Q. I
have a few questions about oats. I
have noticed that regular oatmeal is so bland, and that I really like the oats
when the label says 100% whole oats (like the Hodgson Mills brand) or the steel
cut oats. They
are thicker and fuller, but are quite a bit more expensive. The plain Quaker
(or store brand) “oats” are soupier and don’t have much substance. I put
cinnamon and fruit on all of these.
Which of these oats are better for me? M.F. Grand Rapids
A. According to the
Quaker Oats web site, there is no nutritional difference between quick oats,
old fashioned oats and steel-cut oats. They all have the same calories, fiber,
and all help to reduce blood cholesterol levels if you eat them consistently.
The
difference between the oats is the texture, and that’s probably what you are noticing.
Each type of oat is considered a whole grain (containing the bran, germ and
endosperm).
“Steel
cut” oats means that the oat grain is cut into thirds, but not rolled into
flakes. Alternate names for steel cut oats are Scotch oats, pinhead oats and
Irish oats. These oats are the chewiest, and take about 30 minutes to cook.
“Instant”
or quick oats are steel cut oats that have been rolled into thin flakes. They
cook up quickly, have the least defined texture and are rather soupy. These are
good for baking, too (oatmeal cookies, anyone?)
“Old-fashioned”
oats are whole oats that have been rolled flat into thicker flakes. They take
about 5 minutes to cook, but have a defined texture (these are the ones I
prefer).
I
may have a new favorite hot cereal: Quaker Oats Multi Grain (pictured above).
It is a whole grain blend of rye, barley, oats and wheat, with a texture
similar to old-fashioned oats. This cereal got a thumbs up from me and my
husband. Grand Rapids is used as a
test market for new products, and I hope this is not one of those good products
that goes away after a few months (I noticed that the Multi Grain hot cereal is
not listed on the Quaker web site under products, but it seems you can order it
directly from the company. Maybe they haven’t gotten around to updating their
product page?)
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