Oatmeal: Quick Oats vs Instant vs Regular (and Steel Oats)

NewYorkJellybean
NewYorkJellybean Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey... I have a question about oatmeal and 2 questions about steel oats.

I see a lot of people (not only on this site) talking about eating oatmeal. When I look at diaries, usually they'll list their meal as "oatmeal" but I never see exactly what kind of oatmeal.

I'm asking because I can't stand oatmeal. I've tried it every which way and unless it's in the form of (homemade) granola, I just can't eat it. For the past year I have been adding Quaker Oats' Protein Banana Nut or Protein Cranberry Almond into my morning protein shake and I'm wondering... Is it okay to use this kind of oatmeal? I use one packet every morning.

My first question about steel oats is... I wouldn't mind eating this in lieu of oatmeal. I prepare this as if I were making couscous or quinoa. I use chicken or vegetable broth and sometimes I will mix in some mushrooms. So...can I eat steel oats instead of oatmeal?

Second question...I know everyone has their opinion about oatmeal being better than steel oats (nutritionally) and vice versa. Can you please let me know what you think (personally)?

Thank you for the feedback. I have been losing weight on my own since mid 2012 and this oatmeal thing has been bothering me lol. I had been on a plateau for almost a year and then I gained 6 lbs in 2 weeks (i lost my job 2 weeks ago). Before it got out of hand, I decided to nip it right now so I'm back to MFP :)

Replies

  • KylaBlaze
    KylaBlaze Posts: 136 Member
    Steel cut oats are Lower on the glycemic index, therefore keeping you fuller longer. Also the least processed. Comes down to preference I'd say. I'm looking for healthiest vs low calorie.
  • mrsbarnett1012
    mrsbarnett1012 Posts: 63 Member
    I definitely prefer the taste and especially the texture of steel cut oats over any other kind. But any kind of oatmeal you prefer is still oatmeal. Just watch the sugar content of any of the prepackaged/flavored kinds I would say. Also, like others have said, if it's not something you like-you don't have to eat it! There are plenty of other breakfast foods to eat. Why are you trying to eat something that you don't like to begin with?
  • NewYorkJellybean
    NewYorkJellybean Posts: 7 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    Life is too short to eat food you don't like.

    You don't have to eat anything.

    Your idea for steel cut oats sounds delicious, and if it sounds tasty to you, go for it. Otherwise, just eat something you really want.

    I want to eat oatmeal because it's a healthy choice. I used to hate cottage cheese but I learned to like it for the nutritional value.

    Thanks for the feedback!
  • NewYorkJellybean
    NewYorkJellybean Posts: 7 Member
    ZoneFive wrote: »
    All of this ^^^. Food shouldn't be a punishment. The game is to eat as much as you can fit into your calories/macros of the food you like best, not to eat as little as possible or replace with stuff you dislike.

    I've never seen food as punishment! It's actually the opposite LOL! It wasn't until i started reading about how to eat better did I understand food is fuel for the body. It's not to be used as a reward when I hit a goal or as punishment to deprive myself of something I want because I didn't hit a goal. :)

    Thanks for the feedback!
  • NewYorkJellybean
    NewYorkJellybean Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for everyone's feedback. I'm a creature of habit and I usually like to eat the same thing in the morning. It's easy for me to make my protein shake using the instant flavored stuff on days that I don't eat my steel oats.
  • rcreynol3090
    rcreynol3090 Posts: 174 Member
    Something to watch with instant oatmeal besides sugar is sodium. I used to eat Quaker Lower Sugar instant until recently, when my heart surgery prompted me to drastically reduce sodium in my diet. The instant oats that I ate two packages at a time had 240mg sodium per serving, which meant that I was getting a quarter of what my cardiologist said was my daily limit at breakfast.
  • kbtyson
    kbtyson Posts: 8 Member
    I prefer steel cut over regular oatmeal (but I like both). I prefer a baked oatmeal and I'll add some seeds, maybe some cranberries. I've got a base recipe I really like to use for baked steel cut oats that I love, and I can vary it up depending on how I feel.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I prefer "Old Fashioned Oats" which is your regular (not quick cooking) rolled oat. Only takes 2 minutes to fix in the morning: 40g oats, 1 cup water, 2 minutes in the microwave, flavor as desired and eat. I usually do mine with 1 tsp. Splenda and a bit of cinnamon.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    It depends on the context for me. I make overnight oats with steal cut oats. But if i want hot oats, then its quick oats.


    In the end, it can add some fiber, but health is more about the whole diet, not just its individual components. Aim for adequate protein, whole foods, and plenty of fiber.
  • rmgnow
    rmgnow Posts: 375 Member
    I prefer steel cut, because of the texture, but I don't mind regular rolled oats either.

    The thing about oatmeal is that it can be prepared so many different ways. It can be sweet or savory, you can use milk or not, you can add sugar or not, you can add fruit and nuts.
    I add Dulce de leche to mine.

    The thing about the instant oatmeal in the packets, is that, they're already flavored for you. No real customization.
  • BrianAWeber
    BrianAWeber Posts: 82 Member
    Mix your oatmeal up with some yogurt and then put it on a soft tortilla shell with some blueberries and raspberries. Roll it up like a pinwheel and refrigerate it overnight. Then slice it up for breakfast. It's pretty good!

    Or if you want 1 cup of pancake mix, add 1/2 cup of oatmeal, add 3 over ripened bananas and mix all together with water. Make some banana pancakes. Those are fairly good also.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    As a diabetic I have found steel cut oats are really good for keeping my blood sugar regular. Since I can only manage a tiny amount of rice without blood sugar spikes, I've been substituting it in rice dishes recently. It just occurred to me that I haven't tried making sushi with steel cut oats yet - I wonder if it would work. Maybe I could sub half of the rice for cooked oats and see if that kept the texture and flavor of rice but didn't knock my glucose levels around so much.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Steel cut oats ARE oatmeal. They are the only kind of oats I really love, because of the texture. I make mine in a rice cooker and often do it (when I do it, which is not all that often these days) savory, with chopped vegetables and an egg cooked sunny side up mixed in. I also enjoy them just with some milk (or plain protein powder) and berries, though.

    There are tons of healthy breakfasts, so I'd eat oats only if you enjoy them.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    I use old fashioned regular oats and cook them in the rice cooker. It takes about 2 minutes. I do not like the oats in the little packages--they are small and too mushy. I haven't tried to the steel cut oats. I am intrigued by the "savory" ideas for oats here. I will have to try some. I've only had them sweet.

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