Steel Cut vs. Oatmeal: What’s the Difference? can you replace them are we healthier Here’s what you need to know.
Steel Cut vs. Oatmeal: What’s the Difference? These powerful whole grains are two ways to use the same ingredient, and both are part of a healthy diet. But is there a clear winner between the two? What are some of the main differences? Here’s a breakdown.
Steelcut vs. Oatmeal: Overview
All oats start out as porridge. Grains that are processed into various types of oats. The differences are all in the treatment:
- What is oatmeal? Oatmeal is groats that are flattened with rollers. Pressing them flat will reduce cooking time compared to steel oatmeal. There are different types of oatmeal:
- Old-fashioned oats: These are the flat, circular oatmeal found in classic oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, cereal, and more. The cooking time is usually 5-10 minutes.
- Quick Oats or Instant Oats: These oats are rolled even thinner and cut into chunks so they cook faster. Cooking time is usually around 1 minute. The texture when cooked is stickier and runnier than old-fashioned oats.
- Steel cut oats: Steel Cut Oats are porridge cut into pieces: they look like brown rice or barley. The consistency is very hard when uncooked. These oatmeal take 25-30 minutes to cook and have a very chewy consistency.
Can you replace oatmeal with oatmeal?
nope! We often get this question. Steel oatmeal has the texture of a grain like rice or barley, so it takes much longer to cook than oatmeal. The amount of liquid you use for cooking also varies. Do not substitute rolled oats in a recipe that calls for steel-cut oats, and vice versa. These two types of oats can almost be considered two different foods when it comes to substitutions.
Steel Cut vs. Oatmeal: Nutrition Facts
Now let’s review the nutritional differences between sliced oats and rolled oats. Here is the basic nutritional information for 1 cup of cooked oatmeal compared to 1 cup of rolled oats:
| ingredient | calories | protein | crabs | fiber | Large |
| Steel cut oats | 166 | 5 grams | 28 grams | 4 grams | 3 grams |
| oatmeal | 148 | 5 grams | 27 grams | 4 grams | 3 grams |
Data sources: Old Fashioned Oat Nutrition, Steel Cut Oat Nutrition
As you can see, there is very little difference between the two in terms of overall nutritional values. Some additional things to note:
- Oatmeal may have a lower glycemic index than oatmeal. A potential health benefit of steel oats is that because they are processed as little as possible, they may have a lower glycemic index (GI) and be digested more slowly. This can leave you feeling fuller and less energetic after eating. This can make it the best choice for blood sugar control. (Source)
- Both types of oats contain beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber that has potential benefits such as lower cholesterol, better heart health, and reduced blood sugar and insulin response. (Source)
At the end of the line: There’s no clear winner between cut steel and oatmeal. Both have similar nutrient profiles and are part of a healthy diet!
Oatmeal Recipes
Do you want to cook oatmeal or oatmeal? We have recipes! Here are some of our favorite ways to start the day:
