Porridge is considered extremely healthy and is therefore very popular with nutrition-conscious people. However, porridge is not always as healthy as is often claimed. This is because many mixtures contain a lot of sugar.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how you can avoid sugar traps in porridge and how to prepare the ideal porridge for your naturally sweet porridge.
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Avoid these sugar traps in porridge
When you stand in front of the cereal shelf in the supermarket, the large selection can be overwhelming. Most manufacturers promise healthy porridge mixes and lure you in with juicy-looking berries on the packaging – which are supposed to represent natural sweetness.
In fact, many porridges are full of sugar. This is because it is relatively cheap and easy to process. It also delights the taste buds of consumers, causing them to reach for the same product again and again.
It is worth taking a look at the back of the packaging. If sugar is listed near the top of the ingredients, it doesn't bode well. However, it is not always that easy to identify breakfast cereals that are high in sugar. Product information such as “sugar-free”, “low in sugar” or “no added sugar” can also be confusing.
Sugar traps in porridge – glucose, fructose and co.
A little less noticeable in the list of ingredients are glucose, glucose syrup or fructose. Nevertheless, all three cause your blood sugar level to rise sharply, which means that after a short period of satiety you quickly get hungry again.
This is because the blood sugar level rises excessively at first due to the sugary ingredients, but then drops all the more sharply. What follows is what many would probably call ravenous hunger attacks.
5 tips for a healthy breakfast without sugar
Sugar substitutes – sweetness without calories
However, artificial sugar alternatives are just as infamous as glucose and fructose in ready-mixes. But you shouldn't lump them all together. Not every sugar substitute is automatically unhealthy.
It is always important to pay attention to the effects on your body. Sweeteners like xylitol, for example, do not cause blood sugar levels to rise – but in larger quantities, they can have a laxative effect. This is not only unpleasant, but also puts unnecessary strain on your gastrointestinal tract.
If you are trying to keep your blood sugar levels as stable as possible, for example to prevent obesity or diabetes, sweeteners can be a great help. But there are also more natural ways to do this – and without any unpleasant side effects.
Three tips for a healthy and naturally sweet porridge
To achieve a healthy and natural sweetness when making your porridge, you should consider the following tips. They will help you to prepare a healthy breakfast that is naturally sweet and also healthy.
Tip 1 – Porridge with fresh fruit
Fresh fruit in your porridge not only adds a pleasant sweetness, but also provides your body with numerous important micronutrients. From vitamins and minerals to digestive fibers, depending on the type of fruit, everything is included.
While berries, for example, provide you with plenty of antioxidants, a banana can give you a good supply of magnesium. The big advantage is that there is a huge variety of fruits. And each of the varieties has its own individual benefits.
Tip 2 – Frozen fruit as a topping for porridge
Frozen fruit can be used as an alternative to fresh fruit. It can be particularly useful during the winter months if you value regional products.
Instead of exotic fruits, which have a long journey and thus a large ecological backpack, you can simply opt for frozen fruits. These are mostly from a closer country and thus also more sustainable.
Frozen berries are particularly good. If you let them thaw gently, you can use them for extra bite in your porridge. But the vitamin-rich fruits can also provide a real taste explosion in your comfortably warm breakfast, as a berry sauce.
Tip 3 – Dates for an oriental porridge
For those who like it extra sweet, dates are recommended. They are not necessarily regionally available, but if you buy them in larger quantities, one package will last a long time.
You can simply cut the mineral-rich dates into small pieces and add them to the porridge. This gives your porridge a special oriental touch. You can now round off your porridge with suitable spices, such as turmeric or cinnamon.
How to make sugar-free porridge
For your healthy porridge, you need not only delicious toppings but also, of course, a suitable basic recipe. For the perfect base, you need only three ingredients: oats, water and a pinch of salt.
Now all you have to do is add a little salt to the fiber-rich oats, boil them up with water and your healthy porridge is ready.
Of course, you can also use milk or a vegan milk alternative instead of water. You can also replace the oats if you want – for example with particularly nutritious oat bran or quinoa, if you like to experiment.
If you're in a hurry or just want to make things easier for yourself, you can of course just buy porridge. All our Verival porridges are 100 percent organic. We avoid adding artificial sugars – instead, we use freeze-dried berries or delicious dates for natural sweetness.
The perfect toppings for your sugar-free porridge
We already briefly touched on a selection of healthy toppings earlier; but there is more than just fruit. Nuts, nut butter or seeds, in particular, are perfect for making your porridge even healthier and tastier.
One tablespoon of organic crunchy almond cream, for example, provides an extra portion of high-quality proteins and healthy fatty acids. But a nut mix with whole nuts can also give your porridge an extra bite.
For those who prefer a more subtle taste, seeds such as flaxseed or chia seeds can provide added healthy nutrients. They are less noticeable in terms of taste, but still provide you with plenty of plant-based proteins, fiber and minerals.
Why not try out the many different varieties for yourself and find the mix that suits you best for your sugar-free porridge. Have fun!
