what is the difference between steel-cut oats and regular oa

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aythakay
aythakay Posts: 26 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone know the answer to this? I asked this question at Central Market and the guy didn't really know the answer. I love my oatmeal in the morning and am just wondering how much of a difference steel-cut oats would make.....

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  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    Steel Cut oats is more of the whole grain, less processed and much better for you.

    Unfortunately, due to the fact that it is less processed, it take a LOT longer to cook.

    Regular oats is sliced and diced so much that there is little left of the whole grain and that is mostly why it cooks faster.
  • aythakay
    aythakay Posts: 26 Member
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    so is it more fiber? I already get a LOT of fiber in my diet....
  • NannyBelle
    NannyBelle Posts: 3
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    I love steel cut oats! When cooked (and July is right....they take about 30 minutes to cook) they taste like little ground nuts. Really yummy...and very filling....stays with you for a long time. As far as the actual fibre counts...I don't know the numbers, but I'm sure they would have more fibre since they have more of the bran intact. Not sure about the difference in calories either...but that's an interesting question. I just know if I'm eating oatmeal.....it's steel cut. I don't like the regular oatmeal.
  • aleanerme
    aleanerme Posts: 19 Member
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    I believe steel cut is healthier as well. I found a recipe on this site to cook it in the crock pot. So I make a double batch on Sunday nights and turn the crock pot on when I go to bed. Nice fluffy oatmeal in the morning. I thow in diced apples and chopped walnuts while it's cooking. I sweeten mine with a couple of chopped honey dates. The leftovers refrigerate well and we have enought between my husband and myself for the rest of the week. I prefer the taste of cooked steel cut over instant oatmeal.
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    so is it more fiber? I already get a LOT of fiber in my diet....
    No, they have pretty much the same stats as regular old fashioned oatmeal. Steel cut oats are the oat groats that are chopped into smaller pieces but retain bits of the bran layer. Rolled oats (old fashioned oatmeal) are rolled instead of cut. They both come from the oat groat. It just takes longer to cook the steel cut oats.
  • annaliza
    annaliza Posts: 809
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    So you buy steal cut oats? I've never seen them. Where do you find them?

    Lol, all this time I thought is was how they were cooked, not they type of oats.
  • Demetria
    Demetria Posts: 178
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    so is it more fiber? I already get a LOT of fiber in my diet....
    No, they have pretty much the same stats as regular old fashioned oatmeal. Steel cut oats are the oat groats that are chopped into smaller pieces but retain bits of the bran layer. Rolled oats (old fashioned oatmeal) are rolled instead of cut. They both come from the oat groat. It just takes longer to cook the steel cut oats.

    So there is not a big difference nutritionally between steel cut oats and rolled oats?

    Demetria
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Steel Cut oats is more of the whole grain, less processed and much better for you.

    Unfortunately, due to the fact that it is less processed, it take a LOT longer to cook.

    Regular oats is sliced and diced so much that there is little left of the whole grain and that is mostly why it cooks faster.

    I now put my oats in the fridge over night with the water.........cuts the cook time in half by soaking them overnight!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    so is it more fiber? I already get a LOT of fiber in my diet....
    No, they have pretty much the same stats as regular old fashioned oatmeal. Steel cut oats are the oat groats that are chopped into smaller pieces but retain bits of the bran layer. Rolled oats (old fashioned oatmeal) are rolled instead of cut. They both come from the oat groat. It just takes longer to cook the steel cut oats.

    If you are comparing quick oatmeal to steel cut there is a big difference. Rolled oats are pretty much the same, nutrition wise, as rolled are not processed either.

    From what the doctor told me, the steel cut oatmeal is rougher. It scrapes the inards as it goes through the system, helping to clean it out. Processed instant oatmeal does not do this.

    I went from processed packets, to rolled oats, to steel cut. I like the texture of the steel cut better:flowerforyou:
  • aythakay
    aythakay Posts: 26 Member
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    Ah-HA! Thanks guys for all of the great info!!! I have been wondering.....I love my oatmeal in the morning, I will just have to find some way to cook the steel-cut oats before hand!
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    If you are comparing quick oatmeal to steel cut there is a big difference. Rolled oats are pretty much the same, nutrition wise, as rolled are not processed either.

    From what the doctor told me, the steel cut oatmeal is rougher. It scrapes the inards as it goes through the system, helping to clean it out. Processed instant oatmeal does not do this.

    I went from processed packets, to rolled oats, to steel cut. I like the texture of the steel cut better:flowerforyou:

    I wasn't compared the instant oatmeal, but the old fashioned rolled oats. The nutrition stats are almost identical, but it is for 1/4 c. of dry steel cut oats or 1/2 c. dry old fashioned oats. I like them both, but prefer my old fashioned! I've never heard that about the steel cut being rougher? They both have fiber, so it should be the same?

    Oh, and you can buy the steel cut oats in bulk at most natural food stores, and it is also in the cereal aisle of some places (McCann has a brand, sometimes also called Irish or pinhead oats).

    Yeah, I like my oats. :laugh:

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