Oatmeal porridge is traditionally part of an English breakfast and is conquering more and more German breakfast tables. Apparently word has gotten around about how versatile and nutritious the warm oat meal is. What's in the delicious source of energy, where it comes from and why it is so fantastically varied - you can find out here.
Are you looking for a basic recipe for classic porridge and tips for the best breakfast in the world? Then go straight here: How to - Porridge preparation.
Where does Porridge come from?
The oatmeal originally comes from Scotland. That's no wonder: the most important ingredient in the basic porridge recipe is oat flakes. Oats like wet, cold climates, which is typical of the Scottish Highlands. And it just so happened that the farmers and shepherds who lived there were particularly fond of oats. They cooked porridge with it and quickly discovered the advantages of the warm power meal: the cooked flakes kept you full for a long time and provided plenty of energy for the hard work in the fields.
Many working-class families in Scotland had warm porridge as breakfast to start the day. A quick porridge was also popular at lunchtime because it only had to be mixed with water and heated up. Cold milk, cream or buttermilk provided variety. The full spoonful of porridge was dipped into it before it went into the mouth. As an evening meal, the oat meal provided soothing warmth on frosty Highland evenings.
What does the word Porridge mean?
In Scotland, porridge is called brochan. This is Gaelic and goes back to the word brothchán, which in English means something like pottage. Pottage, in turn, comes from the French word pot for pot.
The Germans were more descriptive when coming up with a name and did not name the cooking utensil, but rather the result: porridge. The term oatmeal has become established in the USA. It also refers to the end result: a delicious oatmeal. So there is no difference between porridge and oatmeal. Both terms describe the same, delicious superfood .
At Home All Over The World: Porridge variants around the Globe
The breakfast porridge is still popular today, and not just in his home country. Porridge fans in many other countries also appreciate its benefits. In some regions of the world, exotic variants have emerged from the classic porridge.
Congee, for example, is the Asian version of porridge, the basic ingredient of which is rice. In India, the day starts off spicy, because there they eat upma for breakfast - a spicy breakfast porridge made from semolina. And in South Africa, many children know Motogo: a porridge variant based on corn flour.
Today porridge is finding more and more fans among children and adults in Germany. Anyone who is vegan, takes care of their health, has little time in their everyday lives or wants a lot of variety for the most important meal of the day will appreciate the benefits of porridge.
Porridge or Overnight Oats - What’s the difference?
The difference between Porridge and Overnight Oats is a few degrees Celsius. Cooking porridge is quick and easy. But even without a stove or microwave, it's easy to get the full flavour out of oatmeal. Because they need a little more time to swell without cooking - ideally all night - this porridge variant is called Overnight Oats.
What is the easiest way to prepare porridge without cooking? With an Overnight Oats Jar: cold mixed oat flakes can be stored in the fridge overnight. The next morning the perfect overnight oats await you, which you can refine with delicious toppings as you wish. Is there a better way to start the day?
Everything about Overnight OatsHow does Porridge taste?
Porridge is like a blank canvas: Only with your creativity and the combination of different ingredients does an overall picture emerge that accurately meets your taste. Porridge is what you make of it. Before you invent your own porridge creations, let us introduce you to the protagonist, without whom there would be no porridge.
Which Oat Flakes are in Porridge?
Without oat flakes there is no oatmeal - but which are the best oat flakes for porridge and where do they come from? They are made from Avena Sativa, a type of grain from the sweet grass family and better known as oats. In order to obtain flour or flakes from it, the heart of the oat plant - the oat grain - must first be processed. The way it is processed determines the texture of the oatmeal.
What types of Oatmeal are there?
Crunchy Oat Flakes (old-fashioned rolled oats): The classic oat flakes. For this purpose, the whole oat grain is cleaned, dried and then rolled flat. The resulting flakes give the porridge a bite because they absorb liquid much more slowly than other oat flakes.
Delicate Oat Flakes (quick rolled oats): The delicate flakes are created by cutting the oat grains into small pieces in a groats cutter. Only then are they rolled out into flakes. These oat flakes are ideal for porridge as they absorb liquid better than other types.
Instant Oats: These soluble oat flakes are made from whole oat flour that is rolled into particularly thin flakes. The name suggests it: instant oats dissolve into liquid in no time and literally melt in your mouth.
Oat Bran (steel-cut oats): For oat bran, only the outer grain layers and the seedling of the oat plant are used. This means that oat bran is rich in fibre. It can be used to cook particularly fine porridge.
We at 3Bears prepare our porridge with hearty oat flakes that mix with delicate flakes. We swear by this combination: Our oat flakes ensure that your porridge stays nice and smooth and still has a bite.
Now you know the difference between hearty and tender oat flakes. Which oat flakes are suitable for your porridge depends entirely on your preferences. Porridge with coarse oat flakes is ideal for people who value a hearty chewing experience. The finer oat bran or tender-melting instant oats go wonderfully with yoghurt and quark or can be easily processed into smoothies. No matter what you decide - with our recipe ideas you can easily prepare all oat flakes and refine them to your taste.
What is the difference between Rolled Oats and Wholegrain Oats?
When it comes to bread and pasta, do you like wholegrain products? Then we have good news for you: Every porridge is automatically a whole grain porridge - oat flakes are made from the whole grain. So, apart from eight additional letters, there is no difference between oatmeal and wholegrain oatmeal.
But be Careful: If you come across wholegrain porridge somewhere, take a closer look. It could be spelled porridge. Spelled can also be processed into flakes and, just like with oats, the wholegrain is used.
When is the best time to eat Porridge?
Have we mentioned how versatile porridge is? Oat Heroes can not only be prepared flexibly, but are also a real treat around the clock. Oatmeal is traditionally part of breakfast, but who says it doesn't taste good in the evening too?
With a little imagination and our recipes, you can integrate porridge into every meal and enjoy your creations on the go, in the office, savoury or as a dessert. Porridge is also so versatile, easy to store and can be combined with other foods that it can be used to create seasonal highlights all year round.
Porridge for Breakfast
A good breakfast is and remains the most important meal of the day. Because without reserves of energy, you'll run out of steam before the day has really started. The big appearance of porridge: Nutritious breakfast with the Oat Hero is not only prepared in under five minutes.
Oats provide the body with plant protein, complex carbohydrates and satiating fibre. It contains little sugar and saturated fatty acids. And it is full of iron, zinc, magnesium and vitamins.
Do you need to concentrate on work today? If you combine porridge and nuts for a nutritious breakfast, you are preparing your brain for it. Is your partner a morning person? A breakfast with oatmeal, honey and fruit naturally sweetens everyone's start to the day.
If you find yourself struggling to overcome grumpy mode in the morning, sleep a little longer and try Overnight Oats.
Oat flakes are the perfect companion for every breakfast. There are also many other good reasons for a porridge breakfast: warm porridge for breakfast makes your stomach feel good, porridge made from sprouted oat flakes is essential for a basic breakfast and an English breakfast without porridge - we don't even want to imagine that . Hungry for more arguments as to why porridge is perfect for breakfast? It's coming soon.
But now to the question: What is the difference between porridge and muesli? You've probably asked yourself before. Both contain oat flakes, but there is a small, subtle difference in the preparation: While oat flakes are the main ingredient for porridge and have to be cooked and soaked, in muesli they are just one of many components that are only briefly soaked in milk or a plant-based drink.
Porridge for Lunch and on-the-go
Everyday life is full of exciting adventures, for which a nutritious oatmeal provides the necessary power. At lunchtime, porridge provides enough energy for the second half of the day and can also be prepared heartily.
Whether you want to prepare your porridge for work or take it with you as a source of energy for your next hiking trip: With our Overnight Oats Jar you can prepare your lunchtime oatmeal in the evening and take your porridge cold with you the next day, wherever you go.
To the Overnight Oats GlassPorridge on-the-go is quick to prepare and anything but boring. Our tip for fresh air fans: If you want your oat creations to travel long distances with you, avoid preparing them with dairy products to ensure they last as long as possible. We have three ideas for long-lasting oat enjoyment for you: Take-away Porridge .
Porridge with a Difference: If you are looking for a particularly handy porridge snack for small and large adventures, simply transform our hearty classic into a Power Bar in no time.
Can you also eat Porridge in the evening?
Clearly: Yes! If you enjoy your porridge in the evening, you will give your stomach a short break at night and you can both sleep through the night relaxed. This is because porridge is easy to digest and the nutrients in the oat flakes are so digestible. They also give the body the strength to regenerate even more effectively while sleeping.
Are you looking for inspiration to prepare your porridge dinner in a hearty and sophisticated way? Our insider tip: Pumpkin porridge - beautiful soul food that makes the sun rise in your mouth and soul, and not just on cool autumn evenings.
To the RecipeIs Porridge Gluten Free?
Basically, oat flakes do not naturally contain gluten. However, it can never be completely avoided that contamination with grains containing gluten occurs during the cultivation of the oat plants and later during processing. So oatmeal that is not labeled gluten-free may have a low gluten content.
Whether a prepared porridge made from gluten-free oat flakes is 100% gluten-free depends, of course, on the porridge ingredients used. If you have gluten intolerance, it is recommended that you only include oatmeal and porridge in your diet after a consultation as part of medical treatment or nutritional advice.
Is oatmeal good for the stomach and digestion? This is what nutrition expert Verena Franke says about it:
"Oat gruel has long been considered beneficial, for example for inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and for complaints in the digestive tract."
Does Porridge have Carbohydrates?
Something that tastes as good as porridge can only cause unpleasant surprises on the scales - can't it? In fact, one serving of our hearty classic has just 186 kcal and still provides a good energy boost for hours.
Anne Haug is a Triathlon World Champion and swears by Porridge:
“Honestly, there is nothing that gives me more energy and fills me up. I've already tried a lot of things. Quinoa, amaranth, puffed or flakes. Nothing lasts long. And white flour products end up straight on your hips. With oatmeal and porridge, I always have the feeling that my body and metabolism are optimally converting the nutrients into energy."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Porridge?
It makes no difference whether you say oatmeal, oatmeal or porridge - because behind all terms is cereal porridge, which is made from oat flakes. Then why are there different names? Because porridge is popular all over the world and has received its own name in different countries.
In Germany you may still come across the term porridge, although it is increasingly being replaced by the English “porridge”. If you want to order an oat breakfast in the USA, you are more likely to have success with “Oatmeal”.
How many Oats do I need for one portion of Porridge?
How much oat flakes you should use for your oat creations depends primarily on your appetite. If you want to prepare porridge with our oatmeal mixture, we recommend using 50 grams of it.
In our 3Bears Shop you will find a detailed list of ingredients as well as the corresponding porridge nutritional values for creations with nuts, berries or fruit.
Can you lose weight with porridge?
You read again and again that porridge is suitable for losing weight. It is true that porridge fits perfectly into a balanced diet, it is popular with athletes and is effective against food cravings.