Which Oats Should I Choose?
Oats are oats, right?
Not really.
When choosing oats for breakfast, there are soooo many options!
Why do you want to eat oats?
Oats are full of fibre, including beta-glucan which can help balance cholesterol and feed your good gut bugs. Because they feed your guts bugs, you will experience many health benefits such as a balanced immune system and improvement in your overall gut health. Balancing the fibre in oats with protein also helps to keep you fuller for longer and balance your energy levels. A typical serving size of oats for an adult is around 50g.
Here’s a run down on the types of oats:
Whole Oat Groats
The Oat grain is stripped from the plant and that’s about it. The hull (outer shell) is removed leaving you with the entire grain. These oats do require a longer cooking time, but you end up with a much chewier texture (think brown rice texture vs white rice texture)
Steel-Cut Oats
This is the next less processed version of oats. They are stripped from the plant, hull removed and chopped up. This results in ‘chopped up oat grains’. These oats cook slightly quicker than oat groats because they are chopped up.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are hulled, steamed then rolled with a giant roller. Because they are slightly cooked by the steaming process, then dried and rolled, they are softer and cook quicker, giving you a creamier texture when eating them.
Quick or Instant Oats
These oats are usually chopped and rolled thinner, so they will cook quicker than rolled oats. Because the texture is finer, you will get a really creamy texture when cooking them.
So which one is better? Well it depends on what you mean by ‘better’. Nutritionally, I always recommend the least processed version of a food. However, we always need to balance this with ease and of course texture and flavour. If you are wanting a more rounded food nutritionally wise, go with steel cut or rolled oats and buy organic oats. If you are particularly gluten sensitive, be sure to pick certified gluten-free oats. Oats are technically gluten-free, but are often processed in the same factories as gluten-containing grains so may be contaminated.
If you like your oats with texture, you won’t need to cook your oats very long. If you like them creamy, try soaking your oats overnight before cooking them to soften the fibre and starches in the grain. You can also blend your steel-cut oats or rolled oats a touch before cooking to make them creamier. Some of my favourite ways of preparing oats include traditional porridge, overnight oats or blending with fruit and milk in a smoothie.
Check out my quick Apple Porridge here.
