Old Fashioned Oats Vs Steel Cut

On a chilly wintertime forenoon, a warm bowl of oatmeal is a succulent (and comforting!) fashion to offset the day. But deciding which kind of oatmeal to make — traditional, steel-cut, quick cook, or instant — can be tricky. Is i healthier than the other? More satisfying? Tastier?

You Can't Get Wrong

What's the Difference?

One-time Fashioned:

flatened grains; cook in five-10 minutes; firm texture

Quick Cook:

Thin grains; melt in ane minute; smooth texture

Steel Cut:

Chopped grains; cook in twenty-thirty minutes; chewy texture

Instant:

Thin and finely chopped grains; microwave in minutes; soft texture

Earlier nosotros intermission down the difference between your four options, let'south get-go with what they have in mutual. First of all, they're all proficient for you lot. As a daily role of a nutrition low in saturated fat and cholesterol, whole grain oatmeal, in whatsoever of these forms, may help reduce the run a risk of heart disease. All oats begin as groats, or kernels of grain that are later candy into different varieties. The variations in processing determine the type of oat that results.

Related: Surprising Uses For Oats

The Breakup

So what'due south the departure between the four most popular types of oats? Here'due south a crib canvas...

Old Fashioned: Besides called rolled oats, old fashioned oats are apartment and flakey. They blot more water and melt faster than steel-cut oats — usually in about 5 minutes — and are the oat of choice for granola bars, cookies, and muffins.

Steel Cut: These oats, which take almost 20-thirty minutes to prepare, are chopped into tiny pieces and have a tough texture before they are cooked. Too called Irish oatmeal, steel-cut oatmeal is chewier than rolled or instant.

Quick Melt: If you want stove-cooked oats but are in a hurry, these oats, which cook in 1 infinitesimal, are a swell choice. They tin can also be microwaved.

Instant Bully for mornings when y'all need a quick bite, individually packed instant oats are a thinner, more than finely chopped version of rolled oats. They microwave in minutes, and take a soft texture.

Choosing your oat is largely nigh the texture you adopt and the cooking time y'all're willing to dedicate. The adept news? All are healthy options. Win, win.

What'due south The Difference Betwixt Steel Cutting and Quondam Fashioned Oats?

A quick breakup of what you need to know about the 2 breakfast favorites.

Expert Insight

A Quaker nutrition adept weighs in on the different oats, and reveals her favorite savory oatmeal recipe.

Make Exceptions

Information technology is unrealistic to wait your child to never eat sweets or other unhealthy snacks. Information technology would be amend to permit her to sample these foods on occasion than to ban them entirely. Doing this may help curb her curiosity almost these foods without undermining the values of good diet you have instilled in her.

Lori Alexander, MSc. MBA,
Manager, Diet Sciences PepsiCo Global R&D

Q: Are there major differences in the health benefits of steel-cut, rolled and instant oats? If and so, what are they?

A: Great question, and 1 that we get a lot. There aren't whatsoever major differences in the nutrition benefits of the three types of oats. All forms of oats are 100% whole grain, a good source of fiber and accept the same nutritional information – aforementioned calories, fiber and protein per serving.

Q: Likewise shape, texture and cooking fourth dimension, are there any other important differences between these three popular types of oats?

A: Y'all hit on the major differences –shape, texture and cooking time. In that location are also culinary and personal preferences! For some people, that grooming time is a huge deciding gene. For other people, texture is important, and they detect the delicious bite of steel-cut oats more than desirable. If you're using oats in a non-oatmeal recipe, it is important to use what's called for and then that the recipe comes out right. You lot wouldn't want to put steel-cut oats in an energy seize with teeth, for instance! Otherwise, all iii are great options.

Q: It sometimes seems as if, when it comes to food, convenience comes at the cost of wellness. Are instant oats still a salubrious breakfast option?

A: Admittedly! Every bit I said, the benefits really don't differ between the 3 types of oats. Also, we know that there are health benefits to eating breakfast, peculiarly when information technology comes to diet quality and weight management. Additionally, Quaker provides then many season choices, also equally better-for-you options to run across people's preferences, like plain and reduced sugar, so at that place'due south no demand to skip out or think that instant oats aren't healthy. Instant oats are definitely a great way for consumers to enjoy a salubrious breakfast.

Q: Exercise you have any preparation tips for rolled or steel-cutting oatmeal? Whatsoever tricks for the best results?

A: Give the oats the time they need to cook. If mornings are tight, consider making overnight oats with rolled oats, or put steel-cut oats in the slow-cooker while you're asleep. Otherwise, don't blitz the process. Also, consider using different liquids to melt your oats in. Other than h2o, my two favorites are milk or fifty-fifty broth, if you're doing a savory oat.

Q: Do y'all accept a favorite oat recipe?

A: One of the benefits of existence on the Nutrition team is that I get to try new flavors and retrieve about dissimilar flavor options. Information technology'south hard to choose a favorite. Oats are so versatile, and at that place are so many dissimilar things you can exercise with them. However, there are 2 unlike recipes I'm loving. During the week, I really enjoy overnight oats, which I brand with Greek yogurt, chia seeds and whatever fruit I have in the house. On the weekends, I like brunch-manner savory oats. I'll add some shredded cheese, chopped spinach and a poached egg, topped with croaky pepper or hot sauce.

Share this post