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Health Benefits of Oatmeal
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats
Plus Delicious Quaker Oats Recipes
Oatmeal Health Benefits
Learn about the nutritional value and health benefits of eating oatmeal and cooking
steel cut oats while enjoying delicious
quaker oats recipes like apple crisp, muffins, blueberry oat bars, and our best oatmeal cookie recipe.
Many people around the world enjoy the health benefits of oatmeal for breakfast
every morning. While this is the most popular way to eat oats, it is not the only way. This versatile grain comes in many other delicious forms:
steel cut oats (pinhead oats), oat groats (whole oat grains), and Scottish Oats to name a few. All these
forms vary in cooking time and texture but not in nutrition. Listed below are the health benefits of eating oatmeal
or any other form of oats:
Soluble Fiber
One of the best benefits of oatmeal
(or any whole oat food) is that it
lowers cholesterol by removing LDL (bad cholesterol) while maintaining HDL (good cholesterol).
Insoluble fiber
Absorbs water which helps to speed the transit of food through the bowels which helps to reduce the risk
of some bowel related cancers (i.e. colon cancer).
Beta Glucan
A bio-defense modifier which means
it will boost your immune system.
Vitamins and Minerals
Additional benefits of oatmeal include Iron, Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamin E.
Phytochemicals
Plant chemicals that have shown promise in fighting and preventing cancer. For example, the phytoestrogens (lignans)
found in oats help to fight hormone related diseases like breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.
Ways to Eat Oats
If oatmeal health benefits appeal to you but you don't like the taste of oatmeal, consider all the ways to eat oats:
Steel Cut Oats (Pinhead Oats) vs Rolled Oats
Steel cut oats are whole oat groats chopped into two or three pieces
by a steel blade. They take 35 minutes to cook. If soaked overnight they cook in only five minutes. For more on how to cook, soak, or toast
these types of oats, click here.
Scottish Oats
Pulverized oat groats that make a creamy cereal. They take 10 minutes to cook.
Oat Flour
This type of flour adds a creamy, moist texture to baked goods but needs other glutinous flours for
leavened breads. Visit this page for more information along with delicious cookie and muffin oat flour recipes.
Gluten free oats
Are oats really gluten free? Click here to find out.
Oat Groats
Whole oat grains. They take about 45 minutes to cook.
Visit this page for specific cooking instructions and nutrition information.
Oatmeal
Whole oats, steamed and rolled flat. Thicker oats (old fashioned) take 20 - 30 minutes to cook.
Quick Oats
Same as old fashion oats but rolled thinner so they cook quicker (about 5 minutes).
Instant Oatmeal
Pre-cooked, rolled oats and then dehydrated. These cook almost as soon as you add hot water (1 minute or less).
These kind of oats are not suitable for baking because they will turn into mush.
Where to Buy
Find out where to buy specialty oat products...
Your Tips on the Benefits of Oatmeal and Recipes!
Do you have a health tip about the benefits of oatmeal, a cooking trick, or favorite recipe? Post it here and the most popular entries will also be highlighted on our homepage!
Steel Cut Oats
Oat Groats
Oat Flour
History of Oats
More Quaker Oats Recipes
Benefits of Oatmeal
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