Steel Cut Oats vs. Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

Every morning I eat Oatmeal of some sort for breakfast and until recently I had only made myself Old Fashioned Oats for breakfast.  For years, I have been told about Steel Cut Oats and to give them a try from a friend and I had yet to try them until last weekend.  So, what is the difference between the Old Fashioned Oats and Steel Cut Oats?

The Basic Difference
Steel Cut Oats and Old Fashioned Oats all come from the same starting phase as oat groats with the outer husks removed.  The biggest difference between the two is that Steel Cut Oats are oat groats that have been cut into two or three pieces so it is practically an unprocessed product.  Rolled or Old-Fashioned Oats are made by steaming and rolling the oat groats to result in faster cooking.  So, when the oats are cooked, you might find you have a different texture depending on which type of oat you go with.

Nutritional Value Info
When it comes to the nutritional value differences, there really is no difference in the amount of calories, protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and protein amounts.  While gathering info for this post, I compared the nutritional value for the Quaker brand of Steel Cut Oats, Old Fashioned Oats and Quaker Quick Oats and other than the serving size, the nutrition facts were exactly the same.


Biggest Difference - Cooking Times
So, what really is the difference then?  Pretty much from what I have figured out, the biggest difference is in the preparation!  Typically you can cook the Old Fashioned Oats in the microwave in 3 minutes or so and the Quick Oats in about a 1 minute or so, BUT the Steel Cut Oats take at least 20-30 minutes on the stove top.  HOWEVER, don't let the cook time scare you!  Do you have a crock pot?  If so, you can put the steel cut oats in the crock pot the night before, cook according to the directions on the package overnight and by the tim
e you wake up the next morning they will be ready!  I did learn that the slower you cook the Steel Cut Oats on a low heat setting, the better they will be.  The first batch of steel cut oats I made I didn't cook slow and low enough and they were extremely chewy!  I made my second batch in the crock pot on the low heat setting for about 9 hours and they turned out GREAT!  Oh yeah, and the BEST thing was when I made the steel cut oats in the crock pot, I made a double batch and have enough for 14 servings + the 1 serving I ate right away.  Now, all I will have to do is put them in the microwave and re-heat.  Within 30 seconds - 1 minute breakfast will be ready!

Each serving that came from the double batch of steel cut oats in the crock pot.

Steel Cut Oats pre-flavored.

To cut down on the calories, I make my oatmeal with water, whether they are Old Fashioned Oats or Steel Cut Oats.  For my mix-ins they depend on my mood, I mix in either frozen or fresh blueberries or strawberries, unsweetened all-natural applesauce, pure pumpkin puree (make sure it IS NOT pumpkin pie filling), honey or stevia, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, nutmeg, all-spice, chia/flax seeds, etc.  The flavor combinations are endless.  I know my picture below may not look the prettiest, but it definitely is quite tasty.

Steel cut oats with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, honey,
chia/flax seeds and pure vanilla extract.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you learned something new today.

~Sarah Strubhar

Independent Team Beachbody Emerald Coach