The Differences Between Rolled Oats and Quick Oats

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day for a reason. This is the meal that replenishes your glucose supply by filling you with much-needed energy through the right type of food. By having a healthy breakfast, you’ll be replenishing your body with the most needed nutrients essential for having good health. And a good day for that matter! Speaking of a good and healthy breakfast, let’s say a few words about the most popular and favoured breakfast of all – oatmeal.

What Are Oats?

Oats are a whole-grain cereal that is a great source of fibre. It’s high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and beta glucan which are great for improving your immune system. The antioxidants contained in oat are considered crucial for protecting the heart from heart disease because they can provide your body with a great source of avenanthramides.

There are several benefits of oats you can reap if you consume them on a daily basis. Their availability in different forms makes everything easier. Out of all the types, natural rolled and quick oats are among the most commonly used.

What Are Natural Rolled Oats?

Also known as the old-fashioned oats, healthy natural oats are one of the best options because they’re gluten-free and not contaminated when growing. These oats, in particular, are made by steaming the oat groats and cooking them just a little before they are pressed in the mill.

The secret behind this cooking/steaming procedure lies in the fact that afterwards they won’t crack when pressed in the mill. Thanks to this, the natural oats keep their basic oval shape which most of us adore. But what makes them different from the rest? Are natural rolled oats good for you?

The truth is that by processing the oats that way, they retain all of their healthy oils. So aside from being more beneficial, this way of processing also keeps them fresher for a more extended period of time. It’s said that after opening, rolled oats can stay fresh for up to nine months. Being cooked previously allows you to eat them immediately without having to make them overnight which is the case with preparing regular oats.

What Are Quick Oats?

When compared to rolled oats, natural quick oats are more processed than rolled oats in order to cook faster, hence the name. Just like making rolled oats, these oats are also steamed prior to pressing but for a longer period of time. This means that they’re cooked entirely, and after that, they’re dried and then pressed.

The main difference between these two types of oats, aside from the cooking time, is that quick oats can’t retain their texture as well as rolled oats. This means that they have greater power in absorbing liquid quickly which some of you consider better when wanting a fast to prepare breakfast.

When compared, both of these oats have almost the same properties, but because quick oats are being processed for a longer period of time, it’s said that their glycaemic index (GI) is higher which makes rolled oats healthier option.

The higher the glycaemic index, the higher the chances of raising your blood glucose levels. So, in order to stay on the safe side of this story, it would be best if you choose rolled organic oats over quick oats to keep your blood sugar balanced.

Easy Way to Make Rolled Oats

Pour 1 cup of water/milk into a saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Add ½ cup of rolled oats and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes with occasional stirring. When done, remove them from heat, allow to cool down for a few minutes and then serve them.

You can do the same thing in the microwave when in a rush. Of course, this is the most basic way of making oatmeal. There are many other recipes that you could try to improve their taste. All of this is possible by mixing and matching different ingredients.

Easy Way to Make Quick Oats

Cooking quick oatmeal can be done the same way as cooking rolled organic oats on a stovetop and microwave. The only difference is in the time prep. Given the fact that quick oats are more processed, cooking them is way faster, so you’ll need about 2-3 minutes to cook them on the stovetop and 1-2 minutes in the microwave which is a few minutes faster than cooking the rolled counterpart.

The most important thing to know when cooking both rolled and quick oats is not to over-stir them. You can do that occasionally as mentioned above, otherwise, you risk making them mushy and with a bad texture. If wanting to obtain protein from milk, it’s recommended to add milk after the oats have been cooked in water. Coking them with milk may turn the oats into a sticky paste.