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A Comparison of Steel Cut Oats, Old-Fashioned Oats, and Quick Oats

What's With All the Different Kinds of Oats?

October 14, 2009

Need a little extra fiber and protein? Then reach for some oats. You can make oatmeal, use them to make cookies, add them to smoothies to thicken them up, or grind them to make flour. There are a few different kinds of oats, so how do you know which to choose? Check out the chart below.

	Steel cut oats	Old-fashioned oats	Quick oats
Description	Also called Irish or Scotch oats, these are cut, not rolled. They look like chopped up rice, take the longest to cook, and have a slightly chewy consistency.	Sometimes called rolled oats, these look like flat little ovals. When processing these oats, the kernels are steamed first, and then rolled to flatten them. They take longer to cook than quick oats, but are quicker than steel cut oats.	Also called instant oats, these oats are pre-cooked, dried, and then rolled. They cook in a few minutes when added to hot water, and have a mushy texture.

Want to know how they compare nutritionally? Then keep reading.

The nutritional info is based on a 1/4 cup of uncooked grain.

	Steel cut oats	Old-fashioned oats	Quick oats
Calories	150	75	78
Total Fat	2.5 g	1.5 g	1.3 g
Saturated Fat	.5 g	.3 g	.2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Carbs	27 g	13.5 g	13.6 g
Fiber	4 g	2 g	2 g
Sugars	.5 g	.5 g	.3 g
Protein	5 g	2.5 g	3.3 g
Calcium	20 mg	0 mg	10.5 mg

Which type of oats do you eat more often?

21 Comments

3 years 29 weeks

I eat old-fashioned oatmeal every day, always with ground flaxseed and cinnamon and some sort of fruit (bananas and raisins, bananas and cranberries, apples and raisins, etc.). Out here in Hawaii food is beaucoup expensive, so I'm happy to get the old-fashioned stuff in bulk at Costco (Sam's Club carries the instant), but I have no idea where to get steel-cut for a price that won't bust my grad student budget. I've read that steel-cut still has oat bran in it, so I'd like to try that.

pamelabacan 3 years 31 weeks

i love oats! i could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Autumns_Elegy 3 years 31 weeks

I use quick oats. I prefer fast breakfasts as I usually wake up starving.

michlny 3 years 31 weeks

Steel cut oats are the least processed. This doesn't compare vitamins and minerals....that's where the bigger difference would be.

Sophie827 3 years 31 weeks

Well, Shelly bean - they might have double the calories, but they also have double the protein and fibre. They're pretty much the same if you consider the nutritional value you get for each calorie - except that steel cut has calcium.

fashionplate525 3 years 31 weeks

Oh Alayni, brown sugar and almonds with oatmeal sounds sooo good-I must try that!!!

sideways 3 years 31 weeks

I usually go for instant oats in the morning to make a quick, filing, and healthy breakfast. This way I can take it on the go and avoid making bad choices

originalamy 3 years 31 weeks

my thought is that because McCann's has more calcium, more protein, more fiber -- it is the healthier choice, despite having more calories but I would LOVE for a nutritionist to tell us what they think!

insanitypepper 3 years 31 weeks

Well, the steel cut oats are a denser food since they aren't pre-cooked or steamed. If you compare them by weight and not by volume, they look a lot more similar to each other.

Spectra 3 years 31 weeks

I choose the steel cut oats because I need all the protein I can get, plus I like the way they taste and the texture they have.

3 years 31 weeks

I have to ask--how is steel-cut oatmeal healthier? It looks like number-wise, rolled oats and instant beat it (calories, fat, carbs). I would love to know more!

Alayni 3 years 31 weeks

Steel cut- I eat it every morning with fruit and ground flaxseed or brown sugar and almonds. it's delicious and very filling.

vanillabean 3 years 31 weeks

I only like to eat oatmeal when the weather is cold so I am very glad the seasons have changed. I buy the old-fashioned oats and cook it in the microwave. I tried to do steel, but I'm too busy, and the container sat in my cupboard brand new until way past the expiration date.

originalamy 3 years 31 weeks

McCann's a few times per week but now I'm wondering if I should switch to Bear Naked? Which one is truly better for you? More calcium, fiber and protein in McCann's so I'm guessing that's the winner?

syako 3 years 31 weeks

We use rolled. I agree, I'm happy to get to start eating this again now that it's cooler out. Sometimes we'll have oatmeal as a lunch and just add some browned kielbasa to it. It's actually really good and filling.

Kimpossible 3 years 31 weeks

I use old fashioned and the Irish oatmeal. I used to hate oatmeal but I've come to really enjoy it now and I have it several times a week.

2muchtv 3 years 32 weeks

How come quick oats have calcium, while Rolled doesn't? I've heard that instant and rolled are about the same nutritionally, but I haven't looked into it, so now I know. I think I'll spend the extra dough and get the steel cut from now on, though.For an oatmeal variation, might I suggest adding buckwheat? It takes longer to prepare (you have to cook it more prior to adding oats), but I love the extra texture it adds. It sits in my tummy longer, also.

2muchtv 3 years 32 weeks

How come quick oats have calcium, while Rolled doesn't? I've heard that instant and rolled are about the same nutritionally, but I haven't looked into it, so now I know. I think I'll spend the extra dough and get the steel cut from now on, though. For an oatmeal variation, might I suggest adding buckwheat? It takes longer to prepare (you have to cook it more prior to adding oats), but I love the extra texture it adds. It sits in my tummy longer, also.

mamasitamalita 3 years 32 weeks

I am so happy winter is coming so I can have all things oatmeal :)

michlny 3 years 32 weeks

Steel cuts is by far the best nutritionally. It's digested the slowest and the least processed. Plus they taste so different -- they have a nutty crunch. Love 'em!

Kellie1982 3 years 32 weeks

This is good information. I eat oatmeal almost daily, unless I substitute with Kashi cereal because I'm in a hurry. I have been on the Eat Clean diet by Tosca Reno and she always says that oatmeal is an important diet staple for keeping hunger away and fueling the body early in the day. I use the old fashioned rolled oats. It takes a few more minutes that the instant but are healthier. I add fruits like bananas, blueberries, and I always have cinnamon in it.

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21 Comments

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