Muesli makes a great breakfast

For some, having a healthy breakfast in the morning is a daunting task. A lot of us are time constrained most of the time, so the ideal thing (we think) is to skip a meal and go straight to the lunch. Obviously, this does save some time but has damaging effects on your health in the long run. For such people the ideal breakfast is Muesli and NO, it is not just another type of cornflake. It is so much more!

What is Muesli?

Muesli is a breakfast cereal made from oats, apple, dried fruit, nuts and milk. It was made in the 1900’s by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher for patients in his hospital. He coined his revolutionary ‘meal’ Bircher Muesli; muesli literally means ‘mix’ in Swiss-German. Nowadays there exist two main types of muesli: Fresh Muesli (the original!) and Dry Muesli (the packaged stuff you find in supermarkets).

Dry Muesli: This is the most popular version of muesli and can be bought pre-packaged at almost all supermarkets. It is usually a loose mixture of mainly rolled oats and often also wheat flakes, together with various pieces of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Although it contains little fat and a significant amount of fibre, many of the pre-packaged varieties have been heavily processed, can contain fillers and almost always contain high levels of sugars which make it a less-healthy choice. You can look for a low sugar version or make your own fresh muesli to make sure that you are eating healthy.

Fresh Muesli: Called Bircher-Muesli, fresh muesli is a freshly prepared mixture that includes rolled oats that have been soaked in milk, water or fruit juice, as well as finely grated apple, lemon juice, nuts, seeds and sometimes chopped fresh fruit (such as grapes, berries, bananas and mango. If you could find some time in your busy daily schedule to make a big bowl, it can last four or five days and really is the best breakfast food ever!

Next blog will be ... So, why is it a good breakfast food?

Why are oats so good for you?

Oats can help reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and can have a positive impact on blood pressure. That was the message from Dr Derek Stewart of SCRI as he helped launch the ‘All About Oats’ campaign to promote the health benefits of eating oats.

Dr Stewart, head of the Quality, Health and Nutrition programme at SCRI – Scotland’s leading crop research institute – recently completed a review which found significant scientific evidence to support the health benefits of eating oats.

Some of the key health benefits of oats identified by the review include:

• can help reduce cholesterol 
• can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease 
• can influence blood pressure 
• oats are low GI foods providing a steady release of energy 
• oats provide soluble and insoluble fibre that can support probiotic bacteria and influence gastrointestinal health 
• oats can enhance the human immune system though the action of β-glucans (the active ingredients in oats). 

Although sales of oat products, such as porridge and oatcakes, increased by seven per cent from June 2006 – 2007 compared to the previous year a recent survey showed 35 per cent of those questioned didn’t know what nutrients were found in a bowl of porridge.

The ‘All About Oats’ campaign aims to change that by highlighting oats as a good source of B vitamins, iron, potassium and various antioxidants and phytochemicals including β-glucans. It includes an ‘All About Oats’ website containing health facts, recipes and useful information on oats.

The campaign has been set up by the Scottish Oats Group in collaboration with Home-Grown Cereals Authority and Scotland Food and Drink. SCRI is a member of the Scottish Oats Group.