Steel-cut oats vs. rolled oats: Which one is better for weight loss?

When you think of a healthy and hearty breakfast, oatmeal is among the first foods that come to our mind. Easy to make and delicious, there cannot be anything better than a steaming hot bowl of oats topped with crunchy nuts and fruits or vegetables.

Prepared from raw oat groats, these cereal grains are available in different forms in the grocery store. They are generally rolled or crushed to make oatmeal or ground into fine flour for baking purposes. The nutrient content of this popular porridge item depends on the way it is processed. Here we have tried to understand the difference between the two most common types of oats: steel cut vs rolled oats.

Steel-cut oats also known as Irish oatmeal is a less processed form of oats and is more like the raw unprocessed oat groat. For this, the oats are just chopped into pieces with steel blades. Steel-cut oats are more coarse, chewy and nuttier as compared to other types of oats. Moreover, it takes about 15-30 minutes to prepare these kinds of oats. So they are soaked beforehand to reduce the cooking time.

Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, go through more processing. They go through streaming and the flattening process, which makes them softer and give a mild flavour. Rolled oats are heavily processed, so it takes less time to cook them and it is not even required to soak them. It just takes 2-5 minutes to prepare a bowl of rolled oats. These kinds of oats can also be used to prepare different food items like cookies, cakes, muffins and bread.

The nutrient content of both steel-cut and rolled oats are more or less the same. As steel cut oats are less processed they contain more nutrients than rolled ones. 50 grams of steel-cut oats contains 37 grams of carbs, 9 grams protein and 0 gram sugar, while rolled oats contain 38 grams of carbs, 8 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar.

Both types of oats contain more or less the same amount of nutrients. But if you are looking for a healthier version then steel-cut is better as they are less processed and contain minimum chemicals. If you are particularly trying to shed kilos, steel-cut oats are better as they contain a high amount of fiber. The fiber content in it can keep you fuller for a longer time and control cravings for unhealthy food items. Eating fiber-rich food also improves the count of healthy gut bacteria. Moreover, they may have a lower glycemic index than rolled one. That means the body absorbs them slowly without spiking the blood sugar level. Due to these reasons, steel-cut oats are better options for those trying to shed kilos or suffering from diabetes.