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Do You Speak Oatmeal?

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on February 7, 2014

Written by Jennifer Martin, Dietetic Student at University of Illinois at Chicago

No matter what time of the year it is, oatmeal is the perfect breakfast to start your day. On wintry days like today, Lucy Loo loves her steel cut oats. Other days, her mom may give her old fashioned oats. The question is, what is the difference between these oatmeals? Here are the different kinds of oatmeal that you will see at your grocery store:

Steel Cut Oats: These are whole oats (called oat groats) that have been cut into smaller pieces. These take about 30 minutes to cook, and they have a much heartier texture than the other types. They expand as you cook them. 1 cup of cooked oats can feed about 4 people. They are also called Irish Oats.

Old Fashioned Oats: These are oat groats that have been rolled to flatten them (you may also see them labeled “rolled oats”).  These cook in about 5 minutes.

Quick Oats: These are rolled, but they are also cut into smaller pieces so that they cook faster. These cook in about 1 minute. There are also instant oats, which are pre-cooked. All you need to do is add water. They often have added sugar.

Scottish Oats: Instead of rolled, these oats are ground into smaller pieces. When cooked, the texture is thick and creamy and resembles porridge. These take about 15 minutes to cook.

Now that you’ve read about the different types of oatmeal, you’re probably wondering which one is the best. Here’s the truth: there is no “best” oatmeal. If you compare plain steel cut oats to plain rolled oats, you will see that the nutrition labels are identical based on 1 serving size. ½ cup of rolled oats and ¼ cup of steel cut oats (remember that they expand when you cook them) have 150 calories, 2.5 g of fat, 5 g of protein, 0 mg of sodium, up to 1 g of sugar, and a lovely 4 g of fiber.

Keep in mind that as you buy products that are more processed, the nutritional values change. Although steel cut and rolled oats boast the same nutritional info, instant oats usually contain less fiber and more sugar. However, some of these instant products are fortified (meaning nutrients were added in) with B vitamins and some minerals. This is good news, but also remember that products high in sugar can quickly spike your blood glucose levels and make you feel hungry again sooner.

What’s the bottom line here? Read food labels, look at prices, and weigh the benefits. For instance, you can save money by buying a 42-oz container of rolled oats. If you think that it will taste boring, add sliced bananas, brown sugar, yogurt, strawberries, nuts, or whatever else you like.

Short on time in the morning? Put dry rolled oatmeal in a tupperware container with all of your mix-ins the night before, and bring it to work with you the next day. Add water and put in the microwave for about a minute and a half, or you can boil water in a kettle, pour it over your oatmeal, cover for a few minutes, and eat. If you like steel cut oats, make a big batch on a Sunday and portion it to last throughout the week. Now, all you need to do is microwave it!

I hope you learned something interesting about oatmeal today. Have a great weekend!