Instant oatmeal; Good or bad?

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  • Unknown
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  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    People seem to think instant oatmeal = sugar. There is plain instant oatmeal
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    I buy the Quaker lower sugar instant oatmeal to take with me when I travel for work. I use steel cut oats when I'm home. I think it just depends on what your needs are and what product fits best.

    Pretty much my position, though I don't travel much for work. Still, there are times when I need something quick, and instant oats fit the bill. I usually mix it with some milk and protein powder. Not as healthy as steel cut oats, but healthier option than a muffin, or even most cold cereals.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I grew up on the instant stuff (mostly for camping - after my little brother was born, my mom went all natural on all our foods!), and on regular oatmeal fixed with butter, half & half, brown sugar, and the occasional raisins. Delicious, but not the healthiest. :bigsmile:

    Now I eat oatmeal three times a week - I love the Trader Joe's Multi-Grain Hot Cereal, and I fix it with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain 2% Greek yogurt (also Trader Joe's - theirs is the BEST!), 1 Tbs honey, 1/8 cup walnuts, and some fresh fruit (blueberries, pears, apples, bananas, peaches, or raisins if I don't have any fresh fruit), and top it with cinnamon. Tastes like dessert, creamy and delicious, but not mushy, and just sweet enough. My favorite breakfast after a run!
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    I eat the instant stuff. It's a lot easier for me to throw it in a bowl for myself when my kids want something different. I'm not a morning person at all and it's hard enough to even make myself eat breakfast...
  • rjansara
    rjansara Posts: 2
    It's not bad. Mix a regular packet with an apple cinnamon one and you're still only at 230 calories for breakfast. That's using water, of course. If it had too much sugar, it wouldn't be low cal. I ate it a lot in the past 8 weeks and lost 16 lbs. In the end, it's all about the calories.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    I eat the instant Quaker "Weight Control" because it has less sugar, more protein and still tastes good.

    I have better things to do with my life than figure out ways to make bland things taste good for such a miniscule difference in health benefits.

    Completely agree. Sugar doesn't scare me either
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    Let's just say this much. If you had the decision between a donut or instant oatmeal, you should pick the oatmeal. But plain is better. Sugar doesn't scare me and lost 40+ pounds while eating "Weight Control" instant oatmeal almost ever day for breakfast at work.
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Steel-cut oats for the win
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
    http://cancerdietitian.com/2008/11/quick-oats-steel-cut-oats-or-regular-oats-whats-the-difference.html

    There is also a link to a pdf on there titled GRAINS and LOSSES that compares quite a few oatmeals.
  • Yukongil
    Yukongil Posts: 166 Member
    use almond or soy milk instead of water for added sweetness with some actual benefits instead of sugar. I use the Silk 30 calorie a cup variety and find it plenty sweet.

    Steel cut are nice for a different texture, but I can hardly justify twice the price for half the product and no noticable nutritional difference.
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
    I eat the instant Quaker "Weight Control" because it has less sugar, more protein and still tastes good.

    I have better things to do with my life than figure out ways to make bland things taste good for such a miniscule difference in health benefits.
    Ditto to this. Weight Control is pretty much my favorite.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    I eat the instant Quaker "Weight Control" because it has less sugar, more protein and still tastes good.

    I have better things to do with my life than figure out ways to make bland things taste good for such a miniscule difference in health benefits.
    Ditto to this. Weight Control is pretty much my favorite.

    The banana bread one is so yummy *drool*
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    I ate quaker original till I found steel cut oats they are much better. Cook up a large pot once a week and put them in 2 serving containers. I add a serving of fage zero Greek Yogurt for protein. Get my carbs and protein everymorning.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    We have that on hand for grandson, and it looks so mushy to me.
    I like a little chewy substance to my oatmeal and use the old fashioned type. Even quick oats is too mushy for me.
  • dahkneeka
    dahkneeka Posts: 163 Member
    Always buy plain oats. I buy a huge thing (2lbs, 10oz) of plain oats for like $3 and add splenda, cinnamon, and a scoop of whey protein to it. I named this creation "proatmeal" and it's super filling and delicious. It's great for post work out recovery.

    That sounds delish! Thanks
  • fatt_boyy_slimm
    fatt_boyy_slimm Posts: 56
    bump
  • Cmpoth
    Cmpoth Posts: 1
    There is 'lower sugar' instant oatmeal, which is slightly better than the regular stuff. For example, the maple flavor the regular stuff has 12g of sugar, while the low sugar verson is 4g. I agree that the plain stuff is better, for me, but the instant stuff is much more convenient for work. I keep a box at my desk when I don't have time to plan a better meal. It's a much better option than hitting up the vending machine.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    In a pot that I often eat, it's around 15g of sugar for the unflavoured one and 20g of sugar for the flavoured one!!

    To me though, I now eat it if I am on the run (I went through a phase of eating it every day). I have tried "real" oats, but I end up getting frustrated, because I make it at work and the bowls aren't big enough and it always boils over and makes a terrible mess. Then the bowl is usually too hot and it just ends up being not worth the effort.

    I take a huge, empty, old cottage cheese tub to cook my oatmeal in at work. It is usually large enough to keep the oatmeal from boiling over the top. I like to add some frozen fruit, cinnamon, nuts, sweetener, and lite whipped cream.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    Added sugar aside, I've read that there are nutrients that have been removed from instant oats, in order for it to cook faster.

    Instant oats, are better for you than most cold cereals, but steel cut oats are the most nutritious.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    I love it. Tasty and convenient! I generally buy reduced sugar and add raisins or other delicious things. :D
  • rubyautumn4
    rubyautumn4 Posts: 818 Member
    I eat it at work so I use the instant - I realize it's not the best thing for me but it's not the worst either. I use the plain Quaker instant oats and add peanut or almond butter and a bit of milk.
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
    I love it, I really don't care.

    When I make plain oats, it tastes so disgusting & I end up adding sugar to sweeten it anyway. So a pack of instant oats with 10 or less grams of sugar isn't bad at all. But the ones that use artificial sweeteners are controversial.

    BINGO
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    I started on the flavored kind but had a lot of sugar. So I switched to the plain instant., then I switched to the regular and just heated up water and added. Now I enjoy steel cut oats I make a big pot once or twice a week put in 2 serving gladware containers and refridgerate grab one reheat and enjoy. You can flavor anyway you want.
  • cst573
    cst573 Posts: 103 Member
    Instant- No.

    Old Fashion Oats (raw) mixed with vanilla protein in a shaker every morning at 5:00 is how I start my day
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Ideal? No. Realistic when waking up late like I often do? Yes, and that's exactly why I eat it. There is an oatmeal tub and sugar bowl next to my microwave. Takes maybe a minute to scoop oatmeal and sugar into a cup, and another to nuke it.

    I agree, the individual packets have more sugar than what even tastes good to me. I also agree that all their sugar is probably appropriate for attempting to sway people away from the pastries they normally purchase.
  • shayleac
    shayleac Posts: 76 Member
    I eat plain oats and stir a spoon of peanut butter in it and top it with bananas or blueberries.
    You could also add honey to sweeten it up.

    It takes like 5 minutes to make.
  • sharonfoustmills
    sharonfoustmills Posts: 519 Member
    It's not that the processing of instant oatmeal adds anything (sometimes it does) but it removes the fibre. That fibre will help lower your chlosterol. I throw some steel cut oats and dried fruit in a crockpot before I go to bed and wake up to the yummy. Every once in a while I'll cook it on the stove but I'd rather have it be effectively instant because it cooked overnight.

    What an awesome friggin idea! THANKS. I would have never thought of putting it in crock pot overnight.
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    Added sugar aside, I've read that there are nutrients that have been removed from instant oats, in order for it to cook faster.

    Instant oats, are better for you than most cold cereals, but steel cut oats are the most nutritious.
    thx for the info. how are oats better than cereal? thx in advance!

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