Oats are now considered a real superfood and should therefore be an integral part of a healthy diet. You probably already know that.
But when it comes to the correct preparation of oats, there are a few tricks you should know to ensure that they don't taste too boring and get the right consistency.
In this blog post, you will learn how to eat oats, how to prepare them with water, milk or dairy-free milk, and we will give you 5 tips to help you get it right every time.
Why are oats so healthy?
Another great thing about oats is that they are made up of around 70 per cent long-chain carbohydrates, which supply the body with long-term energy, causing blood sugar levels to rise slowly and evenly rather than skyrocketing. This means you stay full for longer and don't get those sudden hunger pangs that you have to satisfy with something sweet.
Oats, or oat flakes ( oat bran), have the highest vitamin B1 content of all grains (generally high in B vitamins) and also provide a lot of plant-based iron. Incidentally, the iron in oats is much better absorbed by the body when taken with vitamin C. Furthermore, oats are also rich in antioxidants and polyphenols – so they strengthen your immune system and intestinal flora and protect your body from free radicals.
The soluble dietary fibre beta-glucan, which oats contain, is particularly valuable: it lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels and thus has a positive effect on overweight or type 2 diabetes patients, for example.
Oats are not gluten-free. However, they are considered low in gluten. Worth knowing: For people who suffer from coeliac disease (gluten intolerance), there are even special uncontaminated, gluten-free oats.
And another insider tip: oats contain a large amount of biotin – and are therefore a miracle weapon against hair loss and brittle nails. Furthermore, this food contains zinc – an essential trace element that strengthens the body's immune system, promotes wound healing and combats skin impurities.
As you can see, oats are indisputably healthy and filling, with important nutrients!
The right way to prepare oats
You can prepare these cereal flakes, which are made from oat kernels, with water or with milk or a vegan plant-based drink.
If you use water to prepare them, you should be sure to season your oat flakes well to prevent them from being too bland.
Cook oats in milk or with a plant-based drink
You can either boil your oats together with cold milk or plant-based milk in a pot, or you can heat the milk and then let the oats rise in the warm milk.
If you boil the oats with milk instead of water, the porridge will also be creamier.
Preparing porridge quickly and easily
Prepare oats with water
You can also prepare oats with water.
Simply pour hot water from the kettle over your oats or porridge or boil the oats in a pot of water.
Especially when you prepare oats with water, you should always add a pinch of salt.
In addition, various spices such as cinnamon or vanilla powder make your oats even more aromatic.
What is the best way to eat oats? Different ways of preparing them
You can prepare oats in four different ways. Firstly, you can cook the oats together with liquid in a pan.
Secondly, you can also soak the oats in cold milk or water for about 30 minutes or overnight and eat the oats without cooking them.
You can do this, for example, in the form of overnight oats, where the oats can swell overnight in the refrigerator.
For a particularly quick and easy preparation, you can also pour boiling water from the kettle over the oats or let the oats swell together with water or milk in the microwave, and you've conjured up a delicious and healthy breakfast.
5 tips for preparing oats
This method of preparing oats is also the porridge preparation, and it's not difficult at all. You just need to follow these five tips to avoid making the typical mistakes when preparing it.
1. Soft or quick-cooking oats?
When you prepare oats, you first have to decide on the type of flakes. Delicate oats have less bite than grainy ones and therefore swell faster.
How long do you have to soak grainy oats? On the other hand, grainy oats retain their structure even after soaking and take longer to swell than small-leaf oats.
2. The right consistency
When you boil oats together with a liquid on the stove, the two ingredients combine and the porridge slowly thickens.
After you remove the porridge from the stove, it thickens even more and the oats absorb even more liquid.
That's why you should take your porridge off the heat when it's still a little runny, so the consistency doesn't get too thick.
3. Stir, stir, stir
When preparing oatmeal, stirring is especially important. This works perfectly with a porridge spoon. Originally, this was done with a spurtle, but you can also simply use an upturned wooden cooking spoon to stir.
You should only stir the liquid with the oats a little and carefully.
If you stir too much, the starch in the oats will be broken down, making the porridge go sticky.
4. A pinch of salt
When preparing oats, you should always add a pinch of salt. This applies not only to savoury dishes, but also to sweet dishes. The pinch of salt further highlights the sweetness in your porridge.
5. The right toppings
Various porridge toppings on your oat meal ensure that your porridge always remains varied.
For example, you can refine your porridge with various seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, but also with nuts, or mix fresh fruit of your choice into your porridge.
You can prepare oats not only in sweet dishes, but also as a savoury option with vegetables – they will help you in any case with your balanced diet.
How to find your perfect porridge toppings
The easy way to prepare porridge – find out more!
Oat recipes – oats for lunch and dinner
Oats are not just a tasty breakfast option, they can also be incorporated into both lunch and dinner and should definitely be a regular part of your diet.
One option is our delicious organic pumpkin and tomato porridge with oats. Here you will find a delicious recipe for a Buddha Bowl with oats.
But you can also enjoy oats in the traditional way in your muesli!
Search for oats recipes and you will get your cravings under control.
Recipe – oats with water
Oats with water are an easy and healthy way to prepare porridge. Instead of using milk, the oats are cooked or soaked in water to create a creamy and nutritious meal. This is particularly beneficial for people who are lactose intolerant or have chosen to follow a dairy-free diet.
Preparing oats with water is straightforward and involves just a few steps:
- Prepare ingredients: For one serving of porridge, you need about 50-60 g of oats and 200-250 ml of water.
- Boil or soak: The oats can either be boiled in a pot or soaked in a bowl of hot water. If cooking, add the oats to the boiling water and let simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until they have reached the desired consistency. If soaking, simply pour hot water over the oats and let steep for about 5-10 minutes until they have swollen.
- Enhancing the flavour: You can enhance the flavour of porridge as you like by adding various ingredients, such as fruit, nuts, seeds, honey or maple syrup. This allows you to vary the taste and nutritional density of the porridge.
Oats with water are a high-fibre and filling meal that provides long-lasting energy and a good start to the day. Adding fresh fruit and nuts provides extra vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, making the porridge a complete and balanced meal.
Whether for breakfast or as a healthy snack between meals, oats with water are a delicious option for anyone looking for a light and easily digestible alternative to porridge with milk. Try it out and enjoy the variety of ways to customise your oats to your taste!
Frequently asked questions
What happens if you eat oats every day?
You are doing your body good, because oats provide you with valuable carbohydrates. They are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Oats keep you full for a long time and can even help you lose weight. They also support healthy digestion and are very easy to digest and gentle on the stomach, especially when enjoyed warm.
How healthy are oats?
Oats are one of the most nutritious grains there is. Oat flakes are high in fibre, contain lots of vitamins (especially B vitamins) and are very rich in minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, etc.). You can enjoy oat flakes for breakfast as porridge and get a healthy start to the day. Oat flakes should definitely be on your menu.
What is the best way to eat oats?
You can eat oats either hot or cold. In either case, the cereal flakes should be allowed to soak in a liquid for at least 15 minutes. You can prepare a warm porridge – in this case, the flakes are cooked in the liquid. But you can also just stir them into milk or yoghurt – let them stand for a moment and eat them. You can also prepare oat soup or add oats to your bread.
How do oats affect your body?
Oats contain complex carbohydrates and have a high beta glucan content. They keep you full for a long time and reduce cravings when consumed regularly. Oats regulate your blood sugar and have a positive effect on your cholesterol level. It can therefore be said that oats help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. They also have a positive influence on your skin.
What are the disadvantages of oats?
Oats are considered a valuable source of energy, minerals and vitamins. It is important to use high-quality products so that you can benefit from the health-promoting properties of oats for your body.
Are oats good for reducing belly fat?
Oats can help you lose weight very effectively due to their nutrients and properties and YES, they can help you reduce belly fat. Build them into your diet regularly and you'll see - your belly fat will disappear!
Can you eat oats raw in yoghurt?
Of course you can add raw oats to your yoghurt or milk. It is important to give the flakes time to swell, even with cold liquids. Soaking the flakes reduces the phytic acid content, allowing you to get even more nutrients out of the oats. Oats are even easier to digest if you simmer them in a liquid (water, milk, plant-based drink, unsweetened tea, etc.) for a while – this way, you get a nutritious and healthy warm oat porridge.
Why not prepare oats with water?
You can, of course, prepare oats with water. You should always give the flakes a little time to swell. This way, you can absorb more nutrients from the oats. If you cook the oats in water, the vitamin content will change slightly due to the cooking. You can also mix the oats with milk to make a warm porridge – however, the calcium in the milk will slightly reduce the absorption of iron from the oats.
Are oats good for the mind?
Oats contain many nutrients that have a positive effect on blood sugar levels, cholesterol and the appearance of hair, skin and nails. They are therefore a real superfood and beautifier. They provide valuable energy in general and are also a real power food for your insides. They boost your strength, banish feelings of dullness and tiredness and help you sleep well.
How many tablespoons of oats for breakfast?
For breakfast, 5 to 6 tablespoons of oats are enough. This corresponds to about 40 to 50 g per serving. With this amount of oats, you can prepare a delicious breakfast porridge with water or milk and a pinch of salt. You can also soak about 50 grams of oats in water, a plant-based milk or milk the night before and then enjoy them the next morning as so-called overnight oats.
