Oats: The Healthiest Cereal there is…

By Sandavi Maurya

Oats: The Healthiest Cereal there is…

People often believe that being healthy requires too much work. But eating healthy can be as simple as digging into a bowl of warm, delicious bowl of oatmeal. Not only is the humble grain naturally gluten-free, but also high in fibre and antioxidants, offering you more health benefits than you could possibly imagine getting out of a 3-minute-meal!

Today’s fast paced life calls for instant meals, and quick fixes, and oats is probably your best bet!

Rolled, Instant, Steel Cut? Which One’s Which?

Oat – scientifically known as Avena Sativa is one of the world’s most ancient whole-grains. Whole oat grains are called oat groats, and look a lot like wheat. Interestingly, oats require careful observation during manufacturing, because the slightest change in the process could lead to a whole different variation of processed oats!

On a scale of 1 – 10 of processing, you could say that whole-grain oat groats are a ‘1’ because they are least processed, while instant oats, which are surprisingly just as nutritious, are at a ‘10’.

Rolled Oats vs Steel-cut Oats: What’s the Best Pick?

For any type of oats, the first step is the same, removing the inedible outer covering of the grain known as the husk. The next steps of the process determine the type of oats made.

Is It Rolled Oats?

Rolled oats made by dehusking and steaming oat groats. They are then  flattened using heavy rollers into flat flakes which reduces the cooking time.

Being pre-cooked with steam is another reason for shorter cooking time. Steaming also helps preserve the healthy fats inside oats giving them the incredibly creamy texture.

Is It Steel-cut Oats?

If you have wondered why steel-cut oats have this brutal name, it’s simply because they’re made by cutting oat groats into small pieces using steel blades. Steel-cut oats are the least processed in comparison and take more time to cook than rolled oats, an average of 25-30 minutes, give or take.

Steel-cut oats, unlike rolled oats, are thick and have a very chewy texture, along with a slightly nutty taste profile. It’s a great alternative for quinoa or couscous for salads!

Which Oats Variant is more Nutritious?

Since oats come in various forms, you might be curious to know which one best suits your nutrition needs. The table below should help you, which compares the nutritional values of 100 grams of rolled and steel-cut oats.

You can clearly notice how there’s barely any difference between the two types of oats. The nutritional differences are negligible. The best part about oats is that since oats do not go through any additives or preservative stages in the manufacturing plants, just rolling, steaming and toasting, they hold the nutritional intensity across all varieties!.

What Do You Enjoy?

Well, here comes the part where personal tastes and preferences come into play! Your bowl of oats should definitely be a meal you look forward to! So, consider the points to take your best pick and head over to oateo.com to stack up your kitchen cabinets the healthiest grain there is!