Cold cereal is a common breakfast choice. However, cold cereals are often filled with sugar and worse–corn syrup. Steel-cut oatmeal is a far better option. These essential grains are inherently full of nutritional value and are high in B-vitamins, calcium, protein and fiber while low in salt and unsaturated fat. One cup of steel-cut oatmeal contains 8 g of insoluble fiber.
According to the USDA, whole grains reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure and even help prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Whole grains also help flush fat and cholesterol out of your system and provide powerful antioxidants that help you stay healthier, look younger, and live longer.
Even though cooking traditional steel-cut oats can take between 30 and 40 minutes, there are instant options offering only five minutes of prep time.
The alternative and convenient flavored oatmeal is not an option. A generic packet of apple cinnamon oatmeal packs 12.4 g of sugar, 170 mg of salt and only 2.8 g of fiber. To counter this point, one might argue it has a bit more flavor than the standard steel-cut oat. Touché, but there are several things you can do to spice up your oats like adding blueberries, walnuts, cinnamon, and honey or real maple syrup.
For those who are more adventurous try this recipe from Precision Nutrition, a cookbook that takes you through good foods and bad foods and helps you plan your meals. There are many other variations in the cookbook, but this recipe (Blueberry Almond Coconut Steel-Cut Oats) is sure to be a hit. Enjoy!
16 responses so far ↓
1 ron cameron // Jul 30, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Good to learn more about the nutritional
benefits of steel-cut oats….I suppose they
are worth the extra cost. Oats are so
versatile…you can mix them with almost
anything from apricots, apples, & almonds
to zinc …good & good for you!!
2 Kat // Feb 17, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I recently learned that one can cook steel cut oatmeal in a crockpot over night, and not have the waiting time, and big mess in the morning to deal with.
In a glass bowl place 1 cup steel cut oatmeal, with 4 cups water. Place in crockpot. Fill water into crock pot, up to the level of water in the bowl with the steel cut oatmeal. Cover crockpot, cook on low, and the oatmeat will be ready in the morning! No spill over on the stove, or pan with oatmeal glue to deal with in the morning! The oatmeal keeps well for a few days in the fridge, for a quick nutrituous breakfast without the mess.
3 Marty // Apr 30, 2009 at 6:23 am
Another option for reducing cooking time. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, take it off the heat and add 1 cup of steel cut oats. Cover and let it sit overnight. Next morning only requires a little more water and 8-10 minutes of simmering to finish it off. So great! Add some honey or maple syrup and fresh fruit. Sometimes I will even mix it up with some fruit flavoured yogurt – tastes great!
The other thing with the instant oats which makes the steel cut so much better is that they strip out all the good stuff in the instant oatmeal. It has been rolled and they add all kinds of chemicals to make it get sticky and cook faster.
4 j // Jun 23, 2009 at 6:26 am
um your articles calls them whole grain groats at one point. Might want to spell check. But great article overall!
5 Crissy // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:45 am
Trader Joes sells steel cut oats for under $5…they are pre-cooked and require only 5-8 minutes on the stovetop or MICROWAVE!!! I’ve tried both methods and found no difference in texture or taste. Just be sure to use a large bowl because the oats tend to bubble up quite a bit.
I ususally add frozen blueberries or strawberries to the steel cut oats for flavor. The hot oats melt the frozen fruit into a yummy glaze. No sugar needed! Top off with chopped almonds or cashews. Mmmmmm!!!
6 Anna // Jul 30, 2009 at 6:24 am
I add ground flax seed to my oats in the morning, just to up the fiber content. You don’t notice the difference in texture, since the oats are already so hearty. But you do notice the difference in digestion!
7 Charlize // Aug 1, 2009 at 4:55 am
“Groats” refers to a hulled grain such as oats, wheat, barley, or buckwheat (Kashi), so the reference was correct. Great tips on speeding up the process.
8 Denise // Sep 26, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I cook a 1 and 1/2 cup batch of steel cut oats and ladel individual servings into a 12 cup muffin tin. Then I freeze for several hours, remove each serving from the muffin tins and freeze in freezer bags. When I want a serving I pop one into the microwave for 2 minutes, the nadd a splash of low fat milk. Sometimes I add peanut butter or cinnamon. Yum.
9 Denise // Sep 26, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I cook a 1 and 1/2 cup batch of steel cut oats and ladel individual servings into a 12 cup muffin tin. Then I freeze for several hours, remove each serving from the muffin tins and freeze in freezer bags. When I want a serving I pop one into the microwave for 2 minutes, then add a splash of low fat milk. Sometimes I add peanut butter or cinnamon. Yum.
10 Jeff // Nov 9, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I buy a big tub of steel cut oats (real inexpensive at Target) and cook the entire thing in one big batch. Then I spoon the cooked oats into muffin trays that have been sprayed with non-stick spray, then cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer. The next day when they’re frozen I pop ‘em out of the trays, put them in a giant freezer bag, then put back in the freezer. It’s an easy way to make about 24 convenient 1-cup ready-to-microwave servings.
11 Annie Fage // Nov 21, 2009 at 1:14 am
I mix a little ‘Splenda’ in my steel cut oats. Try it for a healthy sweet treat.
12 Kay beck // Jan 6, 2010 at 4:09 am
I cook regular steel cut oats in the microwave. Yes, it takes 25 minutes but if you start them and then go shower etc. it will be done to perfection when you are ready to eat. I use 1/4 cup oats and 1 cup water. Put right in bowl that I use for eating (soup bowl works well) and set microwave for 25 minutes at half power. works great and only the bowl to wash. Try it………
13 Holly // Jan 21, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I cook up a big pot of steel cut oats and spoon them into individual size containers. I then saute up some diced apples, cinnamon, and a bit of water in a pan. Let it cool, spoon some on top of the oatmeal, and freeze. I heat it up in the morning for breakfast, bring it to work with me for a snack, and sometimes even eat it for lunch. Steel cut oats are super cheap at Trader Joes. I used to buy the oatmeal at Jamba Juice, but found that the apple topping is too sugary for my tastes, though the oatmeal is divine. I save a LOT of money making it myself, and it’s healthy!
14 Joe // Jan 8, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Cut up some banana slices in the bottom of the bowl and sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top then pour over oatmeal. I even add a little lowfat milk over the top as well.
15 Patti Erickson // Jan 14, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I add a bit of Butter and replace the milk with , cream( 1 TBS or so , a little Raw honey and cinnamon !!! it is a fabulous and nutritious breakfast !!!
16 michelle forist // May 4, 2012 at 10:27 am
I put 85% dark chocolate in my steel cut oats. I also add peanut butter, low fat milk, and organic maple syrup to sweeten. YUMMY! and very healthy
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