One popular breakfast option is instant porridge. It would seem that the contents of the sachet allow you to get tasty and vitamin-rich food in a matter of moments, simply by diluting the product with hot water. However, is such "instant" porridge really useful?
A wide range of instant cereals with fruit, berry additives, nuts and herbs allows you to satisfy the wishes of any consumer. On the shelves, you can see salty and sweet options, such cereals seem to be the optimal breakfast in conditions of chronic lack of time. To enjoy the contents of a bright box or bag, just pour boiling water over the mixture and leave it to infuse for a few minutes.
Instant porridge production
Instant porridges are made using extrusion technology, which is also used for drying crispbread. Processing involves the use of high temperatures and pressures. This method allows you to reduce the amount of moisture in the raw material, so porridge can be stored for a long time.
The safest for health are instant cereals, the packaging of which indicates that the products can be used for baby food.
Heat treatment, although it takes a minimum of time, destroys most of the vitamins contained in the ingredients during the production of instant cereals. Therefore, the product will bring a minimum, if any, benefit.
Artificial enrichment of cereals with vitamins makes it possible to partially compensate for the loss of substances beneficial to human health. The advantage of such cereals is the preservation of a number of trace elements during heat treatment - zinc, phosphorus, magnesium. This is not to say that dry pieces of vegetables and fruits that make up cereals are harmful. They are produced using sublimation technology, that is, freezing with liquid evaporation.
For the preparation of "quick" cereals, not the whole grain of buckwheat, millet or rice itself is used, but flakes. That is, crushed and polished grain. Valuable substances in the grain are contained precisely in its shell, which is removed during the manufacture of flakes.
The harm and benefits of instant porridge
To make the product appetizing and tasty, the manufacturers generously supplement "quick" cereals with flavorings, flavor enhancers, sugar and other components that affect the quality of the product. Also, cereals, which only need to be poured with boiling water, contain a lot of starch. It is quickly absorbed by the body and converted into sugar, which is fraught with the formation of excess weight and diabetes. Therefore, instant porridge cannot be eaten often. And, even more so, replace them with a full meal.
Instant porridge is not recommended for people with digestive system diseases, diabetics and those who are on a diet.
And yet, you will bring much more benefit to the body by boiling ordinary oatmeal or buckwheat porridge in milk or water. To enrich the dish with valuable substances, add seasonal fruits, vegetables or honey, berries to the serving. If there are none, you can replace them with frozen raspberries, currants and other gifts of nature.
