Porridge for breakfast? Here are 5 benefits of porridge, a popular breakfast dish.
Porridge has long been one of the most popular breakfast dishes for Thai people because it's easy to eat, easy to digest, filling, and inexpensive. Many people choose to eat porridge for breakfast for its numerous health benefits. However, many others wonder if it's really good to eat porridge in the morning and what benefits porridge has. Today, we'll help you find the answers and recommend some delicious porridge shops in Bangkok as healthy breakfast options for city dwellers. Let's see why it's good to eat porridge in the morning.
5 benefits of porridge, a favorite Thai breakfast dish
1. Porridge is easy to digest, suitable for breakfast.
Since porridge is cooked until soft and mushy and has a fine texture, it's easier for the body to digest than regular hard rice. The digestive system in the morning, just after waking up, is not ready to work at full capacity. Eating easily digestible foods like porridge helps prevent bloating, indigestion, and doesn't overburden the stomach.
2. Porridge is nutritionally complete.
Porridge is packed with nutrients that the body needs, such as carbohydrates from rice, protein from meat, fat from eggs or oil, vitamins and minerals from vegetables, various seasonings, and herbs like ginger, which helps relieve flatulence, bloating, and aids digestion. When eaten as a breakfast meal, it provides sufficient nutrients and energy for morning activities without causing stomach pain, fatigue, or hunger throughout the day.
3. Porridge helps nourish the digestive system.
The rice in porridge is high in dietary fiber, up to 1.8 grams per tablespoon, which helps stimulate bowel movements, prevent constipation, and absorb toxins and excess fat in the intestines. When the digestive system works well, it has a positive effect on the overall health of the body, reducing the risk of colon cancer. Regularly eating porridge for breakfast helps the digestive system work efficiently.
4. Porridge provides long-lasting fullness and helps control weight.
The main ingredient in porridge is rice, which provides long-lasting energy and fullness. The body slowly digests and absorbs carbohydrates, keeping blood sugar levels from rising rapidly and preventing early hunger, compared to breakfast foods high in flour and sugar. Therefore, eating porridge in the morning helps you stay full longer, snack less throughout the day, and is suitable for those who want to control their weight and reduce obesity.
5. Porridge can be prepared in a variety of delicious ways, suitable for all ages.
One of the advantages of porridge is that it can be prepared in a variety of ways according to personal preferences, such as pork porridge, chicken porridge, fish porridge, mushroom porridge, whole grain porridge, or even vegetarian porridge that's just as delicious. You can add eggs, vegetables, tofu, sausages, or meatballs as you like. It's a flexible dish that can be eaten plain or fully loaded, suitable for all genders and ages, from children to the elderly. Mild porridge recipes are easy to eat.
How many calories are in a bowl of porridge?
For those who are controlling their diet or trying to lose weight, they may be concerned that a large bowl of porridge might have too many calories or too much energy. In fact, it depends on the ingredients of each type of porridge. But generally, a regular cup of porridge (about 1 tablespoon of cooked rice) provides about 150-200 kilocalories and 25-30 grams of carbohydrates, which is considered a moderate-energy breakfast, neither too low nor too high, and is also rich in nutrients that are beneficial to the body.
To get the most benefit from eating porridge, you should choose porridge that is not too high in fat or oil, focusing on lean meats, seasonal vegetables, and adding more vegetables. Season to taste but in moderation. This will help you feel full without getting fat and reduce the risk of various chronic non-communicable diseases.
5 must-try porridge shops in Bangkok
After talking about the benefits of porridge this much, many people probably want to find a delicious porridge shop to try. We have 5 famous shops in Bangkok to recommend. Rest assured, you'll be hooked and want to eat porridge for breakfast more often.
1. Jok Moh Din, Yaowarat
A legendary porridge shop with a unique identity of using clay pots to cook the porridge, making it fragrant and soft on the tongue. The shop's signature dish is minced pork porridge, which comes with a complete set of side dishes, including egg tofu, century egg, pork liver, and fresh vegetables. The taste is well-rounded, rich, and pleases the Thai palate. There are also many other porridge menus, from plain porridge, pork porridge, chicken porridge, fish porridge, and beef porridge, at affordable prices starting from 45-85 baht.
2. Saphan Khwai Porridge
A famous porridge shop in the Saphan Khwai area, with the highlight of using jasmine rice to make the porridge, resulting in a fragrant, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Served with a full range of side dishes, including meat, eggs, vegetables, meatballs, and a delicious dipping sauce. The recommended menu is salted egg minced pork porridge, offering a sweet, oily, and perfectly salty taste. Another menu not to be missed is the shop's famous traditional-recipe fried dough sticks, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, which go perfectly with the porridge. Prices start at 35-65 baht, considered value for every penny.
3. Grandma's Porridge, Sukhumvit 103
If you're looking for porridge with a strong, spicy, and pungent taste, Grandma's Porridge is the place to go. It's famous for its variety of side dishes, focusing on various types of sausages such as minced pork, chicken sausage, sausage, etc., stir-fried with a well-rounded, spicy, and pungent sauce. Eaten with hot porridge of just the right thickness, along with many other porridge menus such as fish porridge, squid porridge, duck porridge, and crab meat porridge. Prices start at 50-100 baht. The shop has a casual atmosphere, suitable for sitting and eating porridge in the morning.
4. Hia Ho Clay Pot Porridge, Talat Phlu
Another famous clay pot porridge shop in the Talat Phlu area, serving rich, fragrant porridge with a full range of side dishes, including egg tofu, meat, sausage, fish balls, boiled eggs, and fresh vegetables. You can choose the level of spiciness according to your preference, from mild to very spicy. The taste is sure to please. Prices are affordable, starting at 35-60 baht, suitable for stopping by for a morning porridge before heading out.
5. Auan Porridge, Asok
Finishing with a luxurious porridge shop in the Asok area, coming with a cute Food Truck concept and a few tables. Serving traditional, rich, and well-rounded porridge, with options of pork porridge, chicken porridge, and combination porridge. In addition to the porridge, there are also pork slices, roasted beef, grilled squid, and roasted duck to choose as toppings. Served with a spicy dipping sauce that takes the porridge to another level of pungent flavor. Prices start at 60-150 baht. Good atmosphere, friendly service, suitable for taking friends for a big breakfast.
Porridge, a healthy breakfast with numerous benefits!
From all that has been mentioned in this article, it can be seen that porridge is a healthy breakfast because it has many benefits. It helps the digestive system work well, is nutritionally complete, nourishes the excretory system, provides long-lasting fullness, helps control weight, and can be prepared in a variety of ways suitable for all ages. The calories are not too high. Regularly eating porridge for breakfast will help keep the body healthy, boost mood, and provide full energy for a new day.
If you're looking for a delicious, convenient, and inexpensive Thai-style breakfast menu that also benefits the body, eating porridge in the morning is an interesting choice. Whether you cook it yourself at home or go out to buy hot porridge at a shop, you'll get the same benefits. So don't forget to try PunThai's porridge, which has been specially prepared to suit the Thai palate! Check out breakfast details on PunThai's blog or order online for home delivery through leading delivery apps. Try eating porridge in the morning for a week, and you'll surely see a noticeable improvement in your body's health and well-being!
