question about oatmeal

kittyloo123
kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
so now i'm confused.
I have been eating the steel cut oats, and staying away from the instant packs of oatmeal, because i thought that they contained preservatives, and added ingredients.
So this morning i still had a box of organic plain instant oatmeal, and decided to compare the nutrition labels.
i'm a little shocked. Not only does the instant NOT have ANY added ingredients, but it 40cals, lower than the steel cut, and the fat, protien,even the fiber are virtually identical. There are a couple of very small variances, and the steel cut, is higher on all counts.
Any opnions on this? I thought the the steel cut, was the superior item for nutritional value, ect. but it seems it is not.

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Steel cut has more fiber. So it goes through you better. Instant is more processed.
  • clrrrr
    clrrrr Posts: 261 Member
    Did you compare the serving sizes?
  • sagisun1969
    sagisun1969 Posts: 46
    I've been told steel cut is way better than rolled so I am interested to see what others say too :)
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    Steel cut has more fiber. So it goes through you better. Instant is more processed.
    Not according to the label it doesn't. I thought it did too.
  • perrytyra
    perrytyra Posts: 357 Member
    I haven't compared the ingredients on those, but I will say that I tried the Meijer Organic instant oatmeal packets, and the texture was gross. I'll take steel cut oats any day. Right now I am eating BetterOats instant oatmeal, and it is SO yummy. Especially the dark chocolate, which I didn't think I would like.

    I am wondering if the serving size is different, and may be what is contributing to the difference? Of course organic is going to be better for you than say, Quaker Oat brand, or any other brand that is not organic.
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
    Steel cut oats are less processed, however, it doesn't mean "instant oats" are bad for you. To become instant oats, the grains are cooked or steamed and then flattened. Quick cooking oats are flattened, and many instant oats are then cut into smaller pieces so they literally take a few seconds to soften in hot water.

    Whether they contain perservatives is more a function of the type of oats. The ones that I've noticed with added "stuff" are the ones that are flavoured - apple cinnamon or maple sugar. If you buy plain oats in a large bag, or even in single serve packages, it is easy to find packages without added preservatives.

    Not sure about the calorie comparison - I assume they are the same serving size by weight? Make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

    A lot of difference between instant and steel cut is taste. I find steel cut have a nuttier, "bigger" flavour, while instant delivers a milder, less "oatmeal" taste. Of course, steel cut take like 30 minutes to make, and instant take 30 seconds!
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    Did you compare the serving sizes?
    size shouldn't matter, when looking at % of fat, fiber and protien
    i'll be trying out the organic instant, and comparing serving size, and taste. I'll report back.
  • selfdiscipline73
    selfdiscipline73 Posts: 74 Member
    The serving size of the instant should be alot less than the steel cut or old fashioned oats. If you are buying individual serving packets of unflavored oats, then the other macronutrient info should be the same for the same serving size. But if you are using flavored individual serving packets, then I would use either the steel cut or old fashioned rolled oats and flavor yourself. They will be a lot more filling and the farther you can stay away from processed foods the better. I eat old fashioned rolled oats every morning. I only mix in cinnamon and blueberries and find it very addicting and filling. I find myself craving my oatmeal and bb's.
  • cocobeenie
    cocobeenie Posts: 98
    I think most people avoid intant packs of oatmeal because there is added sugar and sodium. If you are eating packs of plain oatmeal I think that is fine. I used to get one type from Trader Joes has one with flax. It was pretty good.

    I have never personally tried steel cut oats but I heard people prefer the taste and/or of steel cut. I would suggest you eat one type for one or two meals a day for one week then try the other for the next to see how they make you feel. Then go with your feeling. If there's no difference, I suggest the cheaper or lower calorie one.
  • donbet69
    donbet69 Posts: 133
    The steel cut are less processed and harder to break down than the rolled making your body work harder and digesting more slowly.

    That being said, I still prefer the rolled stuff as they taste so much better.

    If you can eat them without feeling "guilty" all day I say go for it.
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
    Here's a good article explaining differences in oatmeals.

    Credit to:

    http://www.chow.com/food-news/54417/whats-the-difference-between-types-of-oatmeal/

    What’s the difference between steel-cut, Scottish, Irish, rolled, quick-cooking, old-fashioned, and instant oats?

    Some are milled differently, while others are exactly the same but called different names. For every type, the oats first undergo cleaning, hulling, and conditioning, which removes the outer shell (called a hull), leaving the inner kernel or oat groat. The groat is then brushed clean in scouring machines. Next, a kiln heats the groats to about 215 degrees Fahrenheit to deactivate their enzymes, which limits how the oils present in the germ can react with oxygen, making the oats stable for storage. Chelsea Lincoln, a representative from Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, says this is important because “oats go rancid very quickly if not stabilized.”

    From there, the whole oat groats are processed differently depending on what type of oatmeal they are being made into. Lincoln says that to make steel-cut oats (also known as Irish oats), the groats are chopped up with steel blades. “This allows for a chewier oatmeal,” says Lincoln. For Scottish oats, the groats are ground into a meal, which makes a “porridge-type oat with a nice, creamy texture.” Irish and Scottish oats take about 30 minutes to cook.

    Rolled (also known as old-fashioned) oats take less time to cook. The groats are softened by steaming, then run through metal rollers to flatten them. Lincoln says that Bob’s Red Mill regular rolled oats are flattened to 0.024 to 0.032 inches, while quick-cooking oats are rolled even thinner—about 0.017 to 0.022 inches—so they will cook in under five minutes. Instant oats are also rolled thin, but are then “cooked and then dried again,” says Lincoln. Just add hot water and stir.
  • TLC1975
    TLC1975 Posts: 146 Member
    Where you were comparing Organic Plain, there wouldn't be much difference.......not in nutritional value but perhaps price. The difference would be more significant when you compare the steel oats with quaker's instant brown sugar and maple syrup flavours...
  • psb13
    psb13 Posts: 629
    i like the texture of the steel cut and it keeps me fuller longer.
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
    I don`t know about the processed oatmeal,know I love the steel oats for me
  • sister_bear
    sister_bear Posts: 529 Member
    I eat plain instant oatmeal and toss in some raisins pretty often. I prefer to make old fashioned oatmeal when I have time. The texture on it is better. I avoid the flavored instant oatmeals because I don't like the taste and yes, they're usually sugary and have added sodium.

    Whether or not there are preservatives, additives, and all the 'good stuff' has been processed out, eating that instant oatmeal keeps me from eating something much worse. lol
  • cocobeenie
    cocobeenie Posts: 98
    The serving size of the instant should be alot less than the steel cut or old fashioned oats. I would use either the steel cut or old fashioned rolled oats and flavor yourself. They will be a lot more filling and the farther you can stay away from processed foods the better. I eat old fashioned rolled oats every morning. I only mix in cinnamon and blueberries and find it very addicting and filling. I find myself craving my oatmeal and bb's.

    I eat mine with blueberries and cinnamon too! It gets me out if bed every morning, I swear. Try it with sliced almonds. The fat is healthy and makes the meal well rounded and the texture compliments the oatmeal really well.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    Did you compare the serving sizes?
    size shouldn't matter, when looking at % of fat, fiber and protien
    i'll be trying out the organic instant, and comparing serving size, and taste. I'll report back.
    the percentage numbers on food labels show what percentage a serving is of your "recommended daily allowance" so, as serving sizes increase, the percentage increases as well! so in this case, size does matter ;)
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    i just plain prefer the flavour and texture of the steel cut oats... but for time/expediency in breakfast prep i use the regular old fashioned quick oats as nutrition is the same *S*
    for me the difference is just about the taste/texture.
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    reporting back after breakfast. So when prepared as directed, the instant pack makes aprox. a little over 1/2 cup, compared to a serving of the steel cut, which is 1 cup. calorie difference is 40cals. Flavor texture, were not signifigant to me. about the same.
    Bottom line, for the extra 40 calories, i'll take the full cup of the steel cut.
    Ps.. The steel cut is super easy to make in the crock pot. 4c water, 1c oats, add cinnimon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, handful of dried fruit.
    Cook on low for about 6 hours. Portion up into 1 cup servings. Good for the week. Better than the instant.
  • change_happens
    change_happens Posts: 491
    A friend of mine, who is a personal trainer, and I heard something similar on the Dr Oz show the other day (Andrew Weil was his guest), if ypu cook your regular oatmeal al dente, not mushy, and don't use the instant 1-minute type, you will have the same effects as steel cut oats as far as the digestion is concerned. Steel cut oats take longer to cook, is more nutrient dense than the other oats, band it takes a longer time to digest which means your blood sugar level remains stable as opposed to spiked.
  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    Hi everybody!

    I did not grow up eating oatmeal, and honestly didn't "get it" at all. But just in the past two weeks I have become a convert.

    I bought some John McCann steel cut oats. I have started cooking a cup of them at a time (4 servings after cooking) and reheating them for breakfast. They reheat really well. I really love the texture of them compared to rolled oats. They have a little bite to them that makes them really satisfying to eat. I just sweeten them a little and splash a little skim milk in there, and it keeps me satisfied until lunch.
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