Q: Is the old fashioned oats as good as the steel cut version.
Oh good, you want to dig deeper into the bowl of oatmeal...
The whole oat grain is called oat groats. You can usually find it in the bulk food section of health food stores (even some major grocery stores). This rice-sized grain is the unprocessed raw form of oats. The first level of processing happens when this grain is cut in half by steel, hence the name steel-cut oats. This lightly processed grain still has a very low glycemic load. Now, I will soak either groats or steel-cut oats overnight for my breakfast in the morning. I like the texture of either in that natural form, but you may want a smoother texture. So, you could use the food processor (with a touch of water) to get a creamy texture. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt for flavor. Remember neither groat or steel cut have salt added in the processing. So, you are in control of taste.
Moving on to the rolled oatmeal. "Old Fashion" oatmeal has a higher glycemic load than groats or steel-cut because it is more processed; therefore, digests quicker. The quick digest spikes the blood sugar and that is why rolled oats are not a good for you as the groat or steel-cut grain. "Old Fashion" is rolled thicker than the 1 minute cook or instant variety. So, the thicker rolled oat (slow to cook) variety is healthier than the quick cook. The more processed the grain, the less time to cook the grain, and the less time to digest the grain; that is how a highly processed grain adds up to bigger sugar spikes.
Now, don't go and ruin a perfectly healthy bowl of oat groats with sugar. Add some dried fruit for sweetness and maybe a touch of honey.
As an aside, I will also say that Kashi makes a great breakfast 7 grain pilaf. Again, whole grains soak overnight and are enjoyed the next morning.
True whole grains move breakfast beyond the boxed-sugar and back to a natural, healthy way to start the day.
Dr. Christina Lasich, MD
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Thanks!! I do not cook my oatmeal anyway, I like the texture of it when it is just soaked, but I will have to try the steelcut version even though it is alot more expensive.