What Is Muesli?
The muesli (this word comes from the Swiss German
"Birchermüesli", which means "Bircher cereal porridge") is
an emblematic food of the natural and healthy diet.
It was invented by the physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner at
the beginning of the 20th century, inspired by a shepherd's dinner during one
of his excursions with his wife in the Alps.
It has become increasingly popular as a healthy, nutritious,
energetic and satiating food. Its ingredients are cereals, dried fruits or dehydrated fruits, mixed without a rigid recipe, depending on the
manufacturer.
If a homemade preparation is made, "seasonal"
products found fresh in the market are normally used.
Among the cereals that compose it there can be oats, wheat,
rye, barley, corn or rice, either flaked or puffed, whole meal or refined.
In the selection of fruits, you can find apple, pear, banana, raisin, date, plum, mango, fig, peach, strawberry, pineapple, coconut. And among the nuts and seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, sunflower, flax or sesame.
Properties of Muesli
This nutritious and tasty combination of whole grains, fresh
and dried fruits and seeds together with vegetable milks, provides energy and a
number of health benefits: insoluble fiber strengthens intestinal transit; the
mixture of fresh fruit and cereals benefits the flora.
Whole grains provide B vitamins, essential for obtaining
energy from food; they also strengthen the heart and nervous system.
From nuts, seeds and whole grains we receive the antioxidant
vitamin E, an antioxidant power that is multiplied by provitamin A and selenium
from raw oat flakes. Any muesli is also rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus,
copper and magnesium.
Health Benefits of Muesli
Those who choose muesli to start their day enjoy its
long-term benefits, as it helps prevent common disorders associated with aging.
Because of its nutritional composition, muesli is
particularly recommended in the following cases:
- If you suffer from sugar problems: if you avoid sweeteners such as sugar, muesli has a low glycemic index and is well tolerated by diabetics. Raisins or other dried fruits can be used to sweeten it.
- If you are already old: muesli has a rejuvenating effect. Antioxidant vitamins E and provitamin A as well as selenium are responsible for this, together with apple pectin. In addition, its richness in calcium and magnesium, especially when prepared with almond or sesame milk, prevents osteoporosis.
- To protect the heart: vegetable fiber, antioxidants and fatty acids in nuts and seeds, act synergistically against cardiovascular accidents.
- As an ally against cancer: all muesli formulas are recommended, but especially the Budwig cream recipe. Johanna Budwig (nominated for the Nobel Prize in medicine) discovered that the mixture of low-fat cottage cheese, linseed oil and cereals provides the body with an injection of essential fatty acids of great assimilation which, by favoring cellular respiration, is effective in the treatment of cancer and other degenerative ailments. This formula was supplemented by Dr. Katherine Kousmine by adding lemon juice, oilseeds and seasonal fruit.
- For digestive problems: a study by the Hospital Clinic San Carlos (Spain) suggests that muesli can help fight problems related to Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
Muesli in The Kitchen
By being able to choose the ingredients that go into muesli
ourselves, we have the possibility of customizing the recipe, and more
importantly, we can control the quality of these products and ensure, for
example, that they do not contain hydrogenated fats, preservatives or
undesirable sweeteners.
When it comes to preserving them, it is best to store the ingredients separately. It is possible to have a certain amount already mixed and toasted, but it is important not to store it for a long time so that its fats do not become rancid.