To Soak Oatmeal or Not? How to Make Your Porridge Even Better

Soaking oatmeal before consumption can improve nutrient absorption in the body. Find out here how you can soak your oatmeal and the advantages of this type of preparation.

Soaking Oatmeal: These are the benefits

Soaking your oatmeal before eating it doesn’t just save you time at breakfast. Soaking also has a positive effect on nutrient absorption in the body.

• Oats contain important vitamins and minerals. The phytic acid contained in oats binds nutrients such as magnesium, iron and calcium, making it more difficult for the body to absorb them.
• When oats are soaked, the enzyme phytase is released, which breaks down phytic acid. This facilitates the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
• While soaking has a positive effect on nutrient absorption, it is not absolutely necessary in a balanced diet.
• But if you’re eating a limited diet, such as a raw vegan diet, it’s worth soaking the oatmeal first.
• Soaking also saves time when preparing your breakfast. If you soak the oatmeal the day before, the basis for your breakfast is already ready for the next morning.

How to soak oatmeal

You can either soak your oatmeal overnight or let it soak for a shorter time. For the preparation you only need oatmeal and a liquid of your choice.

• Water, milk, sour milk products or juices are suitable for soaking . Soaking is particularly effective in acidic liquids.
• Use twice as much liquid as the oatmeal portion for soaking. This way you don’t have to drain the flakes later.
• Let the flakes soak for at least 30 minutes. If you use cold liquid, the process will take a little longer than if the liquid is warm.
• Cooking cannot replace soaking. Heating does not affect the breakdown of phytic acid, but rather harms the nutrients in the oats.

Tips for porridge and overnight oats

Oatmeal can be used in many ways and is particularly popular for breakfast. The flakes are suitable, for example, for the preparation of porridge or soaked for overnight oats.

• The preparation of porridge is quick and requires little effort. Simply add 200 milliliters of liquid to 40 grams of flakes and let the mixture simmer until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Your porridge will be particularly creamy if you use milk or a plant-based milk alternative .
• For overnight oats, add 50 grams of rolled oats to a glass with 150 milliliters of liquid. Mix the ingredients together and place the jar in the fridge overnight.
• To make the oatmeal creamier, you can add a teaspoon of chia seeds to the mixture before soaking.
• You can combine the porridge and overnight oats with fruit, nuts, dried fruit, nut butter or chocolate as you wish.
• Sugar, honey, syrup or thick juices are suitable for sweetening. Your breakfast will be healthier if you avoid refined sugar.