Time released nutritional product and method of manufacture

Abstract

A time released nutritional food product and method of making it in is provided in which the product includes a plurality of grain or seed based constituents having plural digestion rates. In a preferred embodiment the product can be prepared by cooking the constituent parts together as a mixture at a substantially single length of cooking time. For example, the product while palatable, can be cooked by adding water, boiling for a given amount of time and eaten. In an embodiment the constituent parts include processed and unprocessed grains, at least one of which forms a gelatinous coating on the others when cooked. Optionally the food product can be dehydrated or freeze-dried and packaged. Likewise it optionally can be pre-cooked and then packaged.

1 . A freeze-dried or dehydrated food composition containing components of varying nutrition delivery rates when cooked comprising: 
 a first constituent part comprising a processed grain or seed having a first nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    a second constituent part comprising a processed grain or seed having a second nutrition delivery rate when cooked; and    wherein the second constituent part forms a gelatinous composition when cooked and the food composition is freeze-dried or dehydrated following cooking, forming the freeze-dried or dehydrated food composition.    
     
     
         2 . The food composition of  claim 1  further comprising a gelatinized starch composition coating at least one portion of at least one of the constituent parts.  
     
     
         3 . The food composition of  claim 1  wherein a natural starch of the second constituent part converts by gelatinization and pasting to coat the other constituent part when cooked.  
     
     
         4 . The food composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional constituent part, each of said at least one additional constituent part having an associated third nutrition delivery rate when cooked.  
     
     
         5 . The food composition of  claim 1  wherein the first constituent part includes steel cut oats or groats.  
     
     
         6 . The food composition of  claim 1  wherein the second constituent part includes rolled oats.  
     
     
         7 . The food composition of  claim 1  wherein the second nutrition delivery rate is shorter than the first nutrition delivery rate.  
     
     
         8 . The food composition of  claim 4  wherein the third nutrition delivery rate is longer than the second nutrition delivery rate and shorter than the first nutrition delivery rate.  
     
     
         9 . A carbohydrate dosage delivery system for use in regulating blood glucose levels over an extended period of time comprising the freeze-dried or dehydrated food composition as recited in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A weight loss supplement comprising the freeze-dried or dehydrated food composition as recited in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a food composition comprising: 
 selecting a first constituent part having a first nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    selecting a second constituent part having a second nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    mixing the first and second constituent parts to form the food composition;    cooking the food composition; and    freeze-drying or dehydrating the food composition.    
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 11  wherein one of the constituent parts gelatinizes when cooked.  
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 at least one additional constituent part each of said at least one additional constituent part having an associated nutrition delivery rate when cooked; and    wherein the mixing step includes mixing the each of the constituent parts to form the food composition.    
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 11  further comprising a gelatinization step comprising cooking the mixed food composition wherein a natural starch of at least one constituent part converts by gelatinization and pasting to coat the other constituent parts when cooked.  
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 11  further comprising forming a packaged food product including the freeze-dried or dehydrated food product.  
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 15  further comprising reconstituting the food product by adding a fluid.  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a food composition comprising: 
 selecting a first constituent part having a first nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    selecting a second constituent part having a second nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    mixing the first and second constituent parts to form the food composition; and    steaming or pre-cooking the food composition.    
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 17  further comprising packaging the food composition.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising cooking the food composition.  
     
     
         20 . A reconstituted food composition containing components of varying nutrition delivery rates when reconstituted comprising: 
 a first constituent part comprising a processed grain or seed having a first nutrition delivery rate when cooked;    a second constituent part comprising a processed grain or seed having a second nutrition delivery rate when cooked; and    wherein the second constituent part forms a gelatinous composition when reconstituted after dehydration or freeze-drying.    
     
     
         21 . The reconstituted food composition of  claim 20  wherein one or both of the first constituent part and the second constituent part include a form of oats.  
     
     
         22 . The food composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional constituent part other than a processed grain or seed.  
     
     
         23 . The method of manufacturing of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 selecting a third constituent part that is not a processed grain or seed; and    adding in the third constituent part.