The Most Useful And Most Harmful Cereals In Our Diet

At first glance, porridge can not harm, but in fact it is not. The usefulness or harmfulness of porridge depends on how much it raises the level of glucose in the blood.

At first glance, porridge can not harm, but in fact it is not. The usefulness or harmfulness of porridge depends on how much it raises the level of glucose in the blood.

We found out the three most useful and harmful cereals for our health - we suggest learning more about them.

The glycemic index (GI) shows how exactly the blood glucose level changes under the influence of different foods. Ideally, the average person wants low-GI foods, meaning the healthiest foods don't spike blood glucose levels. These cereals include barley, pea and buckwheat.

Barley porridge

 

Barley porridge is a good antioxidant, promotes metabolism and regulates brain function. In addition, barley porridge is rich in vitamin A, which improves eyesight and strengthens the immune system. The same vitamin improves the condition of the skin, hair and helps strengthen teeth. Barley also improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, cleanses blood vessels and increases hemoglobin levels. Porridge is also useful for stomach ulcers and pancreatitis, as it is quite viscous and tender.

Pea porridge

 

The second place in terms of “usefulness” is occupied by pea porridge. It is rich in protein - the building material of our body. This porridge is well suited for smokers: peas contain a lot of B vitamins, which help cleanse the body of nicotine and caffeine. These same B vitamins help to strengthen the immune system. GI of pea porridge is the same as pearl barley. 

Buckwheat porridge

 

Buckwheat porridge ranks third in the ranking of the most useful cereals. This is not surprising: it is rich in iron, useful for patients with diabetes and ideal for those who are trying to lose weight. Buckwheat contains a lot of fiber, which helps regulate the functioning of the food system. A pleasant fact is the absence of gluten in its composition - therefore, it is often prescribed as a side dish during diets.

Now let's look at the other side of the coin - after all, there are not quite healthy cereals. These include rice, semolina and corn.

Corn porridge

 

The most harmful of cereals is corn porridge - it is its GI that reaches 80%. High glucose content not only raises blood sugar levels, but can also affect the figure and cause extra pounds. Therefore, it is difficult to call it an assistant during weight loss. Nevertheless, corn porridge strengthens the immune system, saturates the body with energy and removes cholesterol.

Semolina

 

Semolina porridge can hardly be called healthy - it contains 3-4 times less vitamins and minerals than other cereals. It is high in starch and low in protein. Nevertheless, semolina is perfectly absorbed by the body and helps to restore health after operations or injuries. It is also useful for people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Rice porrige

 

Rice is different, so it is difficult to unequivocally assess its benefits or harms. The most harmful type of rice is white polished rice, since almost all vitamins are removed from it during processing. That is why doctors recommend giving preference to unprocessed brown rice dishes. However, rice has huge advantages: it does not contain gluten and is quite safe for allergy sufferers.