Wheat gruel porridge: composition, useful properties, recipes.

Wheat gruel is one of the main dishes in the diet of many people. Even a couple of centuries ago, this porridge was an integral part of the dinner table in every family, because it was famous for its useful properties. It is even mentioned in the Bible as a staple food.

What is wheat porridge made of?

Wheat gruel is a cooked wheatgrass. It is made from durum wheat, whose grains are first cleaned and ground. They are also cleaned of their own hulls and germs.

Wheat groats can be fine, medium or coarse grinding. Depending on its size, it is divided into "Artec" (the finest) and "Poltava" (grinding is indicated by numbers).

Grits have a characteristic wheat color (yellow, brownish) - from light shades to dark. Grits vary in size. The aroma is light, pleasant, with unobtrusive nutty notes.

What is the difference between wheat porridge and millet porridge

Wheat and millet porridge, although they have similar names, are two completely different products. The first, as already mentioned, is made from wheat. And for the second raw material is ground millet.

What does spelt porridge mean?

Spelt, aka spelt, is a wild, non-hybrid wheat. Spelt is distinguished by its brittle stalk and grain in a film that is not completely tarred when threshed. It looks like a spike of field grass. Such wheat, which has never undergone selection, is considered the most useful.

Polba is characterized by a low gluten content. It does not cause drowsiness, unlike conventional wheat. It also does not accumulate harmful substances and is resistant to radioactive radiation.

Such wheat has been known since ancient Russia. Nowadays it and products made of it can be found on the shelves of health food stores. But it occurs infrequently and costs considerably more than ordinary wheat products. The reason is that spelt does not respond to nutrients and fertilizers. Treatment with chemicals is ineffective, it is capricious in the choice of soil, and its cultivation is simply unprofitable.

Composition and calories

Wheat porridge refers to the products that are very rich in fiber. It is known to be very useful for the gastrointestinal tract. The product also contains many vitamins (group B, PP, A, C, E) and trace elements (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, etc.).

There are about 90 kcal in 100 grams of porridge cooked simply with water without adding sugar, salt, oil, etc.

What are the benefits of wheat gruel

The useful properties of the wheat gruel

• Establishes the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Promotes the removal from the body of toxins and free radicals;
• regulates fat metabolism in the cells;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• Improves the nervous system;
• Has a positive effect on the body's immune system;
• Strengthens hair and improves skin condition;
• lowers blood sugar levels;
• strengthens bones;
• energizes muscles, relieves pain and fatigue, keeps them toned;
• improves eyesight;
• After taking antibiotics and other "heavy" drugs eliminates their residues from the body;
• Regulates blood pressure;
• Improves blood clotting.

For women

Wheat gruel improves hair and skin, which is essential for every woman. It strengthens bones, which is also important for postmenopausal women.

The high content of vitamin E in wheat porridge ensures the normal functioning of the female reproductive system. It plays an important role in regulating the hormonal background. The treatment of any gynecological disease does not do without the appointment of vitamin E.

For men

But for men, this porridge should be in the diet strictly in moderation. Its useful properties in relation to the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, circulatory, etc. are similar. But with prolonged use of wheat porridge in large quantities can violate potency.

When pregnant

The introduction of wheat gruel in the diet of a woman during pregnancy will have a beneficial effect on the future mother, and on the forming body of the child.

The benefits of wheat porridge for pregnant women are as follows:

1. "Women's" vitamin E provides a normal course of pregnancy, supports the hormonal background.
2. B vitamins "monitor" the normal and well-coordinated work of all systems in the body of the mother.
3. Fiber saves women from constipation, which often affects pregnant women.
4. The product helps to relax the muscles, including the legs and back.
5. Cereal gives the body a large amount of nutrients and useful micronutrients necessary for the healthy development of the fetus.

When breastfeeding

Wheat porridge is a very useful product, so it definitely needs to be introduced into the diet of a nursing woman. But the gluten content in it can cause allergic reactions, so it should be done with caution.

You should try to eat porridge from 2-3 months of the baby's life, 1-2 tablespoons in the first half of the day, and then watch the baby closely. If allergic manifestations did not arise and his health has not deteriorated, you can gradually bring the daily rate of porridge to 100 grams. It is recommended to eat it every other day for breakfast.

Until six months of age, you should only cook porridge with water, excluding the possibility of an allergic reaction of the baby to milk. From six months of age you can try cooking porridge with water and milk 1:1.

For babies

Because of its benefits, wheat porridge is also necessary in the diet of children: it strengthens the nervous system and bones, improves eyesight, serves as a good prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

But children's delicate body can not always cope with the same as an adult. For example, protein and gluten begins to fully break down only after a certain age. Allergies may occur: swelling of the throat, rashes, increased body temperature. Therefore, porridge is given to a child under strict supervision when he is able to chew on his own, and after consultation with the pediatrician.

If there are problems with the digestive organs, the dish should be excluded altogether.

Is it possible to eat wheat porridge while losing weight?

It is obvious that wheat and wheat products are very nutritious and useful. But can it promote weight loss, having a considerable amount of calories? Definitely, yes, and here's why:

1. The gastrointestinal tract works well, digestion comes back to normal, which contributes to getting rid of extra pounds.
2. Fiber removes toxins, radicals and impurities from the body.
3. The consumption of wheat gruel lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood, from which its circulation significantly improves. And this means that all tissues are saturated with oxygen, which activates all metabolic processes at the cellular level.
4. Metabolism and lipolysis are significantly accelerated, fats are burned, carbohydrates are instantly converted into energy without remaining as fat deposits in unnecessary places.
5. Long feeling of satiety eliminates hunger and breakdowns afterwards.
6. The product promotes sports activities because it energizes and increases stamina.

Wheat gruel in medicine

Diabetes mellitus

With diabetes, as with any serious disease, a special diet is shown, and wheat gruel is its integral component. The fact is that it lowers blood glucose levels and, favorably affecting the work of the intestine, does not allow sugar to turn into fat. Also, this dish helps to eliminate excess cholesterol. Doctors recommend diabetics to eat wheat porridge twice a day.

For pancreatitis

Porridge is the basis of dietary nutrition in people with a diseased pancreas. Permitted oatmeal includes wheat porridge, but it should be eaten only in the period of remission and in strictly limited quantities.

Wheat porridge contains many complex carbohydrates, which overload the pancreas. Wheat starch provokes the production of insulin, which turns it into glucose. And increased insulin production prevents the gland from regenerating its tissues. Crushed grains even after heat treatment remain too tough for the inflamed mucosa of the organ.

For these reasons, wheat porridge is forbidden to eat during acute or exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis. In a state of remission, it is allowed to eat porridge only once a week. It is necessary to check the reaction of the body, starting with a portion of 50 grams.

With gastritis

Wheat porridge removes toxins, improves fat metabolism in cells and strengthens the immune system, while being very gentle for the delicate walls of the stomach, even when they are inflamed. Therefore, such porridge is definitely indicated for use with gastritis.

But this does not apply to gastritis, accompanied by low acidity. In such a case, it is forbidden, since it can affect the acidity in the stomach.

For the intestines

Wheat gruel is good for the health and normal functioning of the intestine, because the pectins in it neutralize harmful substances and prevent the process of putrefaction, promote healing of inflamed and damaged mucous membranes. It removes toxins and impurities, which prevents the development of dysbacteriosis. But with a tendency to flatulence, it should be abandoned.

For constipation

Wheat gruel normalizes fat metabolism at the cellular level, has a positive effect on the intestinal function, as mentioned above, prevents constipation. The high fiber content in wheat improves the function of the gastrointestinal tract, including the activation of intestinal peristalsis.

In case of gout

In patients with gout, the diet is strictly controlled, including the consumption of porridges. They are strictly divided into allowed to eat and not. Because the cause of gout often lies in inordinate intake of food, and its treatment directly depends on the normalization of metabolism.

All porridges contain slow carbohydrates which take a long time to be broken down, so that the feeling of fullness is retained for a long time. This is a very important factor in gout. Only legumes are forbidden, which do not include wheat. Therefore, it can and should be included in the diet of gout patients.

In colitis

With colitis, wheat porridge will be very helpful, because it normalizes the work and microflora of the intestine. It soothes the inflamed mucosa of the sick intestine and normalizes the stool. But with colitis, accompanied by bloating, it is better to refrain from its use.

When hemorrhoids

The treatment of hemorrhoids will make sense only after normalization of the stool. Constipation causes the sphincter and the blood veins in it to become strained and swollen. During constipation, the fecal matter presses on the walls of the intestine and worsens blood circulation there. All this leads to a worsening of the condition and the transition to a chronic form of hemorrhoids. Diarrhea irritates the inflamed area and promotes the active reproduction of bacteria. Liquid stool leads to inflammation and drying of the hemorrhoids, which can later lead to the formation of fissures.

Therefore, in hemorrhoids, first of all, you need to regulate nutrition, based on what kind of stool the patient has. And, in addition to other products that normalize stool, wheat porridge is sure to be introduced into the diet, because it contributes to this and has a positive effect on the intestines.

In cholecystitis

Wheat porridge is allowed and even recommended for people with cholecystitis, because the dish replenishes the body with vitamins and trace elements, establishes metabolism and strengthens immunity.

With cholelithiasis, it is necessary to prepare porridge liquid, slimy. You can start and end the day with a portion of wheat porridge. But it is necessary to eat it only warm, because with inflammation of the gallbladder, cold and hot dishes are prohibited. Naturally, it should be eaten without sauces, fries, spices.

Wheat porridge, as well as other food, can be eaten only during a period of remission. During the exacerbation of cholecystitis, the patient is shown starvation, and then only oatmeal.

Hazards and contraindications

As any food product, wheat porridge is useful only if used in moderation and has a number of contraindications:

1. People with a serious disease called celiac disease are not allowed to eat gluten at all. That means any cereals, including wheat.
2. Wheat porridge can change the acidity in the stomach, for this reason it is not recommended to eat it with gastritis with reduced acidity.
3. Wheat porridge is also not indicated for consumption in case of flatulence.
4. In the postoperative period (after operations on the organs of the abdominal cavity) it is also better not to use porridge. The coarse grinding of porridge will be too hard to digest during the recovery period.
5. For gastric and duodenal ulcers, wheat porridge is not recommended because of its coarse grinding and high fiber content.
6. Allergies are also a serious contraindication.

The fact that wheat porridge is very useful and rich in vitamins and trace elements does not mean that you can eat it all the time and in unlimited quantities. Excessive consumption of any, even the most useful product is harmful to the body. The diet should be balanced and include meat, vegetables, fish, etc.

How to choose wheat groats

1. When choosing wheat groats you should pay attention, first of all, to its color: it should be uniform (yellow, light brown). There should not be any unshelled wheat grains, whole grains, different particles. Grits should not be wrinkled.
2. Lumps and clumps of dust indicate that there are food moths in the groats.
3. When buying packaged cereals you should pay special attention to the integrity of the packaging and the date of production. It is better to buy groats more recent. Their maximum "age" is 10 months, and then they become bitter, and lose some of their useful properties.
4. The coarser the grinding, the more useful wheat porridge will be.

How to cook wheat porridge: recipes

With water

In cooking wheat porridge with water there is nothing special and complicated. You need to adhere to simple recommendations, so that the porridge came out crumbly and tasty:

1. For 1 cup of groats take 2 cups of water, half a teaspoon of salt and 50 g of butter.
2. Hand-over-over-coarse and peel the grits and pebbles, then rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove small debris and dust.
3. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then add salt and groats. It is better to take a pot with a thick bottom.
4. Constantly stirring, bring the groats to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest and remove the foam. Cover with a lid and leave for 20 minutes - until there is no water left. Stir no more than 4 times (every 5 minutes), so that the porridge does not stick to the bottom.
5. At the end of cooking, add butter to the porridge and cover again. Then let it cool down and leave it to stand for about half an hour.

With milk

Wheat porridge with milk turns out softer and sweeter than with water. Recipes for its preparation are also simple and accessible. For example:

1. For 1 cup of wheat groats take 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
2. Peel the groats and rinse them.
3. Bring water to a boil over high heat, pour salt and sugar, and grits. Bring to a boil again, stirring constantly.
4. When it boils again, remove the foam, lower the heat to minimum and cook the groats until the water is completely absorbed under a lid, that is, about 20 minutes. In general, the first steps are the same as when cooking normal wheat porridge with water.
5. Then pour milk into the porridge and again increase the heat to maximum, bring to a boil.
6. Again put the heat back to minimum and cook like that for 15 minutes, stirring.
7. Take the porridge off the heat and leave it under a lid for 10-15 minutes. Milk should not boil completely: wheat porridge on it cooks liquid.

With pumpkin

Pumpkin is a very useful product, it is added to various porridges, soups, salads, pastries. Wheat porridge was no exception:

1. Wash the pumpkin, peel it, remove the seeds, then cut it into small cubes. Take 300 grams of pumpkin per 1 cup of groats.
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the pumpkin, salt and sugar. You can not add sugar at all, as pumpkin gives sweetness to the dish, salt to taste.
3. Bring milk and pumpkin to a boil on medium heat.
4. Add washed grits. Take 4 cups of milk for 1 cup of groats, as for usual wheat porridge.
5. Cook on medium heat, stirring all the time, for about 15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and leave on low heat for 10 minutes. Add butter.

With meat

Wheat porridge with meat is very healthy and nutritious and will be a favorite dish of all family members. It is very easy to prepare:

1. Cut 500 grams of chicken fillet into large cubes.
2. Fry the sliced meat in hot vegetable oil until crispy.
3. Wash and peel 2 medium-sized carrots and chop them on a grater. Add to the fillets, stir-fry.
4. Pour a glass of wheat groats into the pan along with the meat and carrots.
5. Pour in 3 cups of water. The level of water should be 1,5 cm above the products.
6. Add various spices as desired: bay leaf, pepper, garlic, etc.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum.
8. Keep under the lid on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, allow to stand.

In a multicooker

To cook wheat porridge in a multicooker, you need to take 1 cup of wheat groats, 3 cups of water, salt to taste and a little butter (50-60 g). The cooking algorithm is as follows:

1. Pour the rinsed groats into the bowl of the multicooker.
2. Then there also pour warm water, so that the multicooker did not waste time heating the water and the porridge was cooked faster.
3. Add salt.
4. Close the lid of the multicooker and set the program "Cereal" for 20 minutes.
5. When the water boils, remove the foam.
6. 5 minutes before the end of cooking add butter.
7. If at the end of 20 minutes the porridge seems stiff, you can add another 10 minutes in the "Warming" mode.

How to make wheat gruel cutlets

Wheat gruel can be used to make wonderful tasty cutlets. There are many recipes for cooking, you can use different additives. The most popular: mushrooms, minced meat and vegetables.

Wheat cutlets with mushrooms

1. Boil porridge in the usual way with water, it is better thicker. Leave it to cool.
2. Roast mushrooms with onions, you can add carrots.
3. Add the mushrooms with onions and carrots to the porridge, add 1 tablespoon of starch.
4. Fry on a high heat, pre-dipping each cutlet in flour.
5. For a beautiful color you can add paprika or turmeric to the flour.

There is no clear proportions of mushrooms or onions - here everything is to taste. The main rule is not too much, so that the cutlets are easily formed and do not fall apart. You can add one carrot instead of onions or just take only mushrooms, etc.

Stuffed Wheat Cutlets

1. For 4 tablespoons of wheat porridge, you need to take 200 g of minced meat and 2 eggs. Mix everything thoroughly.
2. Add spices to taste.
3. Form cutlets, roll in flour and fry on both sides on high heat.

Vegetarian Wheat Cutlets

1. Mix wheat porridge with finely chopped onion, garlic and herbs.
2. Add spices to taste: pepper, turmeric, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. You can also add the cabbage stewed in tomato, it adds juiciness to the cutlets.
3. Dip the vegetable cutlets in flour and fry on a hot pan as usual.

Can I eat wheat gruel at night and on an empty stomach?

Wheat porridge can be eaten in the morning on an empty stomach. Nutritionists in general recommend porridge as an ideal breakfast.

In the morning porridge keeps the feeling of fullness for a long time, does not overload the digestive tract, gives the body sufficient quantity of useful vitamins and microelements and a charge of energy and accustoms the proper eating regime without causing a desire to "break" the appetite till the dinner.

Immediately before going to bed, doctors do not recommend eating anything, so that the body during the night to rest fully, not engaged in digestion of food. The last evening meal should be at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. It should be a small portion of easily digestible foods. Porridge is one of these foods, so it is excellent for evening meals. Wheat gruel is not an exception, so you can safely have dinner with it.

Can we give wheaten porridge to animals?

Dogs can be given porridge with a high glycemic index, that is, those that will digest quickly. Wheat gruel belongs to such, so it can be used in the diet of dogs. But this implies its cooking with meat, butter, vegetables, that is, a complete balanced diet. It is not possible to feed a dog just porridge.

Because of its high starch content, it is more recommended for active dogs.

When feeding cats, it is better to avoid wheat gruel. If the choice is between cheap low-quality food and porridge, then, of course, porridge is better. But if there is an opportunity to properly and fully feed the animal, then "wheat" should be excluded. Its benefits are obvious in the rich content of useful substances, but there are more disadvantages for the cat's body: it is poorly digested due to the viscosity and large amount of gluten, causes flatulence, cramps, bloating, pain in the intestines.

Interesting facts about wheat

1. In ancient Egypt, wheat was considered one of the most valuable wealth. It was threshed by bulls with their hooves.
2. The Roman Empire was also called a wheat empire, because there wheat played an extremely important role in agriculture.
3. In Russia, wheat crops were called "abundance."
4. In Quito, the capital of Ecuador, a museum keeps a clay pot in which the first wheat bush in America was grown.
5. The Slavs considered grains of wheat a symbol of happiness and wealth. They gave a bag of wheat grains for weddings and the birth of children.
6. The largest wheat producer is China.
7. The largest importer of wheat is the United States.
8. The largest exporter is the European Union.
9. Starch produced from wheat is used in medicine, added to ointments, powder, and used in special starch bandages.
10. Wheat is the most common cereal in the world.
11. There are many varieties of wheat, but the most popular and common are hard and soft. No other cereal in the world has as many varieties.
12. Wheat is one of the earliest domesticated grains.
13. Quarts and bushels are used to measure wheat. One quart has 27.2 kilograms and one bushel has 217.7 kilograms.
14. A museum in Switzerland has the oldest piece of wheat bread, about 6,000 years old.
15. In Scripture, the Promised Land is called the land of wheat or the land of grains (the place where grains grow).
16. The expression "brothel" has an ironic meaning in modern life, denoting not a well-fed paradise, but a place where something bad happens, where drunkenness and debauchery reign.
17. The homeland of wheat is considered to be Armenia.
18. Wild wheat crumbles immediately after ripening and does not stick to the ears at all. Therefore, ancient people harvested it unripe.
19. The area sown with wheat exceeds that of any other crop.
20. About 90% of all wheat grown is used as livestock feed.
21. Wheat germ extract is a powerful immunomodulator and anti-burn remedy.
22. In 1904, wheat grains over 5,000 years old were discovered.
23. Van Gogh in his paintings more than 10 times depicted a wheat field.
24. Wheat is mentioned in a famous Jewish parable. While the worker slept, the enemy sowed a weed among the rows of wheat - tares. The worker waited until it was ripe and only then separated the wheat from the weed. The interpretation of this parable is that the wheat is good people, the tares are sinners, the enemy is Satan, the harvest is the Last Judgment, and the workers are the reapers of God. Hence the expression "to separate the grains from the tares," meaning to separate the bad from the good.
25. Of all the grains, it is wheat that is best digested by the human body.
26. To make wheat kernels more nutritious they are soaked and germinated.
27. Wheat grain is used to make malt, which is the basis for alcoholic beverages.
28. The length of all the hairs on one ear of wheat exceeds tens of thousands of kilometers.
29. In ancient times states were formed where wheat was especially productive - in river valleys. There wheat could grow up to four meters high and ancient people gathered a hundredfold harvest, while a thirtyfold harvest was considered a failure. By the way, now even a fivefold harvest is considered a great fortune.