What's The Difference Between Steel Cut Oats And Rolled Oats?

Need a quick and healthy breakfast that fills you up and hits the spot (especially on cold mornings)? A hot bowl of oats might just do the trick! According to the Mayo Clinic, one cup of cooked oats has 165 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein, plus they are an excellent source of magnesium, copper, and zinc. 

The most common of oats are rolled or steel-cut varieties, which are most often used to make oatmeal. That can then be turned into baked oatmeal bars, or used as hot cereal. Other forms of oats are instant oats and quick oats, which are both very popular because of how easy and fast they are to make. Depending on what you are trying to make with the oats, knowing the difference between them can help you avoid some big oatmeal mistakes that can ruin your meal plans. So, what is the difference between the four main types of oats?

According to Simply Oatmeal, quick oats are oats that have been steamed and then rolled very thin in order to speed up the cooking time. The oatmeal that you buy in those little packets will either be quick oats or instant oats, which are similar, but not exactly the same. Instant oats cook faster than quick oats, according to Bob's Red Mill, and instant oats can be made in the microwave, whereas quick oats are better made on the stove. 

Steel-cut oats, on the other hand, are very similar to unprocessed oat groats, according to Healthline. That's because the groats, or the hulled kernels of cereal grains, are chopped into pieces, not ground down or thinly sliced, with large steel blades, which gives them a coarser texture. This makes them chewier and gives them a nuttier flavor than other types of oats. Rolled oats are also known as old-fashioned oats, according to the Food Network. These are oat groats that have been flattened, giving them a softer texture than the steel-cut variety and a milder flavor, too. They are the most common oats found around the globe, so they will also be found in a lot of recipes, like cookies, bread, and muffins. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, plain instant oats that do not have added ingredients or sweeteners have a calorie count of 170 for a 1/2 cup serving, but the same 1/2 cup serving of plain rolled oats has 200 calories. Both are still considered whole grain oats, though, and have much of the same nutritional value. Of course, the calorie count will change when you add other ingredients, like honey, fruit, milk, and nuts to the oats to make dishes like oatmeal bars and overnight oats.

When looking at cooking time, instant oats are the fastest to make, and steel cut oats tend to take the longest. According to Bob's Red Mill, it takes 10-20 minutes to cook steel cut oats, and only about two minutes to make instant oats. This means that if you are in a hurry, instant packets of oatmeal may be your best bet for a nutritious, filling, and delicious breakfast.