Stovetop Oatmeal vs microwave.

[T.J.T]

I overheard someone mention cooking oats on a stovetop is better then microwaving them. I did a search and read pleanty of people say dont get instant oats, but no one really said why.

Do you lose something from microwaving your oatmeal? I guess one could assume cooking the "old fasion" way always seems to be better, but even with oalmeal? Why must healthy always = to more time

 

[MikeMartial]

I overheard someone mention cooking oats on a stovetop is better then microwaving them. I did a search and read pleanty of people say dont get instant oats, but no one really said why.

Do you lose something from microwaving your oatmeal? I guess one could assume cooking the "old fasion" way always seems to be better, but even with oalmeal? Why must healthy always = to more time

Oats are oats; it's how much they are processed. The more "instant" they are, the higher the GI becomes. Steel-cut oats are recommended not because they are a different kind of oats, but because they are less processed, thus take longer to digest, and thus have a lower GI.

Also, packaged instant oatmeal has a shwack of sugar added, most times.

 

[Saith]

Also, when people talk about instant oats they are talking about the flavored stuff that comes in pouches, not the one-minute quick oats you can get in the tub.

 

[T.J.T]

Also, when people talk about instant oats they are talking about the flavored stuff that comes in pouches, not the one-minute quick oats you can get in the tub.

Yeah i guess im guilty of this, i just bought a box today, and checked, there is 6g of sugur per pouch, so i dont think thats too crazy. I guess ill have to get the better oatmeal next time.

I dont mean to sound like a noob when i ask these questions, there just seems to be something new about food i think that is healthy that i can change. I thought when i was buying oatmeal i was eating healthy, little did i know theres is healthier oatmeal out there. i appreciate the feedback though.

One more thing, can steel-cut oats be microwaved? i have no problem with the taste or texture of oatmeal, i just bought the "packaged" stuff because it was more convenient.

 

[MikeMartial]

I dont mean to sound like a noob when i ask these questions, there just seems to be something new about food i think that is healthy that i can change. I thought when i was buying oatmeal i was eating healthy, little did i know theres is healthier oatmeal out there. i appreciate the feedback though.

No worries; sometimes, changing your dietary habits that you've had for years can be hard work. Plus, sometimes, what you thought was healthy was not. Nutrition is ever-evolving, so trying to stay on top of it can be overwhelming.

That's the beauty of Sherdog D&S---we are all here to learn and share.

 

[erco]

Just to clarify, there are a variety of Oat products out there, here's a list of the type processed enough for human consumption:

Steel-cut Oats (Irish Oats) - oats that've been hulled and cut/halved with a steel blade. They're minimally processed, barely enough to make them edible. They take the longest to cook, and pretty much require you to cook them stove-top for ~30 minutes. They'll have a chewier texture, and sometimes will "pop" when you eat them.

Rolled Oats - Hulled oats that, instead of being cut with a steel blade, they've been pressed flat by a large wheels. They're very flat, and cook relatively fast. You can nuke them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and have pretty decent oatmeal, or you can cook them stove top. These are your basic Quaker oats.

"Quick" Oats - similar to the above, they're pressed flatter (iirc) and are partially cooked (blanched) so that they cook very, very fast. Tossing them in the microwave for 1 minute generally works well enough. Again, like normal rolled oats, Quaker makes these with "QUICK" written on the tube.

Instant Oatmeal - hulled oat groats that've been milled into powder. This is the stuff that you see in the pre-packaged supermarket variety packs. They're the most processed, and cook ridiculously fast, and are the least healthy for you.

 

[noobloser]

Thanks erco that helps a lot.

So am I reading it right that there's only a minimal difference between steel-cut oats and the rolled oats that I eat?

 

[T.J.T]

Just to clarify, there are a variety of Oat products out there, here's a list of the type processed enough for human consumption:

Steel-cut Oats (Irish Oats) - oats that've been hulled and cut/halved with a steel blade. They're minimally processed, barely enough to make them edible. They take the longest to cook, and pretty much require you to cook them stove-top for ~30 minutes. They'll have a chewier texture, and sometimes will "pop" when you eat them.

Rolled Oats - Hulled oats that, instead of being cut with a steel blade, they've been pressed flat by a large wheels. They're very flat, and cook relatively fast. You can nuke them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and have pretty decent oatmeal, or you can cook them stove top. These are your basic Quaker oats.

"Quick" Oats - similar to the above, they're pressed flatter (iirc) and are partially cooked (blanched) so that they cook very, very fast. Tossing them in the microwave for 1 minute generally works well enough. Again, like normal rolled oats, Quaker makes these with "QUICK" written on the tube.

Instant Oatmeal - hulled oat groats that've been milled into powder. This is the stuff that you see in the pre-packaged supermarket variety packs. They're the most processed, and cook ridiculously fast, and are the least healthy for you.

+1 thank you, in other threads i saw people referring to diffrent types of oats, this basicly makes it as dummy proof for me to select my oats next time.

thanks

 

[Goth_Judoka]

Lol, I do neither...

1/2cup steel cut oatmeal+frozen berries+ organic whole milk....put in fridge before going to bed, take out in the morning, enjoy.

 

[T.J.T]

Lol, I do neither...

1/2cup steel cut oatmeal+frozen berries+ organic whole milk....put in fridge before going to bed, take out in the morning, enjoy.

So oats are fine to eat without cooking? this would actualy be really ideal, i could even take with a snack like yogurt or something like you mentioned. Do they need to be washed or just buy them and you can eat them, or should they soak in something like you are doing to get softer?

 

[theNuge]

I still think the easiest way to eat oats is to grind them with a coffee grinder and blend them into a shake.

 

[Goth_Judoka]

So oats are fine to eat without cooking? this would actualy be really ideal, i could even take with a snack like yogurt or something like you mentioned. Do they need to be washed or just buy them and you can eat them, or should they soak in something like you are doing to get softer?

Yes, you don't have to cook them. I used to do that, mix unflavored yogurt with oatmeal as a snack. I don't think you have to wash them, and I've eaten them out of the package a la natural.

 

[TX911]

put the raw oats in a bowl of water, let em sit for a few minutes to soften, eat em up

 

[GhostDog]

The first time I tried steel cut oats, I microwaved them. Did this for a few weeks. I finally decided to them cook them on the stove to see the difference. Game over. The difference is night, and day. I'll never microwave steel cut oats again.

I'll also eat bulk rolled/quick oats on a occasion. I'll just mix a protein shake, throw it in the bowl with the oats, and frozen berries, and just let them soak for a few minutes. Got this tip from a t-nation article.

 

[ronin0352]

I still think the easiest way to eat oats is to grind them with a coffee grinder and blend them into a shake.

Boy do I feel dumb. :redface: I've tried putting them in my shake in the blender and always end up having to choke the last few ounces down. I never thought of putting them in the coffee grinder that is literally inches from the blender on my counter.

 

[theNuge]

Boy do I feel dumb. :redface: I've tried putting them in my shake in the blender and always end up having to choke the last few ounces down. I never thought of putting them in the coffee grinder that is literally inches from the blender on my counter.

I've been there. I posted a question on Sherdog asking a better way to get the oats to blend and someone suggested the coffee grinder. It was a godsend the first time I did it.

 

[FIGHTING TALK]

I only buy and consume rolled oats. They are the way!

 

[GhostDog]

I've been there. I posted a question on Sherdog asking a better way to get the oats to blend and someone suggested the coffee grinder. It was a godsend the first time I did it.

I just buy oat flour in bulk.

 

[TopCat]

I'll also eat bulk rolled/quick oats on a occasion. I'll just mix a protein shake, throw it in the bowl with the oats, and frozen berries, and just let them soak for a few minutes. Got this tip from a t-nation article.

Shit yeah. That's genius. It's like b-fast cereal, except good.

 

[FIGHTING TALK]

I have also often thrown in a handful of oats with whichever cereal I am having, it works especially well with muesli, seems to make it taste loads better, I know theres already plenty of oats in there but they will have been sitting in the box with all the other ingredients, putting fresh oats in too just works for me