7 tasty additives that you can’t add to porridge on a diet

Founder of the International Institute of Integrative Nutritionology

What additives and toppings make porridge a bad breakfast?

Porridge from whole grain cereals is a hearty and healthy part of a balanced breakfast. If you add healthy fats and protein to the portion, you get a full meal. But it is very easy to spoil the dish and make it harmful: just put one spoonful of tasty additives in it.

What additives should not be put in porridge

If you want to get a boost of energy and maximum benefit from breakfast, cook porridge from whole-grain cereals on water. If you can not give up milk, add it at the end of cooking, when the porridge is ready.

Few people like empty porridge, so spice it up with fruit, honey, nuts and sweeteners, but very rarely put cheese and other salty additives in porridge. Most often porridge is eaten sweet or with sweet filling, which provokes blood sugar spikes, increases appetite and leads to extra pounds.

We tell you about five such toppings that negate the benefits of porridge.

Syrups, including date and maple syrups

Let me start by saying that syrups, and especially fruit-flavored, caramel or chocolate syrups, are high-calorie products created chemically based on sugar, dyes, flavorings and preservatives. High calorie and carbohydrate content will definitely affect the weight – it will grow if you eat such porridge every day. The high sugar content increases the risk of insulin resistance and, as a consequence, diabetes mellitus.

Bananas and grapes

Bananas and grapes are the sweetest and highest carbohydrate fruits. By using them, you are adding another serving of carbohydrates to your carbohydrate cereal, depriving yourself of protein and fat. The increased fructose content raises insulin levels, which will adversely affect your waking body and potentially increase your risk of diabetes.

Dried fruits

Dried fruits also contain a lot of fructose, which is stored as fat. If you choose dried fruits as an alternative to fresh berries and fruits in winter, do not forget about the measure and it is better to eat them after a few spoonfuls of porridge, not on an empty stomach.

By the way, how to independently make dried fruits for the winter, told in a previous article. Read it at the link.

Chocolate and nut pastes

This is a threat to a slender body, provoking the development of insulin resistance. The huge amount of sugar overrides the benefits of nuts, and unscrupulous manufacturers often add harmful palm oil to the paste.

Instead of chocolate paste, try adding real hazelnuts and a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to your cereal.

Brown sugar

It’s no better than white, has no nutritional value whatsoever, and is rich in calories and fast carbs, so it can’t be a healthy addition.

Jam

Also not suitable for morning breakfast, as classic jam is a high-calorie product with an abundance of sugar. Berries and fruits in sugar syrup keep for a long time, but have a high glycemic index, which takes sugar levels out of the norm and increases the risk of insulin resistance.

There are healthy variants of jam without added sugar. In this case, the composition may contain safe sweeteners: citrol, erythritol, stevia, sorbitol, stevioside. Do not choose products with synthetic sweeteners: saccharin (E954), aspartame (E951), acesulfame potassium (E950).

Be careful, many manufacturers try to hide pure sugar under a number of additives: molasses, caramel syrup, sugar cone, fructose, dextrose.

What is useful to add to porridge

I recommend eating unsweetened porridge with added oils – ghee, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil or hemp seed oil – or put some healthy additives:

• seeds;
• nuts;
• sugar-free cocoa;
• fresh fruits and berries;
• low-fat cheese;
• spices, such as cloves or cinnamon.

Cinnamon is a good antioxidant and has an antimicrobial effect, gives a spicy flavor and bright aroma to porridge, especially oatmeal.

Try new flavor options for breakfast and add cheese or Adygea cheese to your porridge. If you still like sweet porridge, it is better to add fresh fruits and berries – you can add frozen ones. To learn how to freeze them properly, read the article at the link.