The Healthiest Way To Eat Porridge, According To A Dietitian

The Traitors is back! Sweaters are out! Soup is on! You know what that means – we are officially in porridge season.

I’m a long-time fan of the breakfast, which experts say is “unequivocally” good for our gut and heart. I love my poached pear and chai latte recipes (toasting the oats first is a must-have), and have even gone so far as to buy myself a spurtle.

Having said that, not all porridge is created equal. Dr Frankie Phillips, a dietitian at The British Dietetic Association, previously told HuffPost UK that “adding a heap of syrup or sugar to a bowl of porridge isn’t a great way of achieving balance”.

Here’s what registered dietitian and gut health specialist Freya Perry, who founded Dietitian By The Sea, had to say.

Some instant oats and flavoured porridge sachets have added sugars and other ingredients in them – and you might not be aware of how much.

So, Perry said, “Making your own porridge is a simple way to keep your breakfast nutritious and have more control over what goes into your bowl.

“While some ready-made porridge pots can still be a nutritious option, it’s worth checking the label as some varieties contain up to 13g of added sugars per serving. As the NHS recommends limiting free sugars to no more than 30g per day for adults, this could account for almost half of your daily allowance”.

Most of the time, a plain pack of oats bought from the supermarket will contain rolled or “old-fashioned” oats. These are inexpensive and offer “an impressive nutritional package,” the dietitian stated.

“They are naturally rich in fibre, including beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels as part of a balanced diet.”

Additionally, most of us (over 90%) don’t get anything like the recommended 30g of fibre a day in our diet. This makes “small changes like choosing wholegrain breakfasts a simple way to improve fibre intake,” explained Perry.

All oats are wholegrain. Wheat bran, which is removed to make white flour, doesn’t work like the softer bran layer of oats, which is harder to remove.

But instant oats do have less fibre than whole or rolled oats.

“A typical 40g portion of porridge offers around 4g of fibre,” Perry continued.

“To boost this further, add a tablespoon of nut butter (around 1g fibre) and ground flaxseed (around 2g fibre), helping you start the day with around a quarter of your daily fibre target.”

Another benefit? Regular consumption of nuts has been associated with longer telomeres (a marker of slower ageing), a lower risk of sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss, better cognition in older adults, and a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

If you already use cow’s milk to make your porridge, the expert said you probably don’t need to switch. But if you rely on plant-based versions, check to make sure it’s fortified with calcium.

“Soya milk is the closest nutritional match, providing a similar amount of protein, whereas oat and almond milks tend to be lower in protein,” she shared.

If you want some sweetness with less sugar (and at least a little more fibre), try to “add colourful fruits such as berries and cherries,” the pro told us.

“If you’re looking to save money, you can buy these frozen, and they are just as nutritious and delicious!”

Good habits are easier to keep if they fit into our existing lifestyle. If you’re busy, tired, or simply not in the mood to stir over a hot stove in the morning but want to eat more porridge, Perry advised, “Overnight oats are a simple way to save time.

“They take just a few minutes to prepare the night before: simply combine oats with milk or yoghurt, add your favourite toppings, and leave them in the fridge overnight. The oats soften as they absorb the liquid, creating a creamy, ready-to-eat breakfast that you can enjoy straight from the fridge the next morning.”

Some other helpful recipe ideas from Perry are:

• Apple and cinnamon crumble oats. “Add grated or stewed apple, cinnamon, ground flaxseed and walnuts for a warming breakfast inspired by a classic dessert”.

• Pear and ginger oats. “Add sliced pear, fresh ginger, cinnamon and toasted almonds for a warming, seasonal combination”.

• Sticky fig and peanut butter porridge. “Cook oats with milk, then swirl through peanut butter and top with chopped figs, toasted hazelnuts and cinnamon.
  ”It has a similar flavour profile to a healthier sticky toffee pudding, but with the added benefits of wholegrains and fibre”.