calories youfrom a bowl of oatmeal, depends on which preparation method you choose. For example, a 3/4-cup serving of classic oatmeal has 124 calories if you make it with water. If you use a glass of low-fat milk instead, you'll get 215 calories from it. However, packaged versions contain more calories. For example, a pack of apple cinnamon flavored porridge has 157 calories when made with water, or 248 calories with low-fat milk. Additionally, using whole milk adds even more calories.
Although porridge is moderately high in calories, you can still incorporate it into the low-calorie diet necessary for weight loss. For example, even if you follow a very restrictive 1,200-calorie diet, one serving of oatmeal with low-fat milk only takes up 18 percent of your daily calorie intake, which you can track on a calorie counter. There are also other nutritional benefits that make porridge helpful for weight loss. The whole grain products it contains are packed with fiber. Even if fiber does not increase the number of calories, it does satisfy hunger. So, start your day with a bowl of porridge and perhaps stay away from tempting mid-morning snacks that might otherwise compromise your diet.
Health benefits of porridge for weight loss
One of the biggest benefits of consuming oatmeal is its effect on reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also called “bad” cholesterolknown, in the body. The soluble fiber in oatmeal helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Plus, adding fruit can still increase the amount of soluble fiber you get, so it's a double win. All that healthy fiber in oatmeal can have a profound effect on improving your cardiovascular health.
In addition, whole grain oatmeal is also known to boost metabolism. Accordingly, swapping heavily processed oatmeal for these minimally processed whole grains helps incorporate complex carbohydrates into the diet. This, in turn, causes your body to work harder to break them down. This extra power boosts digestion and metabolism, keeping you feeling full for hours. The proteins, complex carbohydrates and heart-healthy, polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains make porridge a healthy source of nutrients that, in combination with other low-carb ingredients, can contribute to faster weight loss.
How can you prepare porridge for weight loss?
Porridge is adaptable and easy to prepare, allowing you to experiment with your meals to make your breakfast more varied. Brown sugar adds about 50 calories per tablespoon, and sweetened dried fruits or nuts each contain about 100 calories per serving. You can also use healthy and vegan alternatives to milk such as almond milk or coconut milk. In addition, the consumption ofOatmeal for weight lossbecome an easy-to-follow eating habit. With healthy ingredients, oatmeal can not only taste great, but help the body digest better. This keeps blood sugar levels constant, while energy levels increase and cravings disappear.
So a good breakfast with oatmeal would definitely be an excellent part of a healthy diet plan that will help you lose weight easily. Here are the most common methods of preparing porridge for weight loss:
- Cook the healthy oatmeal in a naturally sweet, low-calorie vegan milk such as almond milk. This boosts metabolism, adds protein and eliminates the need for sugar.
- Supplement the healthy oats with suitable fruits such as berries or apples, which support the metabolism just as well.
- Add zero-calorie spices like cinnamon to add more flavor without too many calories.
This is how you can cook oatmeal
Making oatmeal recipes is a fairly simple process: pour liquid over oatmeal and heat. Not only is this fairly quick, but even the most inexperienced can do itCook the basic preparationcommand.
- For one serving, take 1 cup of oatmeal, 2 cups of water, milk, or a combination of both.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of rolled oats (old fashioned) and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered on low for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 minutes before serving.
The following breakfast recipes with oats can be prepared deliciously, quickly and easily with any variety, although the ingredients in each recipe are intended for 1 serving.
Porridge for losing weight with apples for better metabolism
Prepare this sweet, creamy and satisfying porridge in the morning so you can start your day low in calories but full of energy. The best thing about this classic recipe idea is that it makes the porridge taste like a piece of apple pie, which is particularly suitable for the winter season.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oatmeal of your choice
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 apple cut into thin, bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Preparation:
- In a medium saucepan, combine almond milk, oats, cinnamon and maple syrup, heat on low until most of the milk is absorbed (stir if necessary).
- Once most of the milk is absorbed, add the applesauce and stir. If you like your apples soft, add them right after. However, if the apple pieces remain crunchy, wait to stir them in just before serving.
- Once all of the applesauce and milk have been absorbed, about 15-20 minutes total, remove from heat and serve.
- Each serving has: 309 calories, 5g fat, 8g fiber, 6g protein and 62g carbohydrates.
Oatmeal with brown sugar and maple syrup
This breakfast will warm you up on a cold day and leave your tummy feeling good without making you feel sluggish or heavy. If you prefer quick oatmeal, be sure to try this healthy recipe before your workday.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon raw brown sugar
Preparation:
- In a small pan or pot, first bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the oats and cinnamon and reduce the heat to low.
- Stir occasionally until all the water is absorbed.
- Then add the maple syrup and stir.
- Finally, place the oatmeal in a bowl, sprinkle with brown sugar and enjoy.
- Each serving has: 176 calories, 3g fat, 4g fiber, 5g protein, 33g carbohydrates.
Fruity oat flakes with peaches, cranberries and white chocolate
It's easy to experiment with a recipe like this, and the peaches combined with the oat flakes create a heavenly taste. Modify your usual breakfast and you'll quickly realize that something so healthy can taste so good. For example, you can replace the cranberries with equally delicious raisins. If you like, add seeds or walnuts, which are rich in healthy fats and other important nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- fresh or dried peaches sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh or dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Walnuts (optional)
Preparation:
- In a medium saucepan, first combine the almond milk, oats, vanilla, peaches and cranberries, cover and heat on low until all the milk is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir when you see the porridge start to bubble and again every 5 minutes or so.
- Remove from the heat, mix the lemon zest and chocolate chips and then serve in a bowl or bowl with or without walnuts.
- Each serving has: 304 calories, 8g fat, 6g fiber, 7g protein, 53g carbohydrates.
Refine porridge for weight loss with cherries, honey and almond slivers
Oatmeal often gets a bad rap when it comes to texture and flavor, but you can change that with simple ingredients. Get a better texture and more intense flavor, as well as a fruity note, by adding honey, cherries and almond pieces to your oatmeal.
Ingredients:
- 1/8 Bags Almond Splitter
- 1/2 cup rolled oats old fashioned or steel cut
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh cherries
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 teaspoons honey
Preparation:
- First toast the almonds in a pan over medium heat, turning them until they are lightly browned.
- Then set the almond slivers aside on a plate so that they become a little crispier when they cool.
- In a small saucepan, bring a cup of water to a boil, add the oats and cherries, reduce to low and stir occasionally until the water is completely absorbed.
- Once the water is absorbed, add the almond extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey and stir the porridge well.
- Place the oatmeal in a bowl and drizzle the last 1/2 teaspoon of honey over the top before finally adding the slivered almonds and enjoying.
- Each serving has: 317 calories, 9g fat, 6g fiber, 9g protein, 53g carbohydrates.
Low carb oat flakes with blueberries and lemon peel
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and are perfect for a low-calorie oatmeal breakfast. The lemon peel also adds further freshness, while the almond milk provides plant-based protein. It also makes the porridge for losing weight creamier and sweeter, although a cup of almond milk with only 60 calories would be a much better alternative to cow's milk, which has 120 calories.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 cup old fashioned oats or steel cut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons dried blueberries
- 2 teaspoons lemon peel
Preparation:
- First, combine the almond milk, oats, vanilla and blueberries in a small saucepan, cover and heat on low until all the milk is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
- Then add the lemon zest and ladle everything into a bowl.
- Combine the healthy oatmeal with green tea for a metabolism-boosting breakfast to lose weight.
- Each serving has: 316 calories, 5g fat, 9g fiber, 6g protein, 58g carbohydrates.
