Spending More on Oats? Well, Don’t!!

Recently the craze for keeping fit and healthy has caught on some new heat. Super foods have definitely taken the market with a wave. Kale is definitely making a lot of appearance in the European, American and Australian markets. Quinoa is also a grain which is making substantial progress in making its own name on the superfoods list. The concept however is not popular in our society.

Our food consists of elements which cannot be dropped from our diets. Our ancestors advocate the use of ghee and eggs and fresh vegetables. Many would argue their unmoving prejudice towards the food which we might consider as heavy and fatty in today’s diet charts. Their determination is not misplaced however. Their consumption of these foods added with some important factors makes their points very much valid. Their diets can easily be called ‘purer’ than our diets. They were less in fertilizer content and grown organically. They also had more physically tiring lifestyles. They would walk for miles to run every day errands and there was no need for gyms to stay in shape. Our generation sits in front of a computer and thinks that consuming superfoods and working out at a gym for two hours will ensure a healthy life. We spend thousands of rupees on gym memberships and on buying expensive food items which are really not necessary.

Oatmeal has been a recent favorite among heart patients and people trying to stay fit and smart in general. We get big food companies putting on a stamp of a really happy looking British, old man on the tin and suddenly it is worth more than your monthly rice supply. In truth, oats are typically defined as grains that have been ground, steel-cut, crushed, or rolled. You boil them, put some milk and sugar in it and it keeps you in shape. We are impressed by all the detail the companies give on the box about how oats lead to a healthier and better lifestyle and in turn takes a lot of cash from our pockets.

In reality, the same oats can be bought at almost quarter of the price from any store in the country. We don’t recognize them because in a typical world they are not called oats but simply termed as ‘porridge’. Yes! Porridge and oats is the same thing. If you even took time to but a box of porridge, open it and closely observe the grain and compare it to the ‘oats’ from some fancy tin, you will see for yourself. They are essentially the same thing. Furthermore, in our country where there is a variety of grains being grown, we have a variety of porridges to choose from. Local manufacturing ensures Halal status and the development of local produce as well.

When you start arguing with your grandparents about how oatmeal is better than porridge, think again. They have years of experience and when they say porridge is good for your health, you should listen to them and try out something they have already tried and tested in their lifetime.