Oats are a big win for the health food community as they are incredibly versatile and carry a number of health benefits. They are rich in nutrients and have a high fiber and protein content. They are packed with B vitamins, magnesium, iron and zinc. They also contain a group of antioxidants called avenanthramides which are thought to lower blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide, in turn, enhances blood flow by dilating the blood vessels. This group of antioxidants might also be responsible for the anti-itch element of oats. Every 90s kid who’s had chicken pox or a bad poison ivy rash knows all about oatmeal baths. Avenanthramides may be the reason they are effective!
It’s great that oats are so beneficial but why do there seem to be so many different kinds? You’ve got rolled oats, instant oats, something called groats, steel-cut oats and then quick oats too. You’ve also got Irish Oats and Scottish Oats and Old-Fashioned oats. Whole oats and oat bran, too! What’s the difference between all these different types and do they all carry the same health benefits you might be eating oats for?
Well, the biggest difference between most of these types of oats is the extent to which they have been processed or, as it were, not processed. Let’s take a look.
Whole Oats: Whole oats, or “groats” as they are sometimes called, are the most unprocessed form of oats. The hulls have been removed in most cases but other than that you are getting them in their original form. In preparation they take the most time to cook and the texture has been compared to brown rice or barley. They can be prepared savory or sweet and are probably the healthiest variation of oat simply because you are getting the bran, endosperm and germ still intact. As we’ve noticed before, fiber is incredibly healthy and the balance of fiber you get from whole grains is unmatched.
Steel Cut Oats: Steel cut oats are also called Irish oats and they are really only about one step removed from groats. As the name suggested, they are whole grains of oats, hulled and cut into smaller pieces. This speeds up the cooking time and yields a slightly more chewy texture when cooked. They still require about half an hour or so to cook and probably aren’t your first choice from something like overnight oats or granola. The nutritional profile is going to be pretty much the same as groats since nothing much has been changed.
Scottish Oats: Scottish Oats are whole oats ground into a coarse meal that can be used to make a very creamy porridge. As you might guess, grinding them up makes the cooking time for the oats much shorter and a pot of these oats can be whipped up in about 10 minutes.
Old-fashioned Oat: Old-fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are the champion of granola and energy bits, of cookies and overnight oats. These oats are made by steaming the groat and then, you guessed it, rolling them out into flatter versions of themselves. They are squished into a thinner, more versatile form that can cook in as little as 5 minutes and can be added to an endless number of recipes and dishes.
Quick oat: Quick oats are pretty similar to rolled oats and some might even consider them a subcategory. They are also steamed and then rolled into even thinner oats. Sometimes those oats are then cut into even smaller pieces. They are just versatile though if you’ve ever slightly overcooked quick oats, you know they can get a little soggy. This quality, while perhaps not the best for granola bars, is perfect for smoothies and pancakes! These only take 2 or 3 minutes to cook.
Instant Oats: Last, but not least, we have instant oats. You might be pretty familiar with, as a quick, go-to breakfast option, as it often comes in a packet with flavorings and stuff ready to go. Instant oats are not only steamed, rolled, and cut into smaller pieces but they are often pre-cooked! This is why you only need to add a splash of boiling hot water or nuke them in the microwave to be ready to go. The biggest issue with instant oats isn’t that they are pre-cooked, however, it’s all that added sugar and flavoring.
While all of these variations of oats carry with them a significant health benefit, the additives common on one end of the spectrum and the fiber profile prominent on the other, tend to tip the balance in favor of the whole food. Besides that, the nutritional profile of every category we’ve talked about here is pretty similar right up until quick oats. Even instant oats would be almost identical if they were without the chemicals and additives commonly added to make them more popular. At the end of the day, preference plays a major role in what kind of oats you decide to incorporate into your diet. What is your family’s favorite way to make oats? Share it with us below!
Resources:
https://www.mashed.com/187156/are-steel-cut-oats-really-healthier-than-rolled-oats/