Cold Comfort

Photo © Rob Jones

I don’t think I am much swayed by adverts on the TV.

I certainly don’t tend to buy brands for the sake of their fame. Price very much the governing factor these days.

Occasionally however I notice something which sets me thinking and triggers an experiment.

One such advert was for a well known supermarket’s breakfast oats, lavished with fruit, nuts and honey. It was presented to me during the evening - so, seemed to be counter intuitive if it was meant to inspire me to change my breakfast habits. But one word stood out. ‘Overnight.’

What’s ‘Overnight Oats?’

Perhaps this is knowledge you were given as a child, but it was a totally new concept on me. Essentially you soak the oats in water or milk overnight, and then it’s ready for you when you spring from your bed in the morning eager to address the new day. No cooking needed. No pans to clean.

Really?

So, I trotted to the kitchen to soak some oats in milk.

Next morning, there it was. Perfectly edible creamy porridge, which I dressed with a little jam and yellow Raspberries, and it was as comforting as ever. Slightly better in fact because you don’t have that ‘heat dilemma,’ where having cooked porridge it’s usually too hot to eat immediately, and then there is a window of opportunity before it becomes claggy and tantamount to wallpaper glue.

So… my question was, is it healthier to eat it this way?

The jury seems to be out. There are equal numbers of people who suggest that cooked and uncooked oats are best. The ‘Cookers’ say it releases Phytic Acid which allows the body to harvest some of the good minerals contained in the oats. Equally the ‘Don’t Cookers’ say the longer you cook the oats the greater the possibility you’ll lose some of the nutrients you actually want to keep.

Bottom line - Oats = Good. However you eat them.

R