September is imminent as is the return to school and after 8 weeks of carefree living, it's back to routine. Top of the agenda for many parents is making sure the kids have a good packed lunch but the journey to healthy eating is best started at breakfast.
The number one option for breaking your/or your kids fast in the morning? – wholegrains! Porridge oats are a wholegrain which have a very low Glycaemic Index, this means they are slowly absorbed into the body’s blood stream. This not only gives a long gradual release of energy and helps keep your blood sugar levels stable but it also keeps you full much longer than other breakfasts.
The slow-releasing, wholegrain goodness of a bowl of porridge ensures blood sugar levels remain steady throughout the morning aiding energy and concentration levels.
Not only that, but oats also contain dietary fibre, starch, fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, minerals, lignans and other natural plant compounds called phytochemicals, all combining to health benefits ranging from reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease to improving your digestive health.
According to a study by Harvard University, wholegrains such as oats may be the key to living longer – so there’s no better time to perfect your porridge recipe.
I’m a firm believer that the least processed a food is, the better it is for you, so, my top choice is Flahavan's Jumbo Oat Flakes which are made when the oat kernel is simply steamed and then rolled flat, they are a larger oat flake and are ideally suited to being prepared as a delicious textured porridge.
The beauty of porridge is in its simplicity but you can always make it to suit your taste and dietary choices, with just water, cows or goats’ milk, soya or nut milk, half water/half milk blend. Or you could try raw milk… doubling up on the creaminess and possible health benefits!
