Who doesn’t love oatmeal? It’s a great breakfast, and it’s (usually) super easy to make. With that being said, there are quite a few different types of oats out there. How do you know which one to choose? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Today in the Oats Overnight blog, we’ll do a quick breakdown of all the different types of oats.
Types of Oats
Many types of oats are processed versions of a whole oat, so before we talk about the different types of oats, we must first understand the makeup of a whole oat. A whole oat contains three main parts of a seed: the endosperm, cereal germ, and bran. The endosperm provides protein and nutrition in the form of starch. The cereal germ is the reproductive part of the oat that is rich in vitamins. And, last, the bran is a hard outer layer, surrounding the cereal germ and is very fiber-rich.
The different layers of oats provide different nutritional values, and like most crops, best serve the human body when consumed as whole. The more processed and cut back your oats, the less nutritional value you are getting. But when you are getting the most out of your oats, you are adding a healthy dose of fiber, iron, protein, and complex carbohydrates to your diet. This can sustain energy, support your digestive system, and help oxygen circulate through your blood.
Now that we understand the basics of a whole oat, here are the different types of oats you can add to your diet:
Let’s take a quick look at all the different types of oats:
Oat Groats
Groats, sometimes referred to as kernels, are whole oats which include the cereal germ, the bran, and the endosperm of the grain. In reality, an oat groat is the whole oat, just without the husk. These whole oats are the most nutritious out of all the oats but often require soaking before cooking and remain chewy.
Oat Bran
This type of oat is also very nutritious. It is just like the Groat but without the endosperm and the cereal germ. While it is still very nutritious, it is not a whole oat.
Steel-Cut
Oats are harvested, and the stalks and hulls are removed to get to the kernel, also known as an oat groat. Which is pretty fun to say. Anyway, steel-cut oats are simply oat groats cut into pieces by a sharp blade, giving them the same chewy texture. Out of all the oat options, these oat groats and steel-cut oats take the longest to cook, but can provide a heaty, filling meal. On average, you can make a bowl of steel-cut oat cereal in about half an hour. One of the great things about steel-cut oats is they’re quite filling! Fun fact: some people refer to these as ‘Irish oats.’
Old Fashioned (Rolled Oats)
Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are one of the most common types of oats. These are made by steaming oat groats as a whole grain and then flattening them with steel rollers, hence the name. This thins the oats to reduces cooking time, increases the liquid they can absorb, and lengthens the time they can stay fresh. It also creates a smoother texture. Rolled oats can be cooked in about five minutes.
Quick-Cooking
If you take rolled oats and press them even thinner and cut them into smaller pieces, you get quick-cooking oats. These oats can be cooked in as short as one minute! With that being said, you do lose some of the texture you get from steel-cut and rolled oats. But some people prefer this texture. It all depends on preference. Many people prefer quick-cooking oats for baking, but we’ll let you experiment on your favorite oats to add to muffins and cookies.
Instant
Out of all the types of oats, instant is probably the one we least recommend. Instant oatmeal is pre-cooked and then dried out. This causes it to lose texture and flavor. To get that flavor back, most instant oatmeals will have quite a bit of added sugar and sodium. Instant oatmeal also loses some of the nutritional value you can get from other types of oats. They’ll do in a pinch, but they’re definitely not ideal.
So which type of oat is best? Well, that all depends on preference. But if we had to choose...
Oats Overnight are the Best!
Yep, we said it! We’re confident in our product and we’re not afraid to show it. Oats Overnight is made with whole grain rolled oats, and are sourced to be completely gluten-free. Of course, that all doesn’t matter as much if they don’t taste great. Luckily, we’ve got you covered there too! Oats Overnight has plenty of delicious flavors to choose from. Also, we pack our products with protein and many other healthy ingredients to give you that boost you need. We even have plant-based protein options.
If that’s all not enough, they’re super easy to make! Just add milk or a milk alternative, soak overnight, and enjoy! Alternatively, you can microwave them with less milk and enjoy right away!
Grab Some Oats Overnight Today
So what are you waiting for? Make breakfast easy, delicious, and nutritious. Order some Oats Overnight today!
