Rolled Oats and Steel Cut Oats – Is There a Difference?
Comments(46)
With today’s health-conscious athletes, there are many debates over which food is healthier. The arguments even break down as far as, “which oat is healthier?”
What I have seen recently is a trend towards steel cut oats instead of the more common rolled oats. Just look for debates about oats on any blog or forum and you’re bound to find some people harping about how rolled oats suck and steel cut oats are the healthy option.
So today I’m here to dispel the myth that somehow one oat is healthier than the other! Let’s start by looking at these different types of oats…
There are three basic types of oats. There are old-fashioned rolled oats, which are whole oats rolled flat. Then there are quick oats, which are rolled oats that have been ground up a little bit more to make them cook faster. Finally, there are the steel cut oats, where the whole raw oat was cut into smaller chunks.
They all start from the same grains, but they are cut differently. Rolled oats are steamed slightly to make them cook faster, but otherwise, they aren’t any different from steel cut oats.
The extra processing isn’t a big deal, because you have to remember this process called digestion where you break down food to absorb it. So these oats are all the same once they get past your mouth.
So you see, rolled oats and steel cut oats are the same food, just cut differently. Saying they’re different in nutritional value is like saying a sandwich cut straight down the middle is healthier than a sandwich sliced diagonally into triangles!
But let’s compare the oats to see what all the differences are…
Oats Comparison
While the oats are virtually the same thing, there are a few key differences.
Look – Rolled oats look like a big flake, like the oat was rolled flat lengthwise. Steel cut oats look like a whole oat cut in half. So the steel cut oats definitely look like a freshly picked oat from the farm.
If you’ve even been in a field with oats growing there, or bought whole oats in a feed store for farm animals, you’ll recognize the steel cut oats.
Steel cut oats look a little like wild rice once cooked.
Taste – Steel cut oats have a sort of “nutty” flavor that rolled oats lack. But the big difference is with texture…
Texture – Steel cut oats are definitely chewier – it takes a while to chew each bite. “Chewy” sums up the steel cut oat texture quite well.
Amount of Processing – If there is one area where steel cut oats have a slight health edge, it’s the lack of processing. Both types of oats are cut, but the rolled oats are steamed (which cuts down cooking time later.)
So there is a chance steel cut oats contain slightly more vitamins and minerals, but don’t fret – even rolled oats contain the entire oat grain. You’re not losing valuable parts of the grain (bran and germ) like you would with white bread.
And don’t forget – steel cut oats need cooked for quite a while, while rolled oats are pre-cooked and ready to eat right out of the canister. So whatever advantage steel cut oats have is lost, unless you can somehow eat them uncooked.
Except if you were to eat them uncooked, you probably wouldn’t digest them, meaning you’d get more nutrients from the rolled oats!
Serving Size – Typically, a serving is 1/4 cup for steel cut oats, which are more dense than rolled oats, which have a 1/2 cup serving size. It’s the same amount of oats in weight, but not volume, since a rolled oat takes up more space.
The steel cut oats will also expand more when cooked, since they will absorb more water than the rolled oats.
Cooking Time – Quick oats are quick; whole rolled oats take a bit longer; then a lot longer for steel cut oats. For one serving, we’re talking 1 minute, 2-3 minutes, and 4-6 minutes, respectively.
Usually I cook a whole pan of steel cut oats at once, and that takes 15-20 minutes.
Nutrients – Let’s compare the Quaker Steel Cut Oats to Quaker Rolled Oats.
1/4 cup of Quaker steel cut oats:
Calories – 150
Fat – 2.5g
Carbs – 27g
Fiber – 4g
Sugar – 1g
Protein – 5g
1/2 cup of Quaker old fashioned oats and quick oats:
Calories – 150
Fat – 3g
Carbs – 27g
Fiber – 4g
Sugar – 1g
Protein – 5g
The label is virtually identical for all three types; the only difference is half a gram of fat.
Glycemic Index – I have seen steel cut oats rated at 42 and rolled oats rated at 50 on the Glycemic Index. Both would be considered “low” and therefore neither is a huge threat to spiking your blood sugar.
Pricing and Availability – The only real downfall with steel cut oats is the price. Sticking with the Quaker brand: 18oz rolled oats are about $1.89, while 24oz of their steel cut oats are $4.99. I prefer the Arrowhead Mills steel cut oats, which are around $3.59 for 24oz.
(You can save money by purchasing the oats in bulk, if that’s an option at your local store.)
Due to the hefty price tag, steel cut oats are hard to find. You’ll need to look at smaller retailers and specialty health stores.
The Results
The main differences between the oats are texture and cooking time. The health benefits are virtually identical.
Therefore, my advice is to eat whichever oats you like the best!
Personally, I like both. If I want a chewy bowl of oats with a nutty flavor, I’ll have steel cut oats. But if I’m making a bowl of cinnamon raisin oatmeal, I’ll stick with quick oats.
In most circumstances, I’ll actually stick with regular rolled oats instead of steel cut oats. I like the taste just as much, and they’re cheaper and quicker to cook.
The two types are noticeably different in taste, so you’ll have to try both. It’s quite possible you’ll gravitate toward one or the other.
But remember: whether you’re eating steel cut oats, old fashioned rolled oats, or quick oats, they’re all good. Just avoid “instant oatmeal,” which is the kind that comes in the little pouches, already mixed with sugar, salt, and artificial flavors.
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Great comparison of the two. Thanks.
Thanks for the comparison, very helpful. Is there a difference in price? Where can I find steel cut oats?
@Keeli
I forgot about that, I’ll have to add “price” to the article. Steel cut oats are much, much more expensive!
I usually get my steel cut oats at Wegman’s, as well as smaller, local health food stores. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s may carry them as well. (Don’t expect to find them at Wal-Mart.)
Although it may be true that there is not a significant difference between the nutritional content of rolled oats versus steel cut it is important to note that it is not the same as the difference between how you cut your sandwich.
A sandwich cut across or in triangles is the same but cut differently, however oats lightly steamed and rolled begin to lose nutritional content in this process. The sandwich is an assembled product of various ingredients and it is eaten right away(usually). Steel cut oats also lose nutrients compared to the whole oat but at a slower rate as they are not steamed and also not crushed, exposing more of the nutrients to the air. One of the main benefits of oats is the B vitamins which suffer most at the expense of the steam process.
Finally, would you rather eat a sandwich you make and cut in half, or one that is made somewhere and packaged and bought by you at some later date. That is the real difference between rolled oats and steel cut oats.
If that is a big difference in your estimation, the best alternative is to buy whole oats and a grinder or roller to prepare your own. Depending on the quantity of oats you consume that is a cost effective alternative in the long run.
This is not an educated comparison of the 2 types of Oats as every time you process a food further you lose nutrition. Rolling the Oats flat makes some of the Bran come off of the Oats and the Oat Bran is the most nutritious part of the Oat. Also
Less Processed = More Nutritious
I don’t see how someone could see this simple Fact differently!!!
@BigMak
You’re forgetting that steel cut oats need cooked eventually. So the fact is, if rolled oats lose nutrients when cooked, so do steel cut oats.
Also, remember physics: “Matter is neither created nor destroyed.” So unless there is some advanced bran extraction process that sucks out the bran dust from the rest of the ground-up oats, I’m willing to bet the bran is still there.
hi,i love to have quacker old fashioned rolled oats. i bought one box from costco. it was written as old fashoin oats but it is not a rolled oats. i was disappointted .i think it has both steel cut and powder oats. so now how to buy rolled oats made by quacker .
You missed one of the big differences and that would be the glycemic index. The slower your body processes food the longer it takes to run your blood sugar up.
I buy steel cut oats at Winco (a west coast store) in the bulk section and it is very cost effective.
@Sue
Good point, I should add that in.
I have seen steel cut oats rated at 42 and rolled oats rated at 50. Both would be considered “low” on the Glycemic Index.
Steel cut and old fashioned rolled have the exact same nutrional value. The only reason we’ve been leaning toward rolled is less cooking time and cost. Both are excellent!
@k80jr
Yep, I like both, but I eat rolled oats much more often due to that!
GOOD COMPARISION.
CAN YOU GIVE ME THE REFERENCES WHERE YOU GET THE INFORMATION? THANK YOU
@Amelia
Thanks.
I referenced the Nutrition Facts labels on Quaker Oats canisters for the comparison data.
I’m eating oats right now…delicious! Thank you for the info. I’m looking to cut some weight, so next time I buy oats, it will be steel cut. A half gram more fat for the regular? No thank you.
I have found honeyville grain to have the best prices on steel cut oats – $10 for a 70 oz can and the quality is excellent. They also offer a wide variety of other grain items as well as freeze dried fruits.
@Lanel
Great find! Honeyville Grain looks like a great wholesale source where consumers can also order.
Here’s the link to the 70oz can of oats:
http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/steelcutoatscan.aspx
I have also found some local wholesalers (who don’t sell online) that offer great prices on bulk steel cut oats.
Thanks for summing up this debate. As a recently diagnosed diabetic I wonder if there is a significant difference in the glycemic load of the two as the glycemic index can be deceiving and cooking time impacts the load for most grains.
We had a very serious discussion over quick oats and steel cut oats during a manager meeting at our restaurant. We had received several customer comments that our oatmeal sucked and steel cut oats were better….your article proved my point that in a kitchen situation, time is our enemy and the quick oats are better for us because our guests want their food quick in the am, and although we use about 80# of oatmeal a week, it seems we analyze our cooking technique, to avoid the mushiness people disapprove of. What I find striking is that although the nutritional profile are very similar, it is amazing how the cost is nearly six times the price of regular quick oats. Great info, thanks for being here…
Chef BBB
@Chef Bob
Great comment, thanks.
The price really is funny, especially considering the processing. If there is less processing involved with steel cut oats, why do you have to spend more money?!
My husband tried a “fancy brand” of steel cut oats tonight and proclaimed that he was done with pressed oats. Can I really spend nearly an hour a day making this? Maybe he just has “fancy brand syndrom” and I will purchase another brand of steel cut oats for a blind taste comparison.
Thank you for your insight.
@Amy
I haven’t found a taste difference between expensive steel cut oats and the cheaper ones you can get in bulk, but many people do give up rolled oats once they try steel cut!
Tip: Make a big pot of steel cut oats on the weekend and refrigerate the leftovers so you don’t have to cook them every day.
Costco is now carrying organic steel cut oats at way cheap. I found them last week. this article is correct in naming texture as the most obvious difference.
I couldn’t stand oatmeal until I tried the steel cut. The texture is wonderful! A little nutty, a little chewy, and it’s the perfect breakfast for a cold morning. I buy them in bulk at Whole Foods and store them in an airtight canister.
Amy: It doesn’t take an hour. Rule of thumb is a 4:1 ratio. 4 cups water 1 cup steel-cut oats (plus a pinch of salt if you want) and cook for about twenty minutes. They’re pretty durable so you don’t have to do a low simmer, just a gentle boil.
I’ve tried Odlums (sp?) but the bulk ones at Whole Foods are just fine.
Are steel cut oats really more expensive when you use half as much? I make them in a small crockpot overnight with 1 cup steel cut oats,water, skim milk, cinnamon stick, tbsp. brown sugar and raisins. This makes 7 servings and my husband and I just reheat them every morning.
If I were using rolled oats, 7 servings would take 3 1/2 C. oatmeal.
In my local Kroger’s store, I buy Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats at a decent price.
I was wondering if there is a difference between steel cut oats and oats cut with a millstone. I have been buying some that are from Scotland cut with a millstone and think I read somewhere that they hold their nutrition better because the steel heats up and that process burns some of it out. Do you have any idea about this?
The cost difference would come from economics. Rolled oats are much more common and sold in much larger quantities than steel cut oates. Supply and demand, just like anything else. A lot of people have never even heard of steel cut.
The same reason why blank cd’s are more expensive than blank DVD’s now.
We purchase the 50lbs bag from Honeyvgrain for a little over $1/lb (includes shipping anywhere in the USA) and store the bag in a freezer. Like others, we precook in batches of 8 cups water/2 cups oats, refrigerate then microwave as needed. Delicious.
We have a local discount food market that sells many items in bulk including whole oat groats as well as steel cut oats. Current price is $0.57/lb. From what I have read,this is a pretty good price.
Also, if you like rice, lentils, beans, and other grains, I would recommend investing in a good rice cooker. My husband bought a Sanyo for me last Christmas and the porridge setting is great for all kinds of oatmeal.
another health benefit for people concerned with insulin levels is the steel cut has a lower glycemic index
I’m going to try steel cut oats. Hopefully i cand them at Shaw’s. Perhaps a rice cooker might help in the cooking process.
The only thing I would add to the discussion on oats is that if you are trying to lose body fat, there is a difference in the amount of energy your body will expend in order to digest the different kinds of oats mentioned. This process starts in the mouth with the action of chewing with a coarse oat like the steel cut oats.
Yes steel cut take longer to cook but I cook a large batch at night and then store them in the refrigerator. For the next few mornings I take out a portion and microwave it….instant pleasure.
Hi,
We have been eating old fashioned rolled oats for a number of years now, but just recently switched to steel cut oats. We really enjoy the nutty flavor.
You can soak your steel cut oats the night before and leave it on the stove overnight. Use 4 parts of healthy water and 1 part of oats.
First bring the water to a boil then add oats, stir until it boils again then cover and set aside. When you do it this way it only takes 10 minutes to cook slowly in the morning.
Add some soaked chia seeds, a drop or 2 of Stevia, a little Cinamon, a spoon of Extra Virgin Coconut oil or a small amount of real butter (Organic Valley)and you have yourself a powerhouse of nutrition that will keep you satisfied.
QUOTE:
Less Processed = More Nutritious
I don’t see how someone could see this simple Fact differently!!!
/ENDQUOTE
@BigMak-
This is not necessarily true. Tomatoes, for instance, gain a greater amount of bioavailable lycopene (an antioxidant found in tomatoes). It’s true, processing can chemically change certain vitamins into a useless substance, but sometimes processing can convert nutrients into a form that is easily digestible by humans, effectively increasing its nutrition.
Certain foods are more healthy when unprocessed, and certain foods are more healthy when processed. Unless you feel like figuring out which is which and develop a diet that abides by this, you’re probably better off appreciating that the difference is negligible and just eating what you like
My favorite steel-cut oatmeal is McCann’s Irish Oatmeal in the metal can. (And the empty cans are great for small parts or even other foods.) Hodgson Mill steel cut oats are good too, and more available, at least where I live. I eat rolled oats, (Quaker or store-brand, makes no difference) but when I have the time I prefer steel cut because 1) I like the nutty flavor and texture, and 2) I feel like they keep me feeling full much longer!
I just bought steel cut oats and they do have a nutty flavor. I live in northern Indiana, and there is a large Amish community in this area. There is a Amish store a mile away from me that carries bulk foods, and they have steel cut oats. I paid $2.06 for 2lbs 32oz. I doubt if it is a name brand oat, but they carry high quality food, and they had a great taste.
If I’m reading the above correctly, it looks like you get the same nutrition from 1/4 cup of steel cut oats as from 1/2 cup of rolled oats. Doesn’t that mean that 1/4 cup of rolled oats only has half the nutritional value as rolled oats? That would seem to indicate that the steel cut oats are better. Am I missing something?
BTW – I should clarify that I’m looking to get more fiber, so I guess that is what I mean when I say the steel cut oats are better – I can get more fiber in the same serving size.
@Amy
The reason I use 1/4 cup for steel cut oats and 1/2 cup for rolled oats is that those are the standard serving sizes. Steel cut oats expand a lot when you cook them, while rolled oats do not, so it ends up about the same serving size once cooked.
Steel Cut are definitely better for you, the more a natural grain grown from the earth is processed the more nutrients it loses. So go natural, go healthy, cook the darn thing a little longer,,,,whats the big deal! I like mine with fresh or frozen mixed berries.
Steel cut oats only cost more if you buy it pre-packaged. McCann’s costs a small fortune but I get them at Whole Foods for $1.19 a pound. For $10 that would be 8.4 pounds or about 132 ounces. Rolled oats are a little less but for me the steel cuts oats win on the basis of taste and texture. I’ve noticed Quaker is now selling a small container of steel cut oats and I even think I saw them in WalMart, but bulk purchasing is still the most economical way to go.
If steel-cut is closer to the natural grain, why not just use whole oats then? You could probably cook up a batch in the crock pot over night and I bet the nutritional value would be superior to steel-cut …
I was always curious about steel-cut but the price kept me from purchasing. Aldi has the steel-cut now so I bought some – I personally didn’t like the final outcome plus it took over 5 minutes to cook them!
I cook a batch of pearled barley in my crockpot and add about 1/4 cup to my rolled oatmeal and get a wonderful chewy texture with a nutty flavor. I like it better than the steel-cut.
So, if the final result nutritionally is about the same, I’ll stick with my rolled oats and barley mixture, thank you!
Thank you for the information. I have a new Granola recipe that calls for “raw oats” and had no idea what they ment or what the real difference was between oats. Go information-Thank you.
I abhor cooking almost anything on the stove in spite of my really health-minded friends who oppose microwave ovens. I also hate any traditional rolled oats – tried to eat them all my life but could never stomach the texture. Voila! The discovery of steel cut oats which I love. I don’t like the idea of “cooking a batch” in advance and warming them up each day. I’m one person…solution:
1/4 cup steel cut oats in a regular size cereal bowl.
“Eyeball” the amount of water and experiment until you find the consistency you like
Microwave covered (I use a paper plate) for 2 minutes & 30 seconds, power level 7.
And Voila…one bowl to clean, perfectly cooked oats.
I usually put dried cranberries in the oats that will be cooked.
I add walnuts or almonds and warm milk to taste.
Don’t understand all the comments about “cooking time,” the hassle, etc. If you’re not opposed to nuking, nothing could be easier.
One other potential difference between the steel cut oats and the rolled ones is the quality of the fat. The additional processing in the rolled damages more cells and gives the fats more opportunity to oxidize (turn rancid). For instance, while not a perfect comparison, the fats in whole wheat flour start turning rancid within a week of grinding but the wheat berries themselves will keep the fats protected for months on end.
You have expressed my thoughts exactly.
I like them both and eat them both.
I disagree with your cooking time on the steel cut.
They take a little longer than forever.
I now cook up a large batch at one time (about a week’s worth)and it keeps in the fridge until they’re gone.
Big hint here. Let them soak overnight(I actually cook them for about 5 minutes) and finish the next day. Easy.
We have a store brand for the steel cut so it’s not too expensive. Worth it for the more interesting experience.