Are you looking for a nutritious way to kickstart every morning? What better way to do this than to eat grits or oatmeal. Corn grits are made by grinding whole grain corn or hulled corn into a powder. Cooking these grits and topping them off with nutritious toppings makes them an extremely healthy breakfast choice. Oats, on the other hand, are a gluten-free grain food and also a great choice for breakfast. They’re popularly eaten as oatmeal, which is made by boiling oats either in water or milk.
While both of these are rich in plenty of nutrients, the choice between the two for you will depend on what nutrient you need more of in your diet. Read on to understand if you should pick grits or oatmeal for your nutritional needs.
Nutritional Benefits Of Grits And Oatmeal
1. Rich In Carbohydrates
If you require a lot of energy on a daily basis, you need foods that are rich in carbohydrates. Carbs provide you with the energy you need to do work – if you do a lot of physical work, you’re sure to need more carbs in your diet. 100 g of grits provide 14.7 g of carbohydrates, whereas 100 g of oatmeal provide about 12 g of carbohydrates. So, if you’re looking to increase your carbohydrate intake, grits are the clear choice.1 2
2. Abundant In Calories
Are you a fitness freak who’s looking to build more muscle? Do you want to gain some weight because you’re bare to bones? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, you should choose foods that will give you a lot of calories on eating the same amount of food as you usually do. 100 g of both grits and oatmeal give you 71 kilocalories.3 4 This means that if you want to gain muscle or weight, you can pick either grits or oatmeal.
The best part about both these foods is that they help you gain weight without subjecting yourself to harmful fats; 100 g of grits contain 0.46 g of fat, while 100 g of oatmeal contain 1 g of fat.5 6
3. Sources Of Folate
Folate, which is essential for building DNA and cell division, is a B vitamin present in many foods. Every person’s requirement for this nutrient varies depending on their age. Its deficiency may cause megaloblastic anemia, which results in fatigue, weakness, and irritability among other symptoms. It may also result in a premature baby if the mother’s intake of folate is insufficient. So, it’s imperative that you get adequate amounts of this nutrient.7
While grits and oatmeal both provide folate, grits are a better choice if you’re looking to improve your intake of the nutrient. 100 g of grits contain 38 micrograms of folate, while 100 g of oatmeal contain 6 micrograms of folate.8 9
4. Rich In Fiber
Dietary fiber is extremely important for proper digestion. The more the fiber in your food, the faster you feel full without having to eat much. Apart from its role in digestion, fiber is also particularly beneficial for preventing heart disease and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.10
Oatmeal is quite rich in dietary fiber, providing about 1.7 g of fiber per 100 g.11 Grits, on the other hand, provide about 0.8 g of fiber per 100 g.12 So, your choice between the two is bound to be oatmeal if you’re looking to increase your fiber intake.
5. Sources Of Leucine
Grits are a richer source of an amino acid called leucine than oatmeal. This amino acid is incredibly important for those who exercise a lot because it has been found to make them stronger and increase their endurance.13
Know that both these power packed foods are great for you as healthy breakfast options. If you aren’t looking at increasing your intake of particular nutrients, alternate between both of them through the week and enjoy the benefits of both!
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