What's Healthier for You - Steel-Cut or Rolled Oats?

 

By Rich Carroll

When it comes to breakfast food, you can't do much better than oatmeal. When I lived in Great Britain it always went by the name of porridge, and I'm sure it is more popular there than in the United States. It has a long history there, as it was the peasant food of the area, especially in Ireland and Scotland.

When these areas weren't blessed with an abundance of healthy natural foods like we find in the Mediterranean area, having oatmeal as a staple was vitally important. Dietary fiber is at the top of the list of nutrients, and the bonus here with oatmeal is its mixture of about 50/50 soluble and insoluble fibers. Both are extremely important for proper digestion. It is also considered heart-healthy due to its tocotrienols, which are antioxidant compounds that inhibit cholesterol synthesis resulting in lowering blood cholesterol.

Other benefits to having soluble dietary fiber in your system is the way it controls blood glucose and insulin levels, therefore preventing insulin spikes diabetic issues. It works by slowing down digestion by forming a gel in the intestines as it becomes absorbed by water. This gel is digested more slowly, prolonging the length of time the carbohydrates are taken into the system. Slower absorption means dramatic spikes of sugar levels in the blood stream are avoided.

Which brings us to our original question: what are better, steel-cut or rolled oats. The answer is from an absorption standpoint, we want to go with the steel-cut oats. They are basically the same oats as rolled, but it is the way they are processed that makes the difference. Because steel-cut are denser, they will take longer to digest than rolled oats. And generally speaking, the we process our food, or the less natural it is, the healthier it is for you. The minimal amount of processing that goes into steel-cut make them the more healthy choice.

The downside (and it isn't really much of a downside when health is concerned) is that they are a bit harder to prepare. Steel-cut oats take a little longer to cook, but we think it's worth the time. Combine 3 cups of water, a cup of steel-cut oats, and a little salt to bring out the naturally nutty flavor. Similar to cooking rice or quinoa, bring to a boil, then cut the heat back to allow it to simmer without covering the pan. Stir regularly then at about the 20 minute mark start checking the oat's progress. The longer you let it cook at this point, the less chewy it will be.

Finish the oatmeal off with some fruit, dried or fresh, and toasted nuts. Cinnamon also works well, as does a spoonful of maple syrup or honey. If you're cooking breakfast for just one or two people, you can make a larger amount and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just microwave it for a minute, stir in a little milk and heat for another minute.

People have traditionally eaten oatmeal as their first meal, and have not really known much more about it that it comes out of a Quaker Oats box. But there are different ways that it is profits, and this great food offers so many nutritional benefits, such as being rich in fiber. Rich Carroll is a writer and health enthusiast living in Chicago.