What is in McDonalds Porridge?
McDonalds porridge might seem like a great idea given that porridge has become synonymous with a healthy start to the morning. However, I for one am not “Lovin it”.
Porridge has a high “empty” calorie count but it’s the resulting sugar spike that’s the real concern. According to their website, McDonalds porridge is a 154-calorie option. Although this is a relatively “healthy” option, “healthy” in the context of the rest of McDonald’s menu options is a very low bar!
You might remember the previous uproar when McDonald’s introduced healthy salad options to their menu… and then added so much fat and sugar to the dressing that the salad ended up more calorie-laden than the burger!
An article on CNBC discussing how healthy the salad option is at McDonalds:
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/04/mcdonalds-salad-has-more-calories-than-big-mac.html
Well, they’ve done it again with the McDonald’s porridge by offering the option of adding Sugar, Strawberry Jam and Golden Syrup. (The last of these contains 39g of carbs (of which 22g are sugar). To put all of that into perspective, a pot of McDonald’s Porridge laced with Golden Syrup is the equivalent of around 10 (Yes TEN) teaspoons of sugar! So maybe NOT a healthy alternative to home cooked porridge in the morning.
If you would like to see how our CGMs work and the effect what you eat and drink can have on your blood sugar watch this short YouTube video about Grahams experiment with innocent smoothies:
Are you looking to take control of your diet and your health without the need for calorie counting or hunger but don’t know where to start? Why not book a free 15-minute consultation with a member of our clinical team. Its 100% free and there’s NO commitment:
What oats do McDonald’s use?
Some online sources suggest that McDonalds use brown sugar oats which are not a healthy option but McDonald’s say they use whole grain rolled oats. Regardless the oats they use are rolled into small pieces, giving their porridge a smooth texture, which is typically a sign of the oats having been processed.
Misleading marketing
Companies like McDonalds, Starbucks and Burger King will use their clever marketing strategies backed by massive budgets to convince us that the junk food they sell (porridge or whatever) is nutritional and healthy. This is false.
Marketing companies like to use terms like “healthy wholegrains” “100% natural” and “no added sugar” to disguise the truth. What you are left with is a mushy unappetising, unhealthy breakfast full of sugar and devoid of nutritional value.
Alternative options
A much better option if you still crave a bowl of porridge but are worried about buying the McDonald’s version, would be to pick something from the Maria Lucia range of Keto cereals. While you are about it feel free to grab yourself a discount via our website here:
Or there are lots of Keto breakfast cereals on Amazon (Just check they are not laced with seed oils)
Overnight Oats is another healthy option: one-part steel-cut oats into a bowl and then pour one-part full-fat (ideally organic) milk or water over the oats and leave them in the fridge overnight. It’s an easy alternative to McDonald’s because all the work is done the night before! The next day all you need to do is enjoy your food. Overnight oats are relatively rich in fibre and protein and contain several vitamins and minerals including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc.
But if you need to steer clear of porridge completely because of health concerns, we have you covered. Try chia seeds which can have a similar texture to porridge but have additional health benefits. They are ideal if you are diabetic: low in carbs and high in protein so this is a great breakfast meal if you want something with a similar flavour and texture to porridge.
Eggs are the perfect breakfast! a couple of eggs in the morning can be a great option. They are full of protein, healthy fats and wholesome nutrients. They’re also deceptively filling which helps start your day on the right foot. Eggs are such a great breakfast option because they won’t spike your blood-sugar levels either.
So why not ignore McDonald’s marketing BS and “go to work on an egg”.
What Next?
Act: If you have health concerns or are worried about diabetes you should start to look at taking some active changes in your life. If you are floundering and don’t’ know where to start, we are here to help. ProLongevity’s founder Graham Phillips, has a wealth of experience as a qualified pharmacist and with 35 years of experience aims to help treat the fundamental problems people are facing with diabetes and related conditions. Not only this but with our clinical team who have over 100 years’ experience helping people with diabetes and related conditions we are more than able and willing to help anyone suffering with diabetes improve and change their lives for the better.
Contact us:
Here at ProLongevity our mission is to address the root causes of disease, not merely mask the symptoms with ever more drugs while the disease itself gets progressively worse.
That’s why ProLongevity creates a nutrition and exercise plan that is uniquely tailored to your personal biology. This process of ‘Precision Nutrition’ can tackle the root cause of your prediabetes as well as tackle many other health problems. In just 8 weeks, we’ll guide you to a healthier more sustainable lifestyle with regular 1-2-1 coaching from qualified health professionals.
Our goal goes much beyond treating diseases. We aim to help you Live Healthy for Longer. What value would you place having an extra 10 years of vital, healthy life?
So next time, please consider opting for a FREE, no-obligation exploratory call with our founder Graham Phillips. It might change your life!