Which Oatmeal Is Healthier The Best Oatmeal for 2020

Choosing a healthy breakfast for every day is a piece of cake. This will help the rating of the best oatmeal, compiled by our editorial staff, who have tested each of the products presented in today's review.

Oatmeal: grain or cereal

First, you need to debunk one of the myths about oatmeal. Many adherents of a healthy diet claim that refined and steamed oatmeal grain, turned into flakes, loses most of its nutrients and qualities. Only whole grains should be eaten, which must either be boiled for 40-60 minutes, or poured overnight with water, and boiled in the morning for 20 minutes.

A completely natural question arises: what is the difference - is oats steamed in production, or is it boiled in boiling water for an hour in the same way? In both cases, a process of prolonged heat treatment takes place, therefore, the statement about the greater benefits of whole grains has no serious justification.

It is better to pay attention to other characteristics when buying cereals in order to choose the most useful and natural product.

Main selection criteria

Editorial research has shown what determines the quality and price of a particular brand of cereals. After examining the shelves with cereals in several large and small stores, making a "test purchase", and then testing all purchased products, the editorial staff deduced several important criteria that determine the cost and quality characteristics of a product.

Flake size

Products from different manufacturers differ in the size of the cut grains. The finer the crushed grain is cut, the less scrubbing properties such porridge has. It is more suitable for children and the elderly.

Additives

Ideally, the composition of oatmeal should look like this: "Oatmeal flakes". Sometimes the manufacturer adds candied fruits or dried fruits to the cereal, which come with preservatives and dyes that are identical to natural ones. Accordingly, the amount of fast carbohydrates in such a porridge increases, and therefore its glycemic index, which is undesirable for people who are losing weight. If the goal is to lose weight, it is better to refuse such porridge. And choose other options for cereals and others slimming products.

Bran

This is a shell of grains, ground to a powder state. Such a beneficial supplement is rich in fiber. Oatmeal with bran nourishes for a long time, normalizes weight, cleanses the intestinal walls and improves peristalsis. Oatmeal bran has earned the best recommendations from nutritionists and rave reviews from adherents of a healthy diet. Their glycemic index is 15 units with a norm of 40 to 70, that is, this product will not cause any disturbances in the work of the pancreas and the production of insulin. 100 g of the product contains:

• Protein - 20% of the daily value;
• Fat - 10% of the daily value;
• Carbohydrates - 36% of the RDA
• Fiber and dietary fiber - 80% of the daily value;
• Calories - 14% of the RDA.

In second place - bran from a wheat shell.They are suitable for active cleansing of the digestive tract and the elimination of constipation, since the insoluble fiber contained in large quantities in wheat bran, like a brush, cleans the layers from the intestinal walls and cleanses the entire digestive system from toxins, like a magnet, collecting all deposits and toxins and removing them from the body.

Content in 100 g of product:

• Protein - 16% of the daily value;
• Fat - 6% of the daily value;
• Carbohydrates - 12% of the RDA
• Dietary fiber - 200% of the daily value;
• Calories - 10% of the RDA.

Wheat bran contains gluten (approximately 30% per 100 g of product), which is contraindicated in celiac disease - gluten protein intolerance. Oatmeal bran does not contain this component. In addition, they are processed more gently, so they retain more protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins. This puts wheat bran in second place.

What determines the price

Oatmeal is a healthy and inexpensive product. The average price of a 400-500 g package will range from 50 to 200 rubles. The main characteristics that determine how much a particular brand of oatmeal costs:

1. Manufacturer. As a rule, porridge is not the only product produced by this or that brand. If the manufacturing company has already earned a reputation for other products besides cereal porridge, its oatmeal will cost 10-15 rubles more than other brands.
2. Manufacturing technologies. There is one nuance here. Oatmeal does not contain gluten, however, on some packages you can see the following inscription:

Where does gluten come from in oatmeal, and why isn't it in the bran? Very simple: the oat grains are separated from the shell and then processed on the same equipment that processes wheat or rye. This is how particles of wheat or rye protein end up in oatmeal during processing. But the shell of the grains, as already mentioned, is processed using a different technology and on other equipment - therefore, there is no gluten protein in the bran.

3. Place of cultivation of cereals. There are two sub-points here:

• Growing territory - for a long time, you can see products of foreign manufacturers on store shelves, and cereals are no exception. Before getting to the store, they all go through numerous stages: transportation, customs clearance and other procedures that require financial costs from the manufacturer and supplier. They are included in the price tag, so such cereals will cost an order of magnitude more expensive than domestic ones, even if the composition and processing technology are identical.
• The land on which the culture grows. Oats are often sown as green manure to enrich the soil with nutrients and minerals, strengthen it and “rejuvenate” it. Then wheat and again oats are planted on the same soil in the future. This is where gluten comes from in oats (about 10-12%). The allocation of an individual allotment only for growing oats requires certain technical and financial costs (after all, the allotment will no longer be used for another crop), which in the future in the same way affect the price of the final product.

And now - a review of the best instant cereals that were tested by the staff of the editorial staff of "I found" in 2020, taking into account the listed criteria and recognized as beneficial for health, maintaining the desired weight and overall improvement of the body's condition.

Flakes with additives

To enhance the usefulness of oatmeal, additional ingredients added to the composition in varying percentages with cereals help. In addition, these cereals have a richer taste than regular oatmeal, they can be alternated with each other, adding variety to your diet. The rating of cereals with the most common additives will help you navigate which company porridge is better to buy:

"Uvelka"

Chopped oat grains with wheat bran are ideal for adherents of radical purification, which is facilitated by the wheat bran in the composition.The average cutting size allows not only steaming the flakes, but also pouring them with kefir for 15-20 minutes without boiling.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

"Makfa"

Crimped whole grain with oat bran. It will take 3 to 5 minutes to cook such porridge for better softening. Then you can add nuts, dried fruits or honey to the porridge to taste.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

"Clear Sunshine"

The technology of preserving the germ of grain and bran assumes minimal steam processing and crushing of the grains without cutting them. However, according to the observation of the site staff, the flakes are smaller than whole ones, therefore, they are still cut when cutting. Therefore, they can also be poured with kefir instead of boiling water.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

"Power of Altai"

Consisting of:

• rolled oats (fiber),
• pine nut flour (vitamin E, fatty amino acids),
• flaxseed flour (magnesium and potassium).

Regular use of such porridge rejuvenates the body, cleanses the intestines, normalizes digestion and peristalsis, and strengthens the cardiovascular system.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Flakes without additives

However, those who, due to health or wallet reasons, cannot afford an assortment of oatmeal and other cereals or nuts, do not be upset. The following is an overview of the best brands of unadulterated oatmeal that can be used to make delicious porridge, sweet dessert, diet biscuits, and even delicious cutlets by adding some inexpensive ingredients.

An overview of high-quality brands of oatmeal without additives from our website employees will look like this:

"Provena"

One of the types of oatmeal, which immediately falls under two pricing criteria: oats are grown on a specially allocated land plot, the producing country is Finland. According to buyers, these are the best producers of cereals from among foreign importers. Maybe because Finland has long been considered the leader in environmental efficiency in the world ranking of states (90.8% out of 100 possible), and it is in this country that "green technologies" are constantly developing and improving, which are used in all branches of human activity, including including agriculture. Everything that is grown and manufactured in Finland, including porridge, has a well-deserved quality guarantee mark.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Myllyn Paras

A trademark of a Finnish manufacturing company that grows oats in Russia, where cereals are ground and further processed. The whole process is carried out according to special Finnish technologies, therefore the final product combines the quality of Finnish production and a low price, in which there is no need to include import costs.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

"Mistral"

Oat grains not cut, crimped, require cooking for more than 5 minutes - an average of 8 to 10 minutes.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

What to add?

The following types of additives will help to enrich the taste of oatmeal without additives and make it even more useful:

1. Maple syrup is a delicious concentrate of vitamins and microelements with a natural wood flavor. B vitamins, minerals and a high content of potassium and calcium help to strengthen the immune system, reduce the risk of cancer, fight inflammatory processes in the body, cleanse the blood, and prevent aging. One tablespoon added to oatmeal will enrich its taste and increase its properties many times over. Adding a sweet treat instead of sugar when making oatmeal cookies at home will give it an incomparable taste and aroma. Moreover, the syrup has a caloric content of about 260 kcal per 100 g.
2. Coconut flakes. When dried, it retains all the properties and composition of fresh coconuts:

• lauric acid - for the prevention of oncology;
• vitamin E is an antioxidant;
• vitamin A and iron - to normalize blood circulation;
• potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium - to normalize brain activity and stabilize the nervous system;
• selenium, copper, manganese, zinc - to strengthen immunity, skeletal health and disease prevention.

Oatmeal with coconut will also improve intestinal motility due to its high fiber content. Just don't go overboard with the amount - only 100 g of coconut (dried or fresh) contains about 690 kcal.

3. Cinnamon. This aromatic confectionery seasoning is enriched with B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and iodine. Regular consumption of oatmeal with cinnamon improves metabolism, normalizes the nervous system, has a beneficial effect on the skin and hair, and prevents the onset and development of diabetes.
4. Raisins. Porridge with raisins will not only be tasty, but also healthy. The calorie content of 100 g of raisins is about 300 kcal. Vitamin B 6, potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus and fiber included in the composition normalize digestion, stimulate metabolism, reduce acidity, strengthen bones and immunity.

How to cook oatmeal?

On this score, the recommendations of nutritionists and doctors increasingly coincide: it is better to use water for porridge if you plan to cook or steam it, and kefir or yogurt if you plan to pour cereal to swell. Grits boiled in water are the most useful. If you cook porridge in milk, the resulting product will turn out to be too heavy, clog the stomach with a fuel oil-like mass, preventing it from fully functioning, and will be deposited on the intestinal walls. Milk is rich in casein protein, which, in combination with the fiber contained in oatmeal, turns into a kind of putty that clogs up the stomach and intestines. Groats, boiled or steamed with water, retain their properties, and you can diversify its taste with the help of additives, which were already mentioned earlier.

But porridge is just one of the many options for dishes that can be prepared from oatmeal. From the listed brands, you can choose the most suitable option, depending on what dishes you plan to cook. Whole-crushed grains that are not cut can make a great base for homemade cookies. Chopped grains will perfectly combine with chicken fillets, fried mushrooms or potato pulp and turn into delicious and healthy cutlets, or in combination with maple syrup and apples, turn into a fragrant apple pie. The recipes for all these dishes are simple, any housewife can master them.

Apple Oatmeal Pie

A flavored and healthier version of the traditional homemade charlotte without wheat flour and sugar.

For cooking you will need:

• 250 g of flakes - grind half with a blender or coffee grinder to flour and mix;
• 2-3 large apples - grate on a coarse grater;
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (add to apples and stir if desired)
• 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice - season the apples and stir to prevent darkening;
• 20-30 g butter, coarsely grated, spread over parchment paper lined on the bottom of the baking dish. The paper can be additionally greased with butter.

Now laying out the layers:

• ¼ a mixture of flakes and oat flour, level, evenly distribute ⅓ grated apples on top;
• Put ¼ oat mixture on top, smooth and tamp a little, again put a layer of ⅓ grated apples, and so on until the end.
• On top, you can "sprinkle" the cake a little more with grated butter and send it to the oven preheated to 200 ° for 30-40 minutes (depending on the type of oven). The cake should be browned, then it can be removed from the oven. Allow the baked goods to cool completely before removing them from the mold.

The pie is ready, you can pamper yourself and surprise your guests with a low-calorie delicacy.

Homemade oatmeal cookies

A great alternative to store-bought delicacies, since it contains no colorants, thickeners and wheat flour.

Ingredients and preparation:

• Melt 120 g of butter in the microwave or in a water bath;
• 300g whole oatmeal

+ 30 g of oatmeal from cereals ground in a coffee grinder,

+ 5.5 teaspoon baking soda

mix with melted butter;

• Beat 2 eggs a little, mix with 50 g sugar or 3-4 tablespoons of maple syrup;
• combine eggs and creamy oatmeal mixture, mix well, you can add raisins or other berries to taste;
• on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, put the resulting mixture with a teaspoon, bake in the oven at 190 ° for 15-20 minutes (depending on the type of oven), check the last 5 minutes when ready so that the cookies do not burn.

The cookie is ready. Top it with maple syrup, sprinkle with coconut and caramel, cool and serve.

Oatmeal can serve as a base for both desserts and main dishes. For example, for cutlets.

Oatmeal cutlets

to cook potato cutlets with oatmeal you will need:

• 200 g of flakes - pour boiling water over and leave for a while, drain the water before mixing with potatoes;
• Grate 1-2 medium-sized potatoes (size depends on individual preferences);
• 1 medium onion is chopped or grated, mixed with potatoes and oatmeal, add salt, pepper to taste, mix everything thoroughly;
• During the sculpting of cutlets, you need to moisten your hands with water, and immediately put the stuck cutlets into a preheated frying pan greased with vegetable oil.
• Fry under a closed lid on both sides until golden brown.

Cutlets can be served with any side dish, herbs and sauces.

Chicken cutlets with oatmeal will also appeal to many weight-conscious gourmets. Cooking them is simple:

• 1 egg is mixed with ½ glass of water;
• 100 g of oatmeal are poured with a mixture of eggs and water for 20-30 minutes;
• 1 onion and ½ head of garlic are chopped in any convenient way;
• ½ kg of minced chicken is mixed with oatmeal, chopped onions and garlic are added, salt, pepper or seasonings are added to taste, everything is thoroughly mixed;
• With damp hands, cutlets are formed and fried on both sides in a preheated pan greased with vegetable oil until golden brown.

Chicken fillet in the recipe can be replaced with mushrooms, it is only important to take into account the proportions: there should be 2 times more mushrooms than flakes. Before mixing with flakes, mushrooms should be fried with onions, and finely chopped greens should be added to the minced meat to your taste. Otherwise, the sequence of actions and the amount of ingredients do not change.

Such a useful and inexpensive universal cereal is in the arsenal of adherents of a healthy diet.It can turn not only into a healthy and tasty breakfast, but also become the basis for delicious culinary dishes and sweet desserts, which can be included in almost any diet, heal the body, help regulate weight and improve overall well-being.