regular oatmeal vs instant oatmeal? whats the difference?

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ryiko
ryiko Posts: 76
in Food and Nutrition
I eat instant oat meal fruits and creams by quaker..is that bad and will it stop me from losing weight..if so what do you recommend me buying thats good oatmeal?

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  • ryiko
    ryiko Posts: 76
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    I eat instant oat meal fruits and creams by quaker..is that bad and will it stop me from losing weight..if so what do you recommend me buying thats good oatmeal?
  • Wolfena
    Wolfena Posts: 1,570 Member
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    instant oatmeal isn't bad.... but the pre-flavored ones have more sugar in them (12 g per 1.2 oz compared to 1).

    Looking up the nutritional information for both, it seems the nutrition content is almost identical, except the flavored ones have a lot more sodium - and they also have added calcium (great bonus!)

    Seems they have "low sugar" versions of the Quaker fruit 'n cream too - with only 6g of sugar.

    Before I looked this up, I would have thought the pre-sweetened instant oatmeal was MUCH more sugary and probably had extra fat (but it doesn't)
    **I looked up the peaches 'n cream and plain to compare.

    So - my opinion?? Nothing is wrong with them! Enjoy :smile:

    Personally, I love steel cut oats - the texture just makes them much more enjoyable... although I also eat the instant when I'm pressed for time.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    From what I recently read, the steel cut oats take longer to break down in the system. That is pretty much it!

    The advantage is the whole oats make you feel full longer.

    I say eating either one is better than eating a doughnut!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • 1Corinthians13
    1Corinthians13 Posts: 5,296 Member
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    I just love the Natural Harvest Oatmeal - the brown sugar and the vanilla. So good! And pretty good for you. I don't like regular steel cut oats...unless they are in cookies!
  • Cookn
    Cookn Posts: 21
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    The sodium and sugar in the instant, are a deal breaker for me. Both sugar and sodium are very hard to control in your diet and I look to cut every where I can.

    Arewethereyet,

    There is a bit more to it than staying in your stomach longer. Steel cut oats or old fashioned oats are complex carbohydrates which means that the nutrients available from them aren't readily available without digestion and fermentation in the intestines which does mean that they stay longer in your system, but it also means that the nutrient flow from them is more gradual and your metabolism stays more active. The majority of additional sugars in the instant will be simple carbohydrates and go directly into the bloodstream causing such things as high and low blood sugar spikes along with high and low energy periods. Anything that isn't in it's natural state has been processed and you you can almost bet that the sugars in it are simple carbs and as such are not better than the sugars in a soda. Nature engineered our foods to fit our needs, anything processed is engineered to fit the producers needs.
  • Mangoaddict
    Mangoaddict Posts: 1,236 Member
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    I can never prepare steel cut oats correctly. I just go for the instant stuff. Its fast and easy.
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    From what I recently read, the steel cut oats take longer to break down in the system. That is pretty much it!

    The advantage is the whole oats make you feel full longer.

    I say eating either one is better than eating a doughnut!!

    :flowerforyou:

    AWTY-Love your new picture!

    Instant has additives - sugar, etc
  • dragonladey
    dragonladey Posts: 75
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    I eat the instant, Apples and Cinnimon. Its good but yes It puts me close onmy sugars. Im supposed to stay under 24g and that is very hard to do! Ive gone over most days. Thanks for letting me know that there is a low sugar out there! I have got to find it! :tongue: I ate the Kashi Go Lean cereal this morning and didnt realize tha mount of sugar in that either. I have 4g more and I will be over my sugar for the day....ugg:cry:
  • TRLTAMPA
    TRLTAMPA Posts: 824
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    The ones with added cream and fruit also have added sugar. Even the instant regular packet has more salt than the old fashioned kind. I learned that the hard way.
  • dragonladey
    dragonladey Posts: 75
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    Im not to good at cooking the oldfashion kind. How do you do it?
  • dothompson
    dothompson Posts: 1,184 Member
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    Im not to good at cooking the oldfashion kind. How do you do it?

    1 part oats to 2 parts water. Microwave for 3 minutes (use a really big bowl).

    I like to add raisins and pumpkin pie spice when cooking. Then splenda and a little skim milk afterward.
  • SteffCooley
    SteffCooley Posts: 111
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    I definitely prefer the old fashioned oats, or at least the quick 1-minute oats - I just really don't care for the instant variety!!

    The quick oats are very easy to prepare - little bit of water in a saucepan, it boils within a minute or so since there isn't much water, dump the oats in and cook for a minute or so, and WAALAA! They are done. Very, very easy. Probably almost as quick as the instant stuff! I usually add a pinch of brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and 1/8 cup raisins. YUMMY!
  • paulamma1
    paulamma1 Posts: 544 Member
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    There is a bit more to it than staying in your stomach longer. Steel cut oats or old fashioned oats are complex carbohydrates which means that the nutrients available from them aren't readily available without digestion and fermentation in the intestines which does mean that they stay longer in your system, but it also means that the nutrient flow from them is more gradual and your metabolism stays more active. The majority of additional sugars in the instant will be simple carbohydrates and go directly into the bloodstream causing such things as high and low blood sugar spikes along with high and low energy periods. Anything that isn't in it's natural state has been processed and you you can almost bet that the sugars in it are simple carbs and as such are not better than the sugars in a soda. Nature engineered our foods to fit our needs, anything processed is engineered to fit the producers needs.

    Swoon :blushing:
  • YogaBooty
    YogaBooty Posts: 52
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    I didn't realize until recently that you could just microwave regular oats! It takes about two minutes and is probably faster than boiling up water for instant oatmeal. Plus I think it's alot CHEAPER... I got a 2 lb box from albertsons for about 2.99 (31 servings!)
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I didn't realize until recently that you could just microwave regular oats! It takes about two minutes and is probably faster than boiling up water for instant oatmeal. Plus I think it's alot CHEAPER... I got a 2 lb box from albertsons for about 2.99 (31 servings!)

    Yep, I always microwave my old fashioned oats. 2 min is perfect! I don't eat the pre-packaged kind but there are some better, lower sugar options out there now!
  • gsschulte
    gsschulte Posts: 79 Member
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    quick oats mic'd for two minutes 1/2 cup to a cup like everyone else. but i put a serving of jam or palaners allfruit (sugar free) to add a flavor.
  • BEFORE
    BEFORE Posts: 1,291 Member
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    TRy this with the regular oats, use heated apple cider instead of water. Taste pretty good.
    Raisins in regualr oatmeal are pretty good too.
  • dragonladey
    dragonladey Posts: 75
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    I found Suger free instant oatmeal at walmart. Great Value Sugar Free Apples Cinnimon. Its pretty good just add a little spenda if its not sweet enough or fruit. Its only 110 cal and no sugar.

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