Steel-Cut vs. Rolled Oats: A Guide to Choosing the Right Option for Your Diet

When deciding between steel-cut oats and rolled oats, the choice ultimately depends on your personal preferences, lifestyle, and nutritional objectives. Both types of oats originate from the same whole grain but differ in their processing methods, which influence their texture, cooking time, and nutritional attributes.

Steel-cut oats, also referred to as Irish oats, are made by chopping the whole oat groat into smaller pieces. This minimal processing results in a distinctive chewy texture and a rich, nutty flavor. While they require a longer cooking time of approximately 20-30 minutes, their lower glycemic index (GI) is a significant advantage. Foods with a lower GI cause a slower rise in blood sugar levels, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals managing diabetes or aiming to maintain steady energy levels throughout the day. Additionally, their dense structure can enhance satiety, making them an excellent choice for those seeking a hearty, satisfying breakfast.

Rolled oats, in contrast, are steamed and flattened into flakes, which significantly reduces their cooking time to just 5-10 minutes. Their softer texture and milder taste make them a versatile ingredient in various recipes, ranging from traditional oatmeal to smoothies, cookies, and granola bars. Despite the increased processing, rolled oats retain a wealth of nutrients, including soluble fiber (notably beta-glucan), essential vitamins like B1, and minerals such as magnesium and iron. This nutrient profile supports heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and promoting digestive well-being.

Both types of oats are rich in antioxidants like avenanthramides, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties. They also provide complex carbohydrates, offering sustained energy and contributing to a balanced diet. However, the choice between the two often hinges on convenience versus culinary preference. Steel-cut oats may appeal to those with a preference for a hearty texture and a more robust flavor, while rolled oats cater to busy individuals seeking quick, versatile meal options.

In conclusion, whether you opt for steel-cut or rolled oats, both are excellent choices for supporting overall health. Consider your cooking habits, flavor preferences, and specific health goals to make the best decision for your diet. With either option, you’re investing in a wholesome and nutrient-dense addition to your meals.
Steel-Cut vs. Rolled Oats: A Guide to Choosing the Right Option for Your Diet

Steel-cut oats and rolled oats

*Steel cut oats are whole oat grains (also called “groats”) that have been cut without being processed or cooked first into 2-3 pieces by sharp metal blades. Steel cut oats are a favorite fiber-rich, filling breakfast food to start off the day. Steel cut oats can be used as a hot breakfast cereal, baked into breads, or as a tasty risotto.

Steel cut oats are not preprocessed and that makes them a stronger prebiotic. Prebiotics help beneficial “good guy” bacteria in human gut and keep human healthy by reducing inflammation throughout the body. In addition, because of their higher soluble fiber content, steel cut oats keep feel full longer and help to lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.

Cooking time is about 20 to 30 minutes. The larger the size of the pieces, the longer they will take to cook. They will have a chewy texture.

*Rolled oats, also called old-fashioned rolled oats, are hulled (outer skin removed), cooked (either or both steamed and/or toasted) and then rolled flat, which makes them easier to cook but at the expense of some nutrients and other factors.

There are soft, fluffy texture when cooked and cooking time is about 5-7 minutes.
Steel-cut oats and rolled oats

Oats as animal feed

Canada, the USA, Russian Federation, China, Finland and Poland represent the top six countries for world oat production. Although demand has increased for oats as a human food, the largest portion of the United States oat crop is still used as livestock feed.

Oats have a unique nutritional value, particularly for animals which require feed having a relatively high level of good quality protein, but with lower energy content.

The level of protein in oats groats is higher than that in other cereals; moreover, the quality of oat protein, particularly the amino acid balance, surpasses that of the protein of other cereals.

Between 50% and 90% of the world oat production is used as animal feed for horses, cattle and sheep. Oats have been a preferred feed for animals such as horses and breeder show cattle which must be kept in good condition for a long period of time. Most horse owners prefer oats over other grains because their bulky hulls produce a loose mass that is easily digested.

For feeding to animals, oats are first ground or rolled. Rolled oats can provide 10% of the feed for calves, and is a good starter feed for pigs, although too expensive for other pigs.
Oats as animal feed

Rolled oats

Oats are a plump, pale, delicious, high protein grain, and they are easy to grow in any northern climate. Rolled oats made from the best quality of large oats with the hulls removed.

Rolled oats can be added with milk and a handful of raisins and have very good instant food or cook them briefly for a quick hot bowl, of oatmeal.

Oat milling took a great step forward with the invention of a groat-cutting machine by Ehrrichsen in 1877.

Ehrrichsen was employed in an oatmeal mill owned by Ferdinand Schumacher, of Akron, Ohio, who was the known as the oats meal King and later was one of the founders of The Quaker Oats Company.

Schumacher installed new technology in his mills where oats processing to be much less time than whole or steel cuts oats.

In this new technique, steel cut oats that have been steamed, rolled, resteamed and toasted. It means that rolled oats are made from grain that has been infused with steam and rolled flat between two smooth rolls. The moisture from the steam keeps the grain from fracturing while it is being rolled.

While quick cooking rolled oats are made by cutting each groats into several thin pieces before steaming and rolling.

Quick cooking rolled oats require less time cooking because water penetrates the thin pieces faster.

The rolled oats flakes are cooled in a current of air to about 110 °F. following which the product is immediately weighed and packed by automatic mechanical equipment.  

Rolled oats

Rolled Oats – The History

Rolled Oats – The History
The early history of cultivated oats is not clear. For centuries oats were considered to be a weed in barley and wheat fields. Oats took root in northern Europe and particularly in Scotland. In 18th centuries, oat mills made their appearance in Scotland, typically incorporating kilns for roasting the grain. After being heat-processed, the oats went through a so-called groat machine, which removed the hulls by the action of a fan.

Almost all oatmeal available in the United States during the early 19th century was imported from Scotland and Canada and sold primarily in pharmacies. The early oatmeal tended to be very floury, as oat groats were ground on millstones, with sifting to remove some but not all of the resulting flour.

Oat milling took a great step forward with the invention of a groat-cutting machine by Ehrrichsen in 1877. Ehrrichsen was employed in an oatmeal mill owned by Ferdinand Schumacher, of Akron, Ohio, who was the known as the oats meal King and later was one of the founders of The Quaker Oats Company. This groat-cutting device aided in the formation of granular or steel-cut oatmeal, which produced a cooked cereal with a superior texture, containing little or no fine flour, even without sifting. Subsequently, steel-cut groats were rolled into flakes to form quick cooking oats similar to the most popular cook-up oat cereal of today.
Rolled Oats – The History