I keep reading about all different types of oatmeal in posts and now I am confused about what is the "best" one.
For example, steel cut(I don't even know what that means), oatmeal with pysillum fibre, Quaker instant oatmeal(which is what I have in the cupboard but haven't had any in ages because it's really high in calories) and the kind that takes a long time to cook(don't now the name of it). I'm sure there are more...
The reason I ask is because I want to add some variety in my diet and I don't know what kind to buy.
Can anyone help?
For example, steel cut(I don't even know what that means), oatmeal with pysillum fibre, Quaker instant oatmeal(which is what I have in the cupboard but haven't had any in ages because it's really high in calories) and the kind that takes a long time to cook(don't now the name of it). I'm sure there are more...
The reason I ask is because I want to add some variety in my diet and I don't know what kind to buy.
Can anyone help?
16 Replies (last)
I use regular rolled oats. Thats cos I use a microwave. Depends on your budget and time. Steel cut oats take longer.
If you're worried about health, you also need to look at what you put with the oatmeal. No point chossing natural oats if you drown it in sugar. Boost its profile by having with blueberries or banana, and if you must sweeten, honey, blackstrap molasses or maple syrup. Try adding some wheat germ or nuts, fi you have the cals.
Insant oatmeal often has added salt/sugar. Usually its cut up itno smaller bits to make it cook faster, but I find rolled oats to be fine. 2 min max in the microwave.
If you're worried about health, you also need to look at what you put with the oatmeal. No point chossing natural oats if you drown it in sugar. Boost its profile by having with blueberries or banana, and if you must sweeten, honey, blackstrap molasses or maple syrup. Try adding some wheat germ or nuts, fi you have the cals.
Insant oatmeal often has added salt/sugar. Usually its cut up itno smaller bits to make it cook faster, but I find rolled oats to be fine. 2 min max in the microwave.
I use Quaker (or generic) Old Fashioned 5-minute cook; and then sometimes I like to get the "quick" 1-minute cook for variety. The textures are different. The better quality you buy, you pretty much can't go back to instant. I haven't tried that steel-cut kind, but I want to. Some oatmeals you cook for 20 or 30 minutes. I LOVE oatmeal -- I eat it EVERY day. It's a "super food"!
the best bowl of oatmeal you can probably eat is a nice bowl of steel cut or pinhead oats. i have a few tins of McCann's irish steel cut oats. Ive found that its best off the stove after 40 minutes or so. but ive made it over night with the crock pot on low for 8 hours.
the best way to eat steel cut oats is to put brown sugar and a pat of butter on top, of course i dont eat this type everyday. but i have eaten oatmeal almost every morning for a week or two, in some form.
INSTANT OATS are the worst bowl of oatmeal you will ever consume, same goes for microwave. now theres nothing wrong with putting sweetners and sugar in it, you wont need to add a ton anyway.
my oatmeal recipies are as follows, i hope these add some interest in this miracle food ( many of my friends at my school wonder where i get my energy... one word oatmeal)
classic steel cut oatmeal: take 1 cup steel cut oats ( makes 4 servings)
4 cups of water.
boil the water, and stir in oats. keep on medium high until oats thicken and smoothen. Then put on simmer for 30 minutes, serve with milk, cream and anything else you want.
Crockpot steel cut oatmeal: take 1 cup of steel cut oats ( 4 servings)
Add 4 cups of water into a medium/small sized crockpot, i suggest you grease the pot a bit too, you will see why.
Also, add 1/2 cup of milk, cream or half and half. ( skim does not work well) make sure you add this, since the oatmeal will be gooey and creamy.
add 1/2 cup of dried fruit ( optional)
put on low for 8 to 9 hours.
cold oatmeal: ( my personal recipie) 3/4 cup of rolled oats.
3/4 cup of milk.
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
5 chopped pecans
1 tsp of brown sugar
half a mashed banana
mix oatmeal with milk and cinnamon, and sugar. let sit in your fridge overnight, covered.
when morning comes, take the cold mush and add the banana. serve with additional milk or any other dry breakfast cereal.
great before cardio or a heavy workout.
As for rolled oats, ive eaten it cold afer soaking it in milk and fruit overnight, ive put peanut butter in it, ive put pecans and brown sugar. the options are limitless.
remeber, you can cook for your self oatmeal that smashs the heck out of the nasty instant packets, you can control what ingredients go into you body, and most importantly, you can help your body run its best. oatmeal isnt that high in calories , and plus it has some of the best things you can put into your body. I would choose oatmeal over toast or most breakfast cereals.
the best way to eat steel cut oats is to put brown sugar and a pat of butter on top, of course i dont eat this type everyday. but i have eaten oatmeal almost every morning for a week or two, in some form.
INSTANT OATS are the worst bowl of oatmeal you will ever consume, same goes for microwave. now theres nothing wrong with putting sweetners and sugar in it, you wont need to add a ton anyway.
my oatmeal recipies are as follows, i hope these add some interest in this miracle food ( many of my friends at my school wonder where i get my energy... one word oatmeal)
classic steel cut oatmeal: take 1 cup steel cut oats ( makes 4 servings)
4 cups of water.
boil the water, and stir in oats. keep on medium high until oats thicken and smoothen. Then put on simmer for 30 minutes, serve with milk, cream and anything else you want.
Crockpot steel cut oatmeal: take 1 cup of steel cut oats ( 4 servings)
Add 4 cups of water into a medium/small sized crockpot, i suggest you grease the pot a bit too, you will see why.
Also, add 1/2 cup of milk, cream or half and half. ( skim does not work well) make sure you add this, since the oatmeal will be gooey and creamy.
add 1/2 cup of dried fruit ( optional)
put on low for 8 to 9 hours.
cold oatmeal: ( my personal recipie) 3/4 cup of rolled oats.
3/4 cup of milk.
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
5 chopped pecans
1 tsp of brown sugar
half a mashed banana
mix oatmeal with milk and cinnamon, and sugar. let sit in your fridge overnight, covered.
when morning comes, take the cold mush and add the banana. serve with additional milk or any other dry breakfast cereal.
great before cardio or a heavy workout.
As for rolled oats, ive eaten it cold afer soaking it in milk and fruit overnight, ive put peanut butter in it, ive put pecans and brown sugar. the options are limitless.
remeber, you can cook for your self oatmeal that smashs the heck out of the nasty instant packets, you can control what ingredients go into you body, and most importantly, you can help your body run its best. oatmeal isnt that high in calories , and plus it has some of the best things you can put into your body. I would choose oatmeal over toast or most breakfast cereals.
So the last person said everything you could about oatmeal, but I concur: whatever you do, don't get the instant sweetened type, and also avoid the quick cook Quaker type. Regular rolled oats are fine (and I have no problem cooking them in the microwave, you just have to take care to use a big enough bowl so they don't make a big mess). My favorite is the steel cut type, which do take about half an hour to cook on the stove top. Every few days I cook up a batch and keep it in the refrigerator. Then I reheat it in the microwave in 1/2 cup servings. I like to cut up apple and/or pears and stir them into the oatmeal, along with a lot of cinnamon, and then when you heat the oatmeal the apples cook a bit. I also (could be and/or) thaw frozen blueberries in the microwave (which also makes them juicy), and then stir into the oatmeal after it's heated. The apples, pears, and/or blueberries, as well as the cinnamon, sweeten the oatmeal nicely!
yes, i prefer steel cut and rolled oats. quick oats a great for baking and pancakes, but instant oatmeal tends fall short.
another cardinal sin that you can do to oatmeal is add splenda or any other art sweetners to it, i know it reduces the calories, but i found the fake flavor really killed the oatmeals flavor.
another cardinal sin that you can do to oatmeal is add splenda or any other art sweetners to it, i know it reduces the calories, but i found the fake flavor really killed the oatmeals flavor.
Information courtesy of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" show:
Steel-cut oats or pinhead oats are the oat grains coarsely chopped. They take longer to cook and will retain a firmer texture than "standard" or rolled oats.
Rolled oats are more processed although they cook much faster. They can form a gummier texture.
Both will provide good soluable fiber but pinhead oats are less processed and closer to the natureal state. In terms of how to cook them, experiment with different recipes. It took me a couple tries to find an oatmeal I found palatable, and I learned I don't like sweetened oatmeal.
Steel-cut oats or pinhead oats are the oat grains coarsely chopped. They take longer to cook and will retain a firmer texture than "standard" or rolled oats.
Rolled oats are more processed although they cook much faster. They can form a gummier texture.
Both will provide good soluable fiber but pinhead oats are less processed and closer to the natureal state. In terms of how to cook them, experiment with different recipes. It took me a couple tries to find an oatmeal I found palatable, and I learned I don't like sweetened oatmeal.
Well, not everythings been said about oatmeal. My favorite way to fix oatmeal is NOT cooked. That's right about as close to raw as you can get. Since the oats have been steamed they can never be truely raw.
I start with about a cup of rolled oats rinsed well and soak them overnight in filtered water. I also soak 2-3 dates overnight in filtered water. In the morning, I rinse the oats again to remove the a good bit of the gluten and drain them. Then I take the dates and cut them up, saving the date water. I grind up about 3/4 cup of raw almonds (previously soaked and air dried). Now I add all the ingredients together. If I have any Flax Oil at the house I will add 1-2 Tablespoons into the oatmeal/almond/date mixture. The date water can be added to make the consistancy of the oatmeal to your liking.
This process is time consuming until you've done it a few times. But the end result is well worth the effort. My favorite part of this is I don't get that tired/sleepy feeling after I eat my "raw" version of oatmeal like I did when I would eat a bowl of cooked oatmeal.
I start with about a cup of rolled oats rinsed well and soak them overnight in filtered water. I also soak 2-3 dates overnight in filtered water. In the morning, I rinse the oats again to remove the a good bit of the gluten and drain them. Then I take the dates and cut them up, saving the date water. I grind up about 3/4 cup of raw almonds (previously soaked and air dried). Now I add all the ingredients together. If I have any Flax Oil at the house I will add 1-2 Tablespoons into the oatmeal/almond/date mixture. The date water can be added to make the consistancy of the oatmeal to your liking.
This process is time consuming until you've done it a few times. But the end result is well worth the effort. My favorite part of this is I don't get that tired/sleepy feeling after I eat my "raw" version of oatmeal like I did when I would eat a bowl of cooked oatmeal.
I was just wondering, are quick oats bad for you? or do you guys just not like them?
I make my oatmeal each morning using quaker oats - not the quick ones that cook in a minute. I do 3/4 cup oats with 1 cup skim milk 1.2 cup water and 2 tablespoons milled flax seed. I do add splenda to my oatmeal. I use the microwave also - just watch the bowl to make sure they don't overflow.
My hubby does the instant maple brown sugar and adds a ton of raisins. I get him the reduced sugar kind - trying to get him to eat regular stuff is not going to happen.
I've never tried the SCO but some day will try
My hubby does the instant maple brown sugar and adds a ton of raisins. I get him the reduced sugar kind - trying to get him to eat regular stuff is not going to happen.
I've never tried the SCO but some day will try
I think instant oatmeal is a fine choice. I choose the "less sugar" variety and 1 pack is only about 100 cal. Oatmeal of any kind and fills you up longer than most other breakfast foods. You really get a satisfying meal for those 100 cal. plus, YUM!
Quick oats are a bit like white bread. All the good stuff has been processed out of them.
Instant oatmeal (not the flavored packets) has the same nutrition as rolled oats. Sorry folks, but it's true. That being said, the taste is very different. Me, I hate instant oatmeal but love other oats. I have old fashioned rolled oats, Scottish oats, Irish steel cut oats, 5 grain flakes, 7 grain coarse ground meal, 8 grain coarse ground, 10 grain coarse ground, spelt flakes, triticale coarse ground, kamut flakes, kamut coarse ground, teff grains, and a few others that I'm forgetting! As you can tell, my family loves hot cereal. I cook it the night before when I have more time. In the morning, I heat it in the microwave. I have found that it is very stiff in the morning so I need to add water to it before I microwave it. Maybe I'm a purist but I rarely put anything fancy in my cereals. I always make any grain with 1/2 water and 1/2 non-fat milk. I tastes so creamy and good just like that. I may add some banana or cinnamon, but that's it. It is so good. It does have a lot of calories, even though they are nutritious, so I measure my portions or else I'd eat the whole pot. I hope this helps.
i ate this recipie this morning:
cold baanana bread oatmeal:
3/4 cup of rolled oats soaked in 3/4 cup of 2 percent milk over night
i put a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, a 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and a tsp of brown sugar in it last night, and let it soak all night.
when morning came, i added half a mashed banana, and a few choped pecans. its gona be perfect before my workout in a few minutes.
no, quick oats are JUST as good for you, but they stink in texture and flavor. you simply cant beat the nutty and rich textire of pinhead ( steel cut oats), i like rolled oats too, i find they are sweeter and creamier than steel cut, which i sometimes prefer. however, quick oats in my opinion should just be kept to baking or pancakes
cold baanana bread oatmeal:
3/4 cup of rolled oats soaked in 3/4 cup of 2 percent milk over night
i put a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, a 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and a tsp of brown sugar in it last night, and let it soak all night.
when morning came, i added half a mashed banana, and a few choped pecans. its gona be perfect before my workout in a few minutes.
no, quick oats are JUST as good for you, but they stink in texture and flavor. you simply cant beat the nutty and rich textire of pinhead ( steel cut oats), i like rolled oats too, i find they are sweeter and creamier than steel cut, which i sometimes prefer. however, quick oats in my opinion should just be kept to baking or pancakes
I just started using Kashi GoLean Oatmeal instant Packets. I's really good and has whole grains in it. Since I eat at work in the mornings and use my microwave, it's the quickest way to get the most whole grains. I add a tablespoon of fiber powder and a couple spoonfulls of whole oatmeal before I cook it. It fills me up till lunchtime and it has lots of flaver and texture.
The Hearty Honey Cinnamon has 150 calories, 2 grams fat, (0 sat fat) 7 grams of sugar, 100 mg of sodium, 26 grams carbs, 8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber
http://www.kashi.com/ourfood/GOLEAN/GOLEANHot Cereal/Default.aspx
Kashi® GoLean Crunch!? Cereal (Kashi® Seven Whole Grains and Sesame? Cereal [Whole: Oats, Long Grain Brown Rice, Rye, Hard Red Winter Wheat, Triticale, Buckwheat, Barley, Sesame Seeds], Textured Soy Protein Concentrate, Evaporated Cane Juice, Brown Rice Syrup, Chicory Root Fiber, Whole Grain Oats, Kashi Seven Whole Grains and Sesame Flour [Whole: Oats, Long Grain Brown Rice, Rye, Hard Red Winter Wheat, Tricticale, Buckwheat, Barley, Sesame Seeds], Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Honey, Salt, Cinnamon, Mixed Tocopherols [Natural Vitamin E] For Freshness), Kashi Heritage Rolled Grain Blend (Whole: Hard Red Winter Wheat, Oats, Rye, Barley, Triticale), Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Soy Protein Isolate, Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Flavor, Evaporated Salt, Potassium Chloride, Cinnamon, Whey Protein Isolate
The Hearty Honey Cinnamon has 150 calories, 2 grams fat, (0 sat fat) 7 grams of sugar, 100 mg of sodium, 26 grams carbs, 8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber
http://www.kashi.com/ourfood/GOLEAN/GOLEANHot Cereal/Default.aspx
Kashi® GoLean Crunch!? Cereal (Kashi® Seven Whole Grains and Sesame? Cereal [Whole: Oats, Long Grain Brown Rice, Rye, Hard Red Winter Wheat, Triticale, Buckwheat, Barley, Sesame Seeds], Textured Soy Protein Concentrate, Evaporated Cane Juice, Brown Rice Syrup, Chicory Root Fiber, Whole Grain Oats, Kashi Seven Whole Grains and Sesame Flour [Whole: Oats, Long Grain Brown Rice, Rye, Hard Red Winter Wheat, Tricticale, Buckwheat, Barley, Sesame Seeds], Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Honey, Salt, Cinnamon, Mixed Tocopherols [Natural Vitamin E] For Freshness), Kashi Heritage Rolled Grain Blend (Whole: Hard Red Winter Wheat, Oats, Rye, Barley, Triticale), Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Soy Protein Isolate, Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Flavor, Evaporated Salt, Potassium Chloride, Cinnamon, Whey Protein Isolate
Don't forget Quaker Oat Bran! It has a totally different texture (like creamy malt-o-meal) with pretty much the same nutrirional information. If you're tired of oats, then you shoudl switch it up with oat bran (great with banana mixed in).
Okay, I do not have the patience to make steel cut oats each morning. I barely have a brain cell first thing in the morning! I just want something quick and easy.
If it would work in my slow cooker or rice cooker, I might... but I've experimented endlessly and it never turns out right for some reason.
Therfore, I go with the instant microwave packets. But I have particular brand that has NO added sugar. The ingredient list is simple, it's just: OATS and OAT BRAN. That's it. The brand is called Erewohn and I find it at Whole Foods - in a blue box. I have never seen it at the regular supermarket though. Cooks up just like Quaker instant, but the nutrition profile is better:
130 cals, 2.5 g fat, 25 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein. ZERO sodium and ZERO sugar.
I make it with soy milk and 1 TB ground flax seed, with either blueberries or strawberries.
If it would work in my slow cooker or rice cooker, I might... but I've experimented endlessly and it never turns out right for some reason.
Therfore, I go with the instant microwave packets. But I have particular brand that has NO added sugar. The ingredient list is simple, it's just: OATS and OAT BRAN. That's it. The brand is called Erewohn and I find it at Whole Foods - in a blue box. I have never seen it at the regular supermarket though. Cooks up just like Quaker instant, but the nutrition profile is better:
130 cals, 2.5 g fat, 25 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein. ZERO sodium and ZERO sugar.
I make it with soy milk and 1 TB ground flax seed, with either blueberries or strawberries.
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