All about semolina. The benefits and harms of semolina

Semolina is a cereal made from wheat grains. Most of all, it is popular in the form of porridge, but it can be used for baking, casseroles, sauces and other dishes. The benefits of semolina lie not only in nutritional value but also in a beneficial effect on the body. About what semolina is, what grain it is made from, and whether semolina is really useful for children and what else can be prepared from it - later in the article.

Semolina (semolina)

The history of the use of semolina goes back to deep historical times, as it is a consequence of the cultural cultivation of wheat.

Semolina is a crushed wheat grain with a fine grain size (0.25-0.75 mm), which is widely used throughout the world in cooking.

In Russia, they were familiar with semolina back in pre-revolutionary times, but they did not actively use it, since its production was considered too costly. Therefore, its mass distribution occurred only in the 20th century. Semolina is very familiar to many residents of the post-Soviet space, as it was fed and continues to be fed in kindergartens.

Based on the varietal affiliation of wheat used for the production of cereals, it is labeled with the following designations:

• T - hard varieties;
• M - soft varieties;
• TM - a mixture in a ratio of approximately 15/85.

Solid semolina semolina is characterized by a more noticeable particle size, a translucent structure. It is less prone to overcooking and holds its shape better.

Corn semolina

Corn semolina is not one of the types of this cereal, but a marketing ploy used by some manufacturers. Corn semolina- This is corn grits, corresponding in grade to semolina. The particle size of this product is 0.3-0.8 mm. In addition to external similarities, the products have little in common: they differ in the composition of the feedstock, taste, and technical culinary properties.

The chemical composition of semolina

Manka - extremely nutritional type cereals, enriching the body with a significant proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and trace elements. 100 grams of this wheat by-product contains:

• 333 kilocalories;
• 1 g fat;
• 10.3 g proteins;
• 70.6 g of carbohydrates;
• 3.6 g fiber;
• 14 g of water.

In boiled form, semolina has a much lower calorie content. So, in porridge, this figure is 95-100 kcal per 100 g.

Vitamins and minerals in semolina (% of daily allowance adult consumption)
B1, thiamine	0.14mg (9.3%)	Potassium	130 mg (5.2%)
B2, riboflavin	0.04 mg (2.2%)	Calcium	20 mg (2%)
B6, pyridoxine	0.17 mg (8.5%)	Magnesium	18 mg (4.5%)
B9, folates	23 mcg (5.8%)	Phosphorus	85 mg (10.6%)
E, tocopherol	1.5 mg (10%)	Iron	1 mg (5.6%)
PP, nicotinic acid	3 mg (15%)	Silicon	6 mg (20%)
		Chlorine	21 mg (0.9%)
		Cobalt	25 mcg (250%)
		Manganese	0.44 mg (22%)
		Copper	70 mcg (7%)
		Molybdenum	11.3 mcg (16.1%)
		Chromium	1 mcg (2%)
		Zinc	0.59 mg (4.9%)

Thus, the chemical composition of semolina provides the body with the substances necessary for the stable and efficient operation of the nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, reproductive, immune and digestive systems. The use of such a product in food also leads to the preservation of youthful skin, healthy hair and nails, maintaining physical and psycho-emotional tone.

Semolina: benefits and harms to the body

Despite such a variety of chemical composition, semolina is far from the title of the most useful, which was promoted in the USSR, where it was widely promoted in food for children. The main value of semolina is a lot of carbohydrates, most of which are easily digestible. This ensures rapid saturation and the flow of glucose into the blood. The body receives energy, but the feeling of hunger returns quite quickly.

Beneficial features semolina

However, completely worthless grits cannot be named because some valuable properties its inherent. Manka is one of the most suitable products for people with a vulnerable gastrointestinal tract. It is different from other cereals reduced content fiber. Thanks to this, even large portions of it do not irritate the walls of the stomach and intestines. It also eliminates the possibility of obstruction in the weak intestine. In turn, dietary fibers perform their cleansing functions well, removing ballast, fats and absorbing toxins. For adults, the use of semolina porridge is often prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and during postoperative recovery.

What are the benefits of the minerals in semolina for the body:

• phosphorus is a building block for teeth and bones;
• iron - necessary for the synthesis of hormones, ensuring the transport of oxygen through the vessels, the effectiveness of nerve impulses;
• zinc - participates in protein synthesis, strengthens the immune system, provides the exchange of nucleic acids, is important for the development of sexual functions;
• magnesium - ensures the stability of the nervous system, is included in the metabolism and production of insulin;
• copper - necessary for the production of hemoglobin, maintaining skin elasticity, has an antiseptic effect.

Semolina on milk or water is the best nutritional option for people who have bad teeth or are recovering from operations on them. In addition, it is often included in a protein-free diet, for example, for kidney disorders.

Semolina: benefit, harm to the child

The Soviet practice of actively feeding children with semolina is now strongly criticized, and for good reason. The fact is that the digestive system of a small person does not cope well with such a huge dose of starch that comes with this dish. To soften, it is advised to make semolina on water and in small volumes. It is believed that abuse can provoke celiac disease - a disease expressed by gluten intolerance. Large doses of starch also contribute to the development of obesity, which negatively affects all health.

Manka benefit and harm

For a baby or a small child, semolina is also dangerous because the phytin present in the composition of the dish prevents the absorption of calcium, iron and vitamin D. As a result, the bones become weaker and thinner.

For adults, semolina is more useful and does not pose a threat to the musculoskeletal system with proper nutrition. Moreover, it is often ideal for breakfast as a source of energy. True, doctors advise to maximize the beneficial properties of cooking it only in water without any additives.

Contraindications

Semolina contains gluten, so it is contraindicated for people with celiac disease, a form of allergy. In addition, those who have diabetes mellitus or a tendency to "jumps" in glucose should refrain from it. The rapid absorption of "light" carbohydrates leads to a short-term increase in this indicator and in these cases can adversely affect the well-being.

Restrictions on the use of semolina apply to overweight people and pregnant women who experience rapid weight gain or late toxicosis.

Application in cosmetology: semolina for the face

In addition to its nutritional use, semolina can help in the quest to preserve the beauty and restore healthy skin. Groats have a mild scrub effect, so it is effective in combination with oils, sour cream, kefir or other bases.

The simplest scrub for home use can be made from a handful of semolina and a small amount cream or vegetable oil. This remedy should be applied in a small amount to the skin and with light circular movements with slight pressure massage the skin for several minutes. Semolina scrubs can be made with kefir, yogurt, butter, cream, carrot pulp.

Recipes for cosmetic masks with semolina for the face:

1. For rejuvenation. Mix 100 ml of milk, 2 tbsp. semolina and beer, 1 tbsp. nettle leaves and 1 tsp. oils. Boil semolina, add beer, oil and nettle to it, insist under the lid for 5-7 minutes. After cooling, keep it on your face for half an hour.
2. For food. Mix 2 tsp. olive oil, egg yolk, 2 tbsp. cereals and a teaspoon of honey. Spread over the skin and keep on it until the mass dries.
3. For tone. In half a glass thick porridge on semolina add 2 tsp. honey, watermelon juice, olive oil, egg yolk and ½ tsp. salt. After mixing the ingredients well, spread on the face and leave for 20-30 minutes.
4. For cleansing. Combine the protein of one egg with 2 tablespoons of semolina. Spread thinly over the skin and leave for a quarter of an hour.
5. From wrinkles. In 15 grams of warm porridge, add 5 grams of cocoa powder and 5 grams of coconut oil. Spread all over the face and wash off after 30-35 minutes. It is recommended to carry out the procedure within a week every other day.
6. From acne. Combine 2 tsp. semolina with 1 tsp green clay and add 4 drops of sandalwood essential oil. Apply with circular massaging movements on cleansed face. The procedure lasts 15 minutes.
7. For oily skin. Mix mashed kiwi with 10 grams of cereal and add 7 drops of retinol. Spread over the face with a cosmetic spatula and keep for no longer than 10 minutes.
8. For dry skin. In 15 grams of warm drip 3 drops of mint essential oil and 5 grams fat sour cream. Apply to the face after removing makeup and keep for about half an hour.

Decoy for fishing

Semolina, like wheat, is an excellent bait and bait for fish in summer time. Experienced fishermen often use it to attract carp, carp, rudd, ide, roach, bream and similar fish species. At proper preparation semolina bait, it is not easy to remove from the hook. big fish swallows it whole, and does not pull it together, thanks to which it literally jumps on the hook. Too small fish is not caught on the decoy, but simply bites the bait.

The main disadvantages of semolina as bait for fish:

• unreliable position on the hook (needs some skill);
• rapid soaking;
• need pure water and warm weather.

In most cases, it makes sense to use semolina for float fishing, but in reservoirs with a strong and medium current, it is also suitable for donka. The casting of the bait is due to its weight, so a heavy sinker is not needed.

How to cook semolina for fishing:

1. Boil a mug of water with a few drops of fishing flavor. Pour into it the volume of semolina necessary for cooking thick porridge. After boiling, hold the porridge under the lid for steaming. After cooling, you need to knead the semolina with your hands for ten minutes, making its structure denser. You need to put small dense balls from the formed mass on the hook.
2. Scoop up a glass of water from the reservoir chosen for catching fish, add a flavoring product, and, stirring, add semolina until a thick mixture is formed. It must be firmly attached to the spoon. Then you need to let it brew for 10 minutes and send it to the syringe. The bait is squeezed out of the syringe, winding around the hook in a spiral. It ends at the tip of the hook.

The right decoy for fishing

Cool decoy for fishing:

1. Boil the semolina halfway (it will boil and increase in volume) and pull it out of the water.
2. Transfer it to double-folded gauze and send it in a bundle to boil in boiling water for another twenty minutes.
3. Or fill a matchbox with groats, add flavoring and throw it closed into a pot of boiling water. After an hour of cooking, you will get a dense bait in the form of a bar, which is easily cut with a knife.

For greater effectiveness, it is better to use natural sources of odors, rather than powdered synthetic mixtures. However, fatty vegetable oils make it less dense. good options: strawberry, garlic, anise, cherry, maggot, sugar, dill, onion, vanilla, honey, salt, bloodworm. In autumn and spring, with cold water, garlic in any form is good. Crucian bites perfectly on bloodworms, roach - vanilla, bream - banana, fennel, coriander, anise, cinnamon, pear. Carp loves caramel, fruit essences, garlic, vanilla, hemp, honey. You can also flavor with popular Revit vitamins by dissolving 1-2 dragees in water for cooking.

The use of semolina in cooking: delicious recipes

The simplest and most famous variant the use of this product is porridge. It is cooked extremely quickly and easily, on a milk or water basis. Moreover, this is a dish that cannot be overexposed, otherwise everything will evaporate.

Semolina on the water: recipe

First you need two hundred liquids to a boil, and then, actively stirring it, pour the semolina in a thin stream and boil for no longer than 15 minutes. The standard proportion for cooking is 1 volume of cereal per 10 volumes of milk. You can diversify and make porridge tastier by adding dried fruits, honey, cinnamon, butter, nuts, fresh berries and fruits, herbs.

Semolina porridge does not go well with legumes, dates, potatoes, bread and other products, which are characterized by high content carbohydrates.

Milk semolina: video recipe

Semolina dumplings for soup

1. In 900 g of semolina, break 2 eggs, salt and add pepper to your taste.
2. Mix thoroughly and dilute a little to bring to the desired structure with water.
3. Do not knead or roll. Spoon into soup.

Semolina dumplings boil a little longer than dumplings. For a tastier and hearty cooking minced meat, sausage, fried onions, etc. can be added to the recipe.

Semolina fritters

1. Mix half a glass of granulated sugar and 1 egg in a bowl, shake with a whisk. It is better that the egg is cold, this will give extra lightness when beating.
2. Add a glass of kefir to the mixture and shake everything with a whisk again.
3. Add semolina, stir and let it swell in the dough.
4. After a quarter of an hour, add a glass of wheat flour and ½ tbsp. baking powder. If you like, you can throw in a little vanilla.
5. Shake the dough well and let it rest for 10 minutes. Flour should be allowed to soak well and “disperse”.
6. You can start frying pancakes by shifting the dough into the pan with a spoon.

Cheesecakes with semolina: video recipe

Semolina casserole in the oven

Products:

• 1000 ml of milk;
• 1 glass of semolina;
• 2 eggs;
• 3 tbsp Sahara;
• a pinch of salt;
• 2 tbsp butter;
• a bag of vanilla sugar;
• jam, jam or jam to serve.

Cooking:

1. First, you should make a thick milk cream on a quiet flame. semolina. If at first it seems that it is too liquid, you do not need to add grits - during cooking, the semolina will soon thicken.
2. Combine 3 tbsp. sugar and eggs, beat until fluffy and add to the porridge.
3. Put it right there vanilla sugar, butter, salt. Stir.
4. Send the dough to a frying pan or form, smeared with oil and sprinkled with semolina, leveled.
5. Send to a 180-degree oven until the dough thickens and browns.

Semolina cutlets

Products:

• 0.3 l of milk;
• 100 g of cereals;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tbsp Sahara;
• 1 chip. salt;
• a couple of tablespoons of melted butter for frying;
• flour or anything suitable for breading.

1. Send salt, sugar and semolina to boiling milk. Make a cool porridge (like mashed potatoes) without lumps.
2. Put in a bowl and break the eggs into it, mix.
3. The dough is done. Now you need to heat the pan with oil.
4. Roll cutlets rolled by hand in breading material and fry until blush on both sides.
5. Hold the cutlets on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Semolina soufflé

Products:

• 0.25 l of milk;
• 50 g of granulated sugar;
• 2 chicken eggs;
• st.l. vanilla;
• 100 g dried apricots;
• 35 g butter;
• 45 g semolina;
• oil and extra sugar for greasing moulds.

Cooking:

1. Coat the molds with butter and sprinkle with sugar, and then put in the freezer.
2. Combine milk, vanilla and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Pour the cereal into the liquid and boil for 3-4 minutes. With such proportions, this time is sufficient to obtain a thick mass.
4. Add yolks to the shifted porridge, mix, and then add sugar and dried apricots cut into small pieces.
5. Separately, beat egg whites with salt until fluffy.
6. Add protein mass puree and mix.
7. Remove the molds from the cold and fill with the prepared mass.
8. Put molds on water bath so that the souffle does not dry out from the heat of the oven and remains tender.
9. Send the souffle to bake in the oven heated to 180˚C for 20 minutes. During this time it is not recommended to open the oven.
10. Decorate ready-made soufflés with white chocolate and halves of canned apricots or otherwise to your taste.

Mannik pie with milk

Products:

• a glass of semolina;
• a glass of granulated sugar;
• 50 g butter;
• a glass of milk;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• ½ tsp baking soda.

Cooking:

1. Melt the butter in a water bath, add sugar and eggs and beat with a mixer or whisk.
2. Slowly add semolina, without ceasing to interfere, so that there are no lumps.
3. Add milk and soda. At this stage, the dough can be supplemented with something to your taste (dried fruits, chocolate, nuts, etc.)
4. Preheat the oven. Put the cake in the mold at 180˚C for 45 minutes.

The cake can cook faster, so you need to check it with a match or a toothpick. If nothing sticks to it, the mannik is ready.

Semolina porridge is known to many since childhood. Some people have been using the dish since then, and this is not surprising. Porridge concentrates many valuable substances for humans. Semolina perfectly satisfies hunger, energizes the body, starting in the morning. Scientific research and reviews speak of undeniable benefits dishes. But is there harm? Let's consider the important aspects in more detail.

The benefits of semolina

1. Semolina contains a lot of magnesium and potassium. These elements combined form a protective barrier that prevents harmful substances from affecting the heart muscle. As a result, the work of the internal organ is normalized, and cardiovascular diseases are prevented.
2. The accumulation of tocopherol, or vitamin E, restores the human body after an illness or a major operation. The substance is a natural antioxidant and a source of youth. Regular intake of semolina will make the skin supple, restore damaged hair and nails.
3. Semolina porridge contains a lot of iron. This element is necessary for adults and children to fight anemia and prevent anemia. The dish must be eaten by women and girls on critical days, because during such a period the lady loses a lot of blood. Semolina accelerates the production of hemoglobin and maintains the indicators at the correct level.
4. Incoming zinc ensures the full functioning of the male and female reproductive system. Also, the element is responsible for the functioning of the liver. B-group vitamins are needed by a person to normalize the psycho-emotional background and stable functioning of the central nervous system.
5. As mentioned above, semolina-based porridge energizes. In addition, the dish increases mental and physical performance, improves memory and vision, as well as perception. The product is necessary for children, men, women, elderly people especially. In the latter case, semolina reduces the risk of developing senile dementia.
6. Semolina is rich in calcium, and in combination with milk, the amount of this element increases significantly. The dish strengthens bone tissue, hair, nails, teeth. Pregnant ladies need to eat semolina to start the formation of the baby's skeleton. Also, the product stops nervous breakdowns, promotes rapid recovery from depression.
7. The greatest doctors of the country advise people with chronic kidney diseases to eat semolina. In this case, porridge is cooked in water, and not in milk. The dish is indicated for admission to patients with diseases of the esophagus, stomach, bladder.
8. Manka has an enveloping effect. That is why, when it enters the body, it protects the walls of the stomach, relieves spasms and pain, removes mucus and toxic substances from intestinal tract. All this is considered an excellent prevention of gastrointestinal cancer.
9. Porridge has an optimal balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. This allows you to use it in diet food. In this case, you need to alternate dishes prepared with water and milk (day after day). As a result, throughout the diet you will feel good.

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The benefits of semolina porridge for children

1. Many people remember the taste of porridge from childhood. The dish will be useful for every child, because semolina includes all the essential elements, minerals, dietary fiber, vitamins, acids.
2. In order for the child to receive all the benefits, porridge can be given at the onset of 1 year. If you treat the baby earlier, he will encounter indigestion.
3. From one year to three years porridge is given to the child in doses. Serving should not exceed 50 gr. with the condition of taking 2 times a week. As needed, the amount is increased after the approval of the pediatrician.
4. Semolina relieves the child from anemia and prevents this disease in the future. Also, the dish increases appetite and promotes weight gain, which is important for children with dystrophy or underweight.
5. Starch in combination with proteins contributes to the accelerated formation of bones and muscles, strengthens teeth. The phytinase substance included in the semolina controls all metabolic processes and increases them, thereby increasing the body's resistance to viruses.

The benefits and harms of semolina porridge for pregnant women

1. Pregnant girls must watch their diet to ensure the proper formation of the fetus. Semolina porridge is introduced into the diet of ladies, the dish is consumed 3 times a week, not more often.
2. Semolina saturates the body with essential vitamins and minerals in a short period of time. At the same time, there is no feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the stomach, saturation is maintained for a long time. The risk of sudden onset of hunger is reduced.
3. Pregnant girls often suffer from constipation, including chronic ones. Eating porridge three times a week will get rid of such delicate issue and relieve swelling of the extremities.
4. The dish helps to restore energy, gives a person strength and vigor. There is no cholesterol in semolina, which reduces arterial pressure and stays at the optimum level.
5. Semolina is useful to eat with gastritis in the acute stage. It gently envelops the stomach walls, reducing pain. The dish also controls the release of acid and juice.
6. The product is often prescribed to cleanse the digestive system and the entire body. Manka has absorbent properties. It absorbs poisons, then gently removes them from the body. Also, the dish eliminates old toxins that affect the functioning of the intestines.
7. As for harm, semolina can provoke weight gain. Therefore, the dish must be consumed in doses. Incoming gluten often causes allergies in mother and child.

the benefits and harms of muesli

The benefits of semolina porridge for women

1. Many representatives of the weaker sex prefer breakfast oatmeal than semolina. Such a move is due to the fact that semolina allegedly does not benefit the body, such an opinion is erroneous.
2. Semolina porridge is recommended for girls who are watching their figure. In this case, not everyone can use oatmeal. The composition of the last porridge contains coarse fibers and fiber, which are unable to digest the affected esophagus.
3. In addition, semolina is considered an excellent alternative to light breakfasts. The product is perfectly absorbed by the body and prevents diseases of the digestive sphere. For breakfast, it is recommended to use semolina boiled in water with the addition of herbs and sunflower oil.
4. Porridge cooked with homemade milk will bring no less benefit to the body. It is recommended to add nuts and dried fruits to the composition. As a result, you can prepare a balanced meal, with enough essential micronutrients.

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The benefits of semolina porridge for men

1. Porridge is recommended for athletes who seek to gain total weight. The product perfectly nourishes the body, energizes and provides a feeling of satiety.
2. The dish is recommended for people suffering from chronic gastritis, colitis and enteritis. The product is preferably used after waking up.
3. Semolina with sugar, butter, boiled in milk should be consumed by healthy men who work for fresh air. The composition effectively copes with physical and nervous stress.

Semolina porridge for diabetics

1. Semolina is contraindicated in gestational diabetes. Composition renders harmful effect on the body. The cereal has a high glycemic index, so the patient will soon be able to gain extra pounds.
2. It is worth knowing that with the systematic consumption of porridge in the body, insulin is poorly produced, hence the level of sugar in the blood rises significantly. It should be concluded that semolina does not belong to the dishes shown to diabetics.
3. Also, do not lean heavily on the product with a tendency or complication against the background of diabetes. Small use in rare cases of semolina is allowed. To do this, you need to consult a specialist.

Harm of semolina

1. Semolina has a number of contraindications that are inherent in any useful product. Keep in mind that porridge has a high rate of carbohydrates, so you should not feed a child who is not yet a year old.
2. The children's body is not able to digest the compounds of heavy carbohydrates. Semolina is coated with gliadin, an enzyme that has a detrimental effect on the intestinal lint. The latter, in turn, must absorb nutrients and beneficial enzymes from products.
3. Thus, semolina is contraindicated for babies, as it disrupts the natural metabolism. Hence the child is exposed to obesity. In addition, frequent consumption of porridge can lead to calcium and iron deficiency.
4. This effect is achieved due to a special enzyme - phytin. Therefore, it is not recommended to often use semolina porridge in large quantities. Otherwise, you will meet with a number of troubles.
5. Due to the high content of gluten in semolina, even a healthy person may experience problems with the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is worth being careful for those people who suffer from enzyme intolerance.

Semolina porridge will benefit the body if consumed in a dosed and regular manner. The dish compensates for the lack of calcium in adults and children, prevents anemia, normalizes the functioning of the intestines and the entire digestive system. Semolina is indicated for use by pregnant girls, as it forms the skeleton and nervous system of the unborn baby.

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Video: how to cook semolina porridge

Semolina can be found in the kitchen cabinet of almost any hostess. She happens to be necessary ingredient for many dishes: casseroles, cereals, puddings.

Despite such popularity of the product, few of us will be able to answer the question: why is semolina useful for human health? Nutritionists from all over the world are still arguing about the benefits and harms of semolina for our body.

In this article, we will talk about all the properties of this controversial product, its effect on human well-being, and also share simple recipes for making semolina.

What is semolina made from?

Semolina porridge - "food from childhood"

Semolina is a secondary product obtained by crushing refined wheat grains. The size of individual grain particles ranges from 0.2 to 0.7 mm. That is why, until the 19th century, semolina was mistaken for flour and used only as such.

Only at the beginning of the 19th century did they begin to cook porridge from semolina. But since its production was very expensive, only the wealthy sections of society could afford to eat the famous "Guryevskaya" porridge.

With the advent of Soviet power, semolina becomes available to the common population. It has been actively used, including for baby food.

Depending on the variety of wheat used, semolina can be of the following types:

• from soft varieties wheat (designation on the package "M");
• from hard varieties ("T");
• mixed type ("MT").

The cooking time depends on the type of cereal. Semolina category "M" quickly and well boiled soft. This variety is excellent for cooking cereals. Groats of categories "T" and "MT" require a lot of time to prepare. Semolina of these species is advised to use for those who want to lose weight.

Useful qualities of the product

Semolina - from wheat

Despite the fact that semolina is made from peeled wheat grains, it is very nutritious.

The energy value of semolina is 333 kcal per 100g of cereal. In cooked form, its calorie content is much less (80-100 kilocalories per 100 g).

Semolina saturates the body well and is well absorbed by it, which is especially important during the period of illness or after surgery.

Semolina contains a certain amount of vitamins and minerals that our body needs for normal functioning. These include:

1. vitamins of categories "B", "E";
2. niacin;
3. minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, etc.

Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B9 are involved in various metabolic processes of the body, affecting the functioning of the immune, endocrine, circulatory and nervous systems, as well as the condition of the epidermis, mucous membranes and connective tissue.

Vitamin E is responsible for the normal functioning of the heart, blood vessels and liver. Vitamin PP (niacin) takes part in all metabolic processes of our body.

This substance allows you to activate the work of the digestive, cardiovascular systems, as well as control the amount of sugar and cholesterol in the blood. The potassium contained in the cereal nourishes the myocardium, iron improves the formation of blood cells, and magnesium affects the nervous regulation.

Semolina contains a small percentage of fiber, so it does not create a burden on the digestive tract. It is digested and absorbed in the lower intestine. The dietary fibers that make up the product pass through the digestive system, cleansing it of accumulated toxins and toxins.

The nutrients included in semolina have a beneficial effect on the functioning of various systems of our body.

What is harmful semolina

Despite all the useful properties of semolina, it should be used with great care. It is necessary to exclude it from the diet of patients with diabetes mellitus.

Because of great content gluten, the product is not recommended for people suffering from celiac disease (gluten intolerance), as well as young children. Babies still have an underdeveloped digestive system, so eating semolina can provoke an allergic reaction.

In addition, contained in large quantities phytin in cereals interferes with the normal absorption of calcium and vitamin D by the body, which can lead to rickets, decreased immunity, and nervous disorders.

Is it possible to use semolina for those who want to lose weight

Semolina porridge is combined with fruits and berries

Nutritionists from all over the world cannot answer this question unambiguously. Some experts believe that it is possible.

To fight overweight there are several special diets based on daily intake eating semolina porridge for 5-7 days.

In this case, the porridge must be cooked on water, without oil, salt and sugar. 0.6 - 0.75 kg of semolina must be eaten in three visits, combined with allowed fruits and vegetables. But most nutritionists are inclined to believe that it is undesirable to use semolina when losing weight, since the “light carbohydrates” contained in it and high calorie content, delay the process of getting rid of extra pounds. Therefore, for those who want to lose weight, it is better to temporarily remove from the diet this product or limit its intake.

The use of semolina porridge during pregnancy

Women who are expecting the birth of a baby need to carefully monitor their diet. Expectant mothers can use semolina porridge and even need it, since it:

1. very nutritious;
2. perfectly absorbed by the body;
3. restores energy reserves;
4. contains a certain amount of essential vitamins and minerals;
5. improves blood supply.

In this case, you should remember about the presence of contraindications. These include:

• gluten intolerance;
• diabetes mellitus, varicose veins;
• excess weight.

In addition, it should be remembered that the use of semolina during pregnancy can cause allergies, intestinal upset or constipation.

Recipes for making porridge from semolina

From semolina you can cook not only porridge

As mentioned above, semolina is used to prepare a variety of culinary masterpieces. But perhaps one of the most popular dishes from semolina is semolina porridge.

It can be prepared with water, milk, and also with the use of various additional ingredients. Consider popular recipes for making semolina porridge.

On the water

The required amount of water is brought to a boil. Semolina (in a ratio of 1:10 to the volume of water) is poured into the liquid in a small stream. At the same time, the porridge is constantly stirred until it thickens.

Depending on your preferences, honey, berries, fruits, nuts are added to the finished dish, which will help improve taste qualities porridge.

On milk

To prepare porridge you will need:

• 250 ml of milk;
• 4 tbsp. l. water;
• 4 tbsp. l. semolina;
• salt, sugar, sl. oil to taste.

Into the pumped cold water Pour a few tablespoons of water into the dishes, then milk. Bring to a boil. Add the required amount of salt, sugar and gradually pour the cereal into the milk.

Cook until semolina thickens, stirring constantly. Add butter, turn off the heat and, wrapping the porridge in a towel, leave it to “languish” for five minutes. You can serve such porridge with dried fruits, nuts.

Semolina porridge with pumpkin

Semolina porridge on the water

For cooking you need:

• 0.5 l of milk;
• 0.3 kg of pumpkin;
• 0.5 cups of semolina;
• salt, sugar, butter - to taste;
• orange peel.

Grated pumpkin must be mixed with orange zest and stewed well, adding sugar and salt. Then it is transferred to a saucepan, poured with milk and brought to a boil. Semolina is added to the boiling mixture.

We are waiting for the porridge to thicken, not forgetting to constantly stir. The finished dish should be flavored with a piece of butter. Thus, semolina can have both positive and negative effects on human health.

Semolina is perfectly absorbed by the intestines and cleanses it of accumulated toxins and toxins. But due to the high content of gluten and carbohydrates, this cereal contraindicated in diabetes, gluten intolerance, obesity.

An informative video will also tell about the benefits and harms of semolina porridge:

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Entire generations have grown up on this porridge known to every person, so for most of us it is associated with the taste of childhood. Some people still love semolina porridge, remembering how delicious it was for our mothers and grandmothers: with butter, sugar, or flavored with your favorite homemade jam. Others, on the contrary, cannot stand it. Such a negative attitude towards this dish is also not surprising. Many have not forgotten feeding in kindergartens, where semolina was often served with nasty hard lumps and an unattractive film on the cooling surface. But if we leave aside the kindergarten clumsy cooks, then there is no doubt that the Russian people have always held semolina porridge in high esteem. Previously, it was introduced into the diet of babies, starting from the age of six months. However, recently this simple and accessible dish has lost its authority, so many people of the modern generation began to treat it ambiguously. Reports began to appear everywhere in the media that a number of pediatricians consider semolina (unlike buckwheat, rice, oats, barley) not only completely useless cereals, but even a harmful food product for some children. For this reason, the concern of many parents who are trying to find the answer to two significant questions is quite understandable. What is the benefit and harm of semolina porridge for human health? Can you feed it to your children?

Semolina among grain crops

Most people, when buying semolina in the store, do not even think about its origin. Meanwhile, semolina is not an independent agricultural crop, but a by-product that is formed after grinding wheat grains to grains with a diameter of 0.25 - 0.75 mm. If hard wheat grains were used for grinding, then “T” is marked on the packages with semolina, if soft varieties - “M”, if their mixture is “MT”. For cooking semolina, cereals with the abbreviation "M" are best suited. Due to the absence of an outer shell on the grains, many even call this ground grain flour. Solid and mixed varieties of semolina are mainly used for making pies, pancakes, dumplings, puddings, casseroles. In Rus', semolina as a by-product of wheat processing began to be produced quite a long time ago, but in those days it was considered a delicacy. Such traditional Russian dishes, widely known today, as the Mannik pie or Guryev porridge, were served only to the rich and aristocrats. And only in Soviet time semolina has become widespread as a cheap and widely available product. For many decades, semolina porridge has been the epitome of hearty and nutritious breakfast, so parents often persuaded their children to eat more of it: "for mom, for dad, for grandmother ...". Soviet pediatricians did not lag behind in the popularization of this unpretentious dish. The fact is that in the USSR there were very strict regulations weight gain of children in preschool institutions and pioneer camps. If any group of kindergarteners or vacationing schoolchildren lost weight, this is a bad sign. To gain the missing kilograms, almost double portions of semolina porridge began to be intensively pushed into the thinner children. Perhaps it is precisely because of such force-feeding that many people still have a strong rejection of this dish. However, semolina coped with its task quite well, so it is not surprising that during the years of Soviet power it was a symbol of energy, strength and good health.

The composition and calorie content of semolina

When it comes to the benefits of a particular herbal product, first of all they pay attention to its vitamin and mineral composition. But in semolina, it is not as rich as in other cereals. Therefore, recently there has been an opinion that semolina porridge does not represent anything particularly valuable. According to modern food research, the concentration of useful components in milled wheat grains is significantly reduced. And when cooking porridge from semolina, when the cereal is subjected to heat treatment, a significant part of the biologically active substances is lost. However, semolina contains vitamins A, E, PP, B1, B2, B6, B9. From the mineral series, the presence of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine, and sulfur can be distinguished. Fats and proteins are presented in small quantities, but what is really a lot in this cereal is carbohydrates - almost 70 grams per 100 grams of product. It is their presence that makes semolina porridge so satisfying. However, not only that.

The calorie content of porridge from semolina boiled in water is small - about 80 kcal per 100 g. However, such a dish turns out to be tasteless, sticky viscous consistency, unattractive gray color, therefore it is more suitable for patients with gastritis or peptic ulcer as medicinal food. The rest of the people prefer to cook semolina porridge in milk with salt and sugar, followed by the addition of butter, honey or jam. It is quite natural that the calorie content of the dish then increases significantly and can reach 150 - 200 kcal. But, in general, in terms of nutritional value, semolina porridge occupies one of the last places compared to porridges of their other popular cereals (buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, rice).

Beneficial features

Despite everything, semolina porridge still cannot be called a completely useless food, because it was not for nothing that it was always included in the daily diet of both children and adults. As already mentioned, 2/3 semolina consists of starch, and complex carbohydrates are well-known sources of energy for our body. A morning plate of semolina porridge will increase the energy activity of the child and increase the efficiency of an adult, at least for the first half of the day.

One more important property of semolina should be noted: after heat treatment there is practically no dietary fiber- fiber. Semolina passes through the digestive organs, as they say, in transit, enveloping the gastrointestinal tract along the way and cleansing it of excessive mucous accumulations. And digestion, absorption and assimilation of porridge from this cereal occurs only in the lower part of the human intestine. Due to the enveloping effect and high digestibility, semolina is very useful to use not only in childhood and old age, but also for people who have problems with the stomach, intestines, chewing food, as well as those who are in rehabilitation after serious illnesses and complex operations. By the way, due to the low protein content, semolina is recommended to be included in the diet of patients suffering from chronic kidney failure and those in need of a special protein-free diet.

In favor of semolina porridge is also evidenced by the fact that it cooks very quickly, and after all, many people, in a hurry to work, lack time to prepare breakfast. In addition, semolina is inexpensive, so any family can afford to cook porridge from this cereal, even with low material income.

Finally, the positive properties of semolina porridge can be considered, perhaps, its low calorie content, especially for those who want to get rid of extra pounds. However, for weight loss, this dish must be cooked in water without oil, salt and sugar, which makes it very tasteless. Therefore, a diet on semolina porridge is not as popular as compared to diets on buckwheat or oatmeal. Only very strong-willed people can withstand such a limited diet, and this diet is more suitable for those with a sweet tooth. Its essence is simple. It is necessary to consume exclusively semolina porridge daily, adding one fresh fruit (apple, orange or grapefruit) to the diet for breakfast, 4 dried fruits (dried apricots, figs or prunes) for lunch, and one tablespoon of condensed milk for dinner. It is not recommended to “sit” on a semolina diet for more than 7 days. Otherwise, the body will experience a severe deficiency of proteins and fats, which can adversely affect the health of a person who is losing weight.

Is there any harm from semolina

What are the shortcomings found by experts in this dish, popular with many people? For an adult, there are practically none, but for children, some of the results of modern food researchers are alarming. First of all, most nutritionists and pediatricians categorically do not recommend that parents give their child semolina porridge every day. Even worse is to replace it with formulas for complementary foods for babies. There are quite serious grounds for such an assertion.

First, you should pay attention to the high content of starch in semolina. Yes, carbohydrates energize the body, but their excess leads to the fact that the child begins to get fat, by leaps and bounds. And if you consider that there are few vitamins and minerals in semolina porridge, then the child's body loses the ability to fully develop. As a result, the child may experience a decrease in immunity or beriberi, up to the development of rickets.

Secondly, semolina contains phytin, an organophosphorus substance that has the ability to bind calcium salts. Fitin is characterized by an insidious feature to negatively change the intestinal environment, so excessive consumption of semolina can lead to cells child's body stop absorbing pure calcium. And with a deficiency of this microelement, it begins to “wash out” from the bones and from there enter the bloodstream, and not from the intestines. The consequences of a lack of calcium in a child's body are very deplorable: muscle hypotension, convulsions, spasmophilia, poor blood clotting, abnormal development of the musculoskeletal system.

Thirdly, we must not forget that semolina is nothing more than ground wheat. And in the grains of this cereal crop contains gluten, which is unsafe for the child's body, which is also called gluten. In addition to the fact that this protein can cause allergic reactions, if gluten regularly enters the digestive organs of a child, it can damage the villi located on the intestinal mucosa, which disrupts the absorption of most nutrients. As a result, the risk of developing such a serious disease as celiac disease (celiac disease) increases. If a child who is constantly stuffed with semolina has loose copious stools, no weight gain, abdominal pain, sweating, pallor, incomprehensible skin rashes, then this should seriously alert parents.

Modern young moms and dads reading about harmful properties semolina porridge, they may wonder: why did this controversial dish previously enter the menu of kindergartens and schools without fear? Probably because the world has changed a lot in recent decades. Poor environmental conditions, the emergence of previously unknown viruses and allergens, unpredictable genetic modifications have led to the fact that many children today are born weakened and very sensitive to food intake, which was considered in old times safe. Of course, today's young parents should not be very afraid of the negative qualities of semolina, but it still does not hurt to remember them.

How to cook semolina porridge?

Of course, our mothers and grandmothers can easily answer this simple question. But for many modern young housewives, who for the first time took up the preparation of porridge from semolina, it often turns out with lumps, in the form of a liquid “smear”, or a very thick frozen consistency in which a teaspoon can calmly stand. As a rule, the main mistake is not observing the appropriate proportions of the amount of liquid used for cooking and semolina. To make the porridge of medium density, you need to take 3 tablespoons of cereal for 500 milliliters of water or milk. Whoever likes thinner porridge, the amount of semolina can be slightly reduced, whoever prefers thicker porridge - increase accordingly. The second important rule: semolina should be poured only into a boiling liquid. The third mandatory point: in order to avoid the appearance of lumps, porridge must be constantly stirred. Semolina cooks very quickly, so you should not leave the stove while cooking porridge. Thus, young housewives can make sure that there are no special wisdom or tricky secrets for cooking this porridge.

Classic semolina porridge

Ingredients:
Semolina - 3 tablespoons;
Water - 200 milliliters;
Milk - 300 milliliters;
Salt - 1/3 teaspoon;
Sugar - a teaspoon;
Butter - 50 grams.

Cooking method. Mix milk with water, put the container on the stove, bring almost to a boil, add salt and sugar. Just before the liquid boils, pour in the semolina in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. Perfect option- dispel the semolina over the boiling liquid through a sieve. Cook porridge for no longer than 3 - 4 minutes, continuing to stir actively. Then turn off the stove, close the container with a lid and wrap it with a towel for 10 minutes, where, under the action of steam, the semolina grains will swell very quickly and the porridge will come to readiness. When serving, put a piece of butter in the dish, and if desired, you can add additional ingredients: jam, honey or dried fruits.

Semolina balls

Ingredients:
Semolina - 150 grams;
Milk - 500 milliliters;
Wheat flour - 2 tablespoons;
Egg- 1 PC.;
Butter - 1 tablespoon;
Optional: breadcrumbs, vegetable oil for frying.

If, nevertheless, an error occurred in the proportions and the semolina porridge turned out to be excessively thick, do not be upset. It can be used to make meatballs - small round cutlets, which are also called "medallions". Such meatballs are a wonderful breakfast for the whole family, and especially for children, many of whom do not like semolina. By appearance they are similar to cheesecakes, only their structure is more delicate and airy. And if you serve them with berry or fruit jelly, then for any child it will be a delicious treat.

The traditional recipe for making semolina meatballs, first of all, involves cooking ordinary semolina porridge, only of a thicker consistency. After the porridge is cooked, it should be cooled slightly, add butter, egg, flour and knead well. Form meatballs from the semolina mixture - roll into balls and flatten slightly. Ready-made semi-finished products roll in breadcrumbs (you can also use semolina itself for this purpose) and fry in vegetable oil on both sides until golden color. Semolina balls are served with sour cream, fried onions or drizzled with sweet sauce.

Guryev porridge

Ingredients:
Semolina - 200 grams;
Milk - 1 liter;
Cream (fat content 35%) - 500 grams;
Sugar - 100 grams;
Nuts (walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc.) - 200 grams;
Dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, figs, candied fruits, etc.) - 200 grams;
Butter - 2 tablespoons;
Salt - to taste.

But this dish belongs to the masterpieces of traditional Russian cuisine. It was invented in early XIX century Zakhar Kuzmin - a serf cook of the finance minister of the Russian Empire Dmitry Guryev. There is historical evidence that Tsar Alexander III adored this dish, therefore Guryev porridge often called the imperial dish. Also, this porridge is often mentioned in the works of the famous Russian writer of everyday life in Moscow V. Gilyarovsky. He noted that the rich nobility of the Mother See specially visited Moscow taverns, so that along with the famous pies, crayfish soup and roasted pig, be sure to taste Guryev porridge. Unlike ordinary semolina porridge, when preparing this multi-layered dish, you will need to show patience and diligence, but if you follow all the necessary conditions, then you get an exquisite delicacy dish.

Cooking method

First you need to prepare the components for the layer famous dessert. Dried fruits will need to be poured with boiling water for 10 minutes, and chopped nuts should be fried in a pan with the addition of a tablespoon of water and sugar so that they caramelize.

Then you will need to cook classic semolina porridge in milk with the addition of salt and sugar. The porridge should be thick enough. Lubricate the pan with butter, put half of the semolina on it, place all the roasted nuts and most of the dried fruits (about 150 g) on ​​top.

Now comes the turn of the most time-consuming process - the preparation and removal of creamy foams (kaimak). Pour the cream into another pan, put it in an oven heated to 160 ° and periodically carefully remove the lush foam formed on the cream with a slotted spoon. Kaymak is laid out on a layer of semolina porridge with nuts and dried fruits already placed on it. The more foams are removed, the more refined the dish will turn out.

After all the layers (porridge, nuts, dried fruits, foam) are collected, the second half of the porridge is laid on them. The dish is sprinkled on top with the remaining dried fruits, sugar and sent to the oven, where it languishes for 20 minutes until a beautiful caramel crust. Before serving, you can decorate the dessert with fresh fruits or berries.

Well, despite the ambiguous opinion about the benefits and harms of semolina porridge for human health, most housewives still continue to cook this popular dish. For many people, this dish is still identified with hearty breakfast And good health what we all want!

Semolina porridge is a dish known from early childhood. Some people love semolina porridge and are ready to eat it almost every day, other people are scared by the news of semolina porridge, people were forcibly stuffed with this dish from the earliest years. Our grandmothers assured that semolina is useful product, it contains a rich set of all useful substances, thanks to which a person becomes strong and healthy. Over time, various studies were carried out, and scientists proved that semolina is not such a harmless product. So, semolina, what kind of benefits and harms are on the human body?

Compound

Semolina porridge comes to us from childhood, there is not a single person who has not tried this viscous and tasty dish. What are the benefits of semolina porridge?

Semolina is the smallest grains of ground wheat. The total diameter of one grain is negligible, it is a quarter of one millimeter. The composition of cereals is indispensable for human body fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

The calorie content of semolina porridge directly depends on what basis it is cooked on: milk or water. The calorie content of cereals is 328 kilocalories per 100 grams, respectively, that milk, that water porridge is an energy value sufficient for a person.

Among the vitamin composition, semolina is rich in vitamins E and vitamins of the entire B subgroup. As you know, vitamin E serves as an excellent anti-aging substance, it has a beneficial effect on the external and internal condition of hair, nails and skin. The entire subgroup of B vitamins has no less benefit for the body, it has anti-inflammatory, restorative and protective properties. B vitamins provide beneficial effect on the performance of all internal systems of the body, and in particular, on the circulatory and nervous system.

Mineral composition semolina is also rich, it contains iron, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium. Minerals contribute to vigor and human health. The lack of one of the minerals leads to a malfunction internal organs.

Beneficial features

The main quality of semolina porridge is its quick preparation. Since many useful material after heat treatment they lose their value, then you can’t say the same about semolina porridge. The product is prepared in just a matter of minutes, so the initial composition of nutrients in the cereal is completely preserved after its preparation.

Semolina porridge is originally a dietary product. Many pediatricians recommend introducing the product as the first complementary food for six-month-old babies.
In the composition of semolina, starch is present in large quantities and fiber is almost completely absent, which is very important for the nutrition of people who are weakened after a serious illness or a major operation. Semolina porridge must be included in the diet of weakened people, regardless of the root cause of the onset of the disease.
Semolina porridge is shown for use by people who are on a protein-free diet. The product fully fills the body of a losing weight person with all the nutrients, not allowing to achieve stress.
Regular consumption of semolina is indicated for people suffering from kidney failure.
Semolina has enveloping properties, which is very useful for the digestive tract. Semolina porridge is prescribed for people suffering from diseases digestive tract. Once in the esophagus, the product gently envelops the internal organs, contributing to the regulation and restoration of the intestines. Semolina porridge has an analgesic property, so it is eaten for pain in gastritis, as well as an ulcer. The product is able to reduce the pain course of internal spasms.
At regular use, semolina has a stimulating effect on the body. Experts have noticed that the product helps to feel cheerfulness and energy potential. The benefits of the product for both the internal and external condition of the teeth, muscles and bones have been noticed.

It is important to remember that excessive consumption porridge can negatively affect the figure, since the product is quite high-calorie. When using porridge in medicinal or preventive purposes It is very important to follow the proportions.

Another main quality of semolina is that it is completely hypoallergenic, which practically eliminates the appearance of allergic reactions in humans to the use of the finished product.

Harm of semolina

It would seem that such a useful semolina porridge should not have any contraindications, but this is not so. Semolina porridge can be harmed by the body in the following cases:

• The product is very rich in carbohydrates, so some baby food experts do not recommend eating semolina porridge for children under 3 years of age. The thing is that carbohydrates, getting into the esophagus, are digested for a long time and hard, for which the children's body is completely unprepared. Moreover, each semolina grain is covered with a shell, which contains the substance gliadin, which has a destructive effect on the intestinal villi that absorb nutrients and nutrients from food. Accordingly, the use of semolina resists the absorption of nutrients in the intestines.
• Another negative substance contained in semolina is phytin. This component destroys such important minerals as iron and calcium. With frequent use of semolina porridge, a person may feel a sharp shortage in the above minerals Oh.
• Glutencontained in semolina can interfere with the normal functioning of the intestines. Which is especially dangerous for people suffering from hereditary gluten intolerance. Children up to six months may suffer from the negative effects of semolina, therefore, if after eating semolina the child has pain in the tummy or increased capriciousness, then you should refuse to introduce complementary foods to the baby in the form of semolina.

How to cook delicious semolina porridge?

Preferences true gourmets different: some people like to enjoy semolina porridge with lumps, others prefer to eat liquid porridge. What are the secrets of making semolina porridge?

1. The main basis of a delicious porridge is the observance of proportions. Experts recommend observing the following proportions of semolina porridge in milk or water - 100 g is taken for 500 ml of any liquid. dry cereal.
2. To exclude the appearance of lumps in the finished dish, it is recommended to pour the cereal into a boiling liquid through a sieve. In this case, the contents of the saucepan must be constantly stirred.
3. Constant stirring porridge during the cooking process completely eliminates the appearance of lumps. Moreover, if you follow this basis, then the porridge will never burn or stick to the saucepan.
4. The cooking time of semolina porridge should not be more than 2 minutes. After the liquid boils and the cereal is poured into the saucepan, the cooking time is a couple of minutes. After cooking, it is recommended to wrap the pan with porridge with a towel and leave to steam for 10 minutes.
5. Auxiliary ingredients will give more rich taste and benefit to the finished product. You can add nuts, fruits, vegetables, honey, and jam to semolina porridge. But a mandatory attribute of a delicious porridge is a piece of butter.

How to cook semolina porridge in milk?

1. Bring 500 ml. fresh milk to a boil.
2. Pour into boiling liquid through a 100 gr sieve. cereals.
3. With regular stirring, cook the porridge for no more than 2 minutes.
4. In the finished porridge, put a piece of butter and a couple of teaspoons of granulated sugar.

How to cook semolina porridge without milk?

1. Boil 500 ml. water.
2. Pour through a sieve 100 ml. cereals.
3. Cook for 2 minutes, while constantly stirring the porridge.
4. At the end of cooking, add a sliced ​​​​banana and a small piece of butter to the porridge.
5. Leave the porridge to steam for 10 minutes.

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6 month old children. Moms followed these recommendations. As a result, several generations of children have grown up eating this product frequently. However, in recent decades, the views of pediatricians and gastroenterologists have changed dramatically, and semolina is no longer considered a food suitable for feeding young children.

In fact, semolina is ground wheat.

Semolina consists of small particles of the endosperm of wheat grains, in other words, semolina is ground wheat. The grain size varies within 0.2-0.6 mm. Semolina is obtained from soft, durum and mixed varieties of wheat. For porridge, only cereals from soft varieties are suitable. "Hard" cereals are added to soups, meatballs, casseroles, etc.

Composition of cereals

The composition of semolina includes more than two dozen useful components necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

For 100 g of semolina there are:

• 67.4 g of carbohydrates (their main part is starch);
• 14 g of water;
• 10.3 g protein;
• just one gram of fat.

Also, semolina contains ash substances, vitamins (PP, E, B2, B6, B1, folic acid), trace elements (potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, fluorine, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, silicon, etc.).

However, when compared with other cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, rice), it turns out that in terms of the content of trace elements and vitamins, semolina "loses" them by 3-5 times.

Beneficial features

Semolina porridge is easily digested by the child's body and has a high energy value. Thanks to fast way cooking, all the useful substances in it are preserved unchanged.

Semolina porridge is considered a dietary dish:

• with children and adults;
• at ;
• with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• during the recovery period after surgery.

However, pediatricians and gastroenterologists recommend introducing semolina into the diet of healthy children only after one year. Children 1-3 years old are allowed to include this porridge on the menu once every 10 days (not more often!). Schoolchildren can eat this dish 2-3 times a week.

The benefits of semolina:

1. strengthening of cardio-vascular system due to the presence of magnesium and potassium.
2. and folic acid normalize the functioning of the nervous system.
3. Silicon and calcium strengthen the condition of the skeletal system.
4. Carbohydrates in the composition of semolina are quickly absorbed, saturating the children's body with energy.
5. Semolina has a beneficial effect on the state of the stomach, enveloping its walls and relieving spasms, etc.

Harm of semolina for a child

School-age children are allowed to use semolina porridge 2-3 times a week, preschoolers - less often (1-2 times in 7-10 days).

According to recent studies, semolina can be harmful to a child for several reasons:

1. High content of phytin. This substance "binds" calcium, preventing its entry into the blood. An insufficient amount of calcium salts is compensated by the body from the bone and muscle systems. In other words, if you regularly feed your child with semolina, the risk of calcium deficiency increases. This can adversely affect the work of all internal organs. In some cases, there is a violation of the functioning of the heart muscle, deterioration of blood clotting, the appearance of signs of rickets and seizures. The frequent use of semolina porridge also negatively affects the activity of the immune system.
2. Semolina contains a large amount of gluten - a vegetable protein. Increasingly, gluten intolerance is being recorded in children (). This disease is usually inherited and is characterized by thinning of the intestinal mucosa, malabsorption of nutrients. It is not gluten itself that causes pathological symptoms, but one of its fractions, gliadin. Regular ingestion of this substance in the gastrointestinal tract leads to the death of the intestinal villi. As a result, the child develops digestive problems and develops gastrointestinal diseases (, etc.). Even non-celiac children can develop gluten allergies.

Recipe

Rules for making porridge from semolina:

• Boil 200 ml of water.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of cereal in a thin stream into boiling water, stirring constantly.

The optimal ratio of semolina and water is 1:10.

• Cook porridge for 7-10 minutes.

Important! It is impossible to digest semolina porridge, since all the useful substances in the digested product are absent.

• Add 100 ml of hot milk, salt, sugar, dried fruits, butter to taste.

You can not add dried fruits, but mix the finished porridge with mashed banana, grated or pear.

Summary for parents

You should not give semolina porridge to babies under one year old. Children from 1 to 3 years old can eat this dish in a limited way. Semolina will not bring any harm to schoolchildren. But with a number of diseases, this porridge is indispensable as a dietary dish.

Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky speaks about the benefits and harms of semolina porridge for children:

Semolina is coarse wheat groats with an average particle diameter of 0.25 to 0.75 mm. Produced mainly from durum wheat. Used for cooking various dishes, in particular semolina porridge and semolina dumplings.

Properly cooked semolina porridge can become your kids' favorite dish. To do this, follow some rules during the cooking process, and your little one will definitely like and taste your crumbs:

1. Pour 1 cereal only into a hot liquid (milk or water), after adding salt, sugar and mix;
2. 2 when the milk (water) boils, gently pour semolina in a thin stream (it is possible through a sieve) and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vigorously;
3. 3 for cooking, you need to take so much cereal so that you can have time to pour it in and mix well until that moment until the mass thickens;
4. 4 the smaller the cereal, the faster porridge becomes thick;
5. 5 after the porridge is ready, close the pan with a lid and leave for a while so that the cereal is completely swollen, and then you can improve its taste at your discretion by adding butter, jam, jam, etc.

Useful properties of semolina

Semolina quickly boils soft, is well absorbed, contains minimal amount fiber (0.2%). Liquid semolina is included in diets prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and after operations on the stomach and intestines.

Semolina is the only cereal that is digested in the lower intestine and only there it is absorbed into its walls. It fills the body with strength, is a beautiful remedy for the treatment of all diseases of the stomach. Manca is a good remedy treatment of all intestinal diseases, cleanses the body of mucus and removes fat.

Semolina contains little fiber, but it is rich in vegetable protein and starch. At the same time, the content of vitamins and minerals in this cereal is much lower than in others.

There is a lot of gluten in semolina. This protein is also called gluten. Many people are intolerant of gluten and it causes celiac disease, a severe hereditary disease that affects about one in 800 Europeans. Under the influence of gluten in patients with celiac disease, the intestinal mucosa becomes thinner and the absorption of all nutrients, especially fats, is impaired. Gluten can cause allergies. It also manifests itself as a disorder of the stool.

There is phytin in semolina, and phytin contains phosphorus, which binds calcium salts and prevents them from entering the bloodstream. The level of calcium salts in the blood of a person should be constant - about 10 mg per 100 ml of serum. As soon as there is less salt, the parathyroid glands "withdraw" them from the bones. It turns out that semolina deprives them of calcium. Therefore, children who are heavily fed semolina (2-3 servings a day) often develop rickets and spasmophilia. Other cereals also bind calcium, but to a lesser extent than semolina. That is why doctors now recommend feeding babies vegetable puree first.

Semolina porridge is nothing more than porridge made from durum wheat of coarse grinding. Semolina contains all the elements found in wheat grain: it is rich in starch, to a lesser extent in proteins, vitamins and B1, B2, B6, PP. Semolina contains a lot of iron and very little fiber, which is why semolina is usually recommended in the postoperative period for seriously ill patients who need nutritious, but the least irritating food for the stomach.

Dangerous properties of semolina

Very often, semolina is prepared for children, however, it should be noted that a high starch content is not required for a child's body, and therefore children do not want to eat semolina, intuitively feeling a catch. Moreover, the children's stomach is not ready to digest starchy carbohydrates, which are rich in semolina. The mucopolysaccharide gliodin contained in semolina causes necrosis of the intestinal villi, and phytin changes the intestinal microflora so that it is not able to absorb vitamin D and iron, which are necessary for the growth of the child. All the troubles that semolina porridge hides in early childhood are not at all terrible for an adult, and in old age the shortcomings of cereals devoid of protein turn into virtues. For the elderly, semolina is very useful - it helps to avoid hypermineralization of blood cells, prevents colon cancer, does not irritate the stomach and perfectly saturates.