Q & A: Best Types of Oats

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?)

Q&A: Is white whole wheat for real?

 Q.            I saw some whole wheat white bread at the grocery store for the first time and it sounds like a stretch of terminology.  Is there really such a thing as whole wheat white bread?  How does it compare nutritionally to regular whole wheat? G.B. Grand Rapids

A.            You are right; whole wheat white bread sounds like fiction, but it is true. There is white whole wheat flour available to make your own baked goods from King Arthur, Bob’s Red Mill, Gold Medal and more. Some national bakeries have whole wheat white bread (for example in my area, I found whole wheat white bread made by Bimbo, Sara Lee, Pepperidge Farm, Aunt Millie’s and Wonder).  I thought I might see whole wheat white buns for burgers or hot dogs, but if they are available I didn’t spot them tonight.

            According to the Whole Grains Council, white wheat is a different type of wheat, with no major genes for bran color, so in a way it is an albino wheat. Regular whole wheat is made from “red” wheat, which contain one to three color genes.

            Whole wheat white is lighter in color and milder in flavor than regular whole wheat, but you probably won’t be able to fool your family members totally, especially if they prefer squishy white bread. The bread made from this flour is the right color for the white bread lovers, but the bread has a firmer texture. Whole wheat white is nutritionally equivalent to whole wheat, but the flour costs more, so if you don’t mind the brown bits in regular whole wheat, you can save some money.

            An interesting side bit is that white wheat has been the main type of wheat grown in Australia for decades. Also, many Asian countries prefer to make their noodles with white whole wheat (I have some udon noodles in my cupboard that list whole wheat flour as the first ingredient, but there are no flecks of brown in the noodle; they had to have used white whole wheat).

Development of white wheat for the US growing conditions started in the 1970’s. So it’s not really new! The original push for growing white wheat in the US had to do with increasing the amount of wheat exported. The use of whole wheat white to make white bread a more nutritious choice is a fairly new idea.

            But they’ve got to do something about that name though! It’s a tongue twister, and everyone calls it a slightly different name, which makes it confusing to many. How about “Hey it’s Really Whole Wheat (White)”? Or, “Hey it’s really Whole Wheat (Brown)”? Just a thought.