How They Compare and How They Differ
When we hear the words oats, the first things that surely come to mind include healthy grains, starchy food and porridge. While they truly are, did you know that the tiny bits of oats vary per type, according to how they are made?
In today’s post, you will know the difference between the types of oats including old fashioned oatmeal vs rolled oats. I have also written how healthy they are and tips on how to cook and differentiate them.
Getting to Know Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats
Difference Between Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats
- What are Old Fashioned Oats?
- What are Quick Oats?
- Common Uses
- What’s the Difference Between Old Fashioned Oatmeal vs Rolled Oats?
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats: Health Benefits
Getting to Know Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats
I first thought that oats come as a single type only, until I’ve come to read facts about grains including oats. Although they come from the same plant, they are produced and cooked in different ways.
Oats are categorized into two: rolled oats and steel-cut oats.
Rolled oats are made by toasting, hulling and steaming whole oats and flattening them with giant rollers. This process makes a drastic change in the texture of the oats, shortens cooking time, and extends their shelf life.
Old fashioned oats and quick oats are types of rolled oats. They are processed by steaming oats and flattened by rollers.
Difference Between Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats
The similarity between old fashioned and quick oats is that they both belong to the same oat category: they are both rolled oats. It’s pretty hard to differentiate these types of oats by appearance alone, but the main difference between old fashioned rolled oats vs quick oats is in the way they are processed and their cooking time. Let’s find more below:
What are Old Fashioned Oats?
These are oat groats that are steamed for a short period of time and then rolled. These are also called traditional oats. Cooking time for rolled oats runs from 5-20 minutes if using a stove and 2-5 minutes if using a microwave.
Old fashioned oats:
What are Quick Oats?
Quick oats are a type of rolled oats but have a quicker cooking time. Production-wise, oats are steamed longer and rolled thinner to produce quick oats, thus, they are softer, smoother and less chewy when cooked. Cooking time for quick oats is about 1-2 minutes.
Quick oats:
Common Uses
Old fashioned oats are commonly used to make oatmeal, oat milk, pancake, and granola bars to name a few. Oatmeal using old fashioned oats should be cooked in boiling water with a cooking time of about 5-20 minutes.
Quick oats on the other hand are mostly used to make smoothies, pancakes, granola, cookies and other baked goods. When using quick oats for oatmeal, you can just add hot water and cover it for a few minutes. Cooking time for quick oats is about 1-2 minutes.
What’s the Difference Between Old Fashioned Oatmeal vs Rolled Oats?
The difference between old fashioned oatmeal vs rolled oats is that old fashioned oatmeal is a porridge made from old fashioned oats which is a type of rolled oats, whereas rolled oats are the general term for oats that are toasted, hulled and steamed and flattened using giant rollers.
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats: Health Benefits
Oats of all types are healthier alternatives to white rice or bread as part of our staple diet. They are best known for their soluble fiber content called beta-glucan which helps in reducing the risks of heart diseases.
Oats as an anti-aging ingredient
Whole oats are rich in antioxidants that protect our cells from free radical damage. Oats contain avenanthramides, an antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure levels by increasing the production of nitric oxide.
Oats help to reduce weight
oatmeal is a very filling food that can satiate you by eating just a single serving. Topped with fresh fruits, you will easily feel full thus, reducing your desire to eat more. By delaying the time it takes your stomach to empty of food, the fiber content called the beta-glucan in oatmeal may increase your feeling of fullness.
Best for people with gluten intolerance
Oats are naturally gluten-free, except those overly processed (most instant oats already have sugar content, best to check the labels first). For those who have celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities, choose oat products that are certified as gluten-free.
Nutrient Content per Serving
The nutritional value per 100 grams or (3.5 ounces) of raw oats is:
389 kcal, 16.9 g protein. 66.6 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 10.6 g fiber, 6.9 g fat and 8% of water.
Bottom Line
There is still a lot to know about oats and it gets more interesting the more we talk about them. There are many recipes you can make out of oats which is quite exciting because not only will it satisfy your taste buds but it will also satiate your gut and most importantly, will give you the best nutrients we cannot get from other processed foods.
Just remember that whatever their differences are, it is no doubt that oats of all types are very nutritious and should be part of your diet starting today (if you haven’t yet!).