Steel cut oats have become an increasingly popular breakfast choice in recent years due to their great nutritional profile and health benefits. Traditional steel cut oats require 20-30 minutes of cooking time, which can be a barrier for people with busy morning routines. Quick cook steel cut oats provide a faster alternative, with cooking times of just 5-7 minutes. But are these quick cook oats still as nutritious and healthy as regular steel cut oats?
Nutritional profile of steel cut oats
All types of steel cut oats start out the same way – as whole oat groats that have been cut into smaller pieces rather than rolled and flattened like traditional oats. This process helps them retain more of their fiber, protein, and other nutrients. Here is the nutritional profile of a 1/4 cup dry serving of regular steel cut oats:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 150 |
| Fat | 2.5g |
| Carbs | 27g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Thiamin | 11% DV |
| Niacin | 11% DV |
| Folate | 7% DV |
| Iron | 10% DV |
As you can see, steel cut oats provide a good amount of fiber, protein, thiamin, niacin, folate, and iron in each serving. The fiber and protein help keep you full and satisfied, while the vitamins and minerals provide important nutrients.
Benefits of steel cut oats
Here are some of the top evidence-based health benefits associated with steel cut oats:
- May lower cholesterol – The fiber in steel cut oats can help reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol levels.
- Helps control blood sugar – The fiber causes a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream.
- Promotes digestive health – The 4g of fiber aids digestion and helps prevent constipation.
- Good source of antioxidants – Steel cut oats contain antioxidant compounds like avenanthramides.
- Contains heart-healthy minerals – The iron, magnesium and potassium support heart health.
- Keeps you fuller longer – Protein and fiber slow digestion and prevent spikes and crashes.
How are quick cook steel cut oats processed?
To reduce the normally long cooking time, quick cook steel cut oats undergo additional processing steps:
- Cut into smaller pieces – This increases the surface area for faster cooking.
- Partially cooked – Quick cook oats are pre-cooked and dried before packaging.
- Dehydrated – Removing some moisture shortens hydration and cooking time.
- Flattened – Rolling or pressing the oats thinner also speeds up cooking.
Companies like McCann’s claim their quick cooking oats take just 5 minutes and contain all the same nutrients and fiber as regular steel cut oats. But does the additional processing change the nutritional quality?
Nutrition comparison
To judge whether quick cook oats are still as nutritious, we can compare their nutritional label to regular steel cut oats:
| Nutrient (1/4 cup dry) | Regular Steel Cut Oats | McCann’s Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 150 | 150 |
| Fat | 2.5g | 2.5g |
| Carbs | 27g | 27g |
| Fiber | 4g | 4g |
| Protein | 5g | 5g |
| Sugar | 0g | 0g |
When compared side by side, McCann’s quick cook steel cut oats contain essentially the same amounts of calories, fat, carbs, fiber, protein and sugar as regular steel cut oats. This table indicates that the additional processing does not appear to alter the basic nutritional profile.
Micronutrients
Looking beyond macros and fiber, quick cook oats also retain the same important micronutrients as regular steel cut oats:
- Thiamin
- Niacin
- Folate
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
These vitamins and minerals are essential for energy, blood formation, bone health, enzymatic reactions, and other processes in the body. Since quick cook oats provide the same abundant micronutrients, this demonstrates they are nutritionally on par with unprocessed steel cut oats.
Glycemic index
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a lower GI are digested more slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar that provides long-lasting energy.
Steel cut oats have a very low GI of just 55, while rolled oats are around 59-65. This is because the cut oats retain more of their structural integrity during cooking. So where do quick cook oats fall on the GI scale?
Tests by the Glycemic Index Foundation show that fast cook steel cut oats maintain the same slow digestion and low glycemic impact as regular steel cut oats. McCann’s Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats have been certified with a low GI of 55, identical to their regular steel cut oats.
This verifies that even though quick cook oats are cut smaller and partially cooked, they still deliver the same steady release of energy without sharp spikes and crashes in blood sugar.
Oat bran content
The outermost layer of the oat groat contains the majority of its fiber and nutrients. This layer is called the bran. During the steel cut process, more of the bran remains intact compared to flattening or rolling the oat groats.
One study measured the oat bran content of various oat types using a scale of 1-5 stars. Here are the results:
| Oat Type | Oat Bran Rating |
|---|---|
| Steel cut oats | 5 stars |
| Quick cooking oats | 4.5 stars |
| Old-fashioned oats | 4 stars |
| Instant oats | 3.5 stars |
This shows that quick cook oats preserve nearly as much of the health-promoting oat bran as regular steel cut oats, retaining more bran than rolled old-fashioned or instant oats.
Cooking and texture
While nutritionally similar, quick cooking steel cut oats differ from traditional steel cut oats in cooking time and texture:
- Cook Time – Regular steel cut oats take 20-30 minutes. Quick oats cook in just 5-7 minutes.
- Texture – Regular oats have a pleasant chewy texture. Quick oats tend to be softer.
- Consistency – Quick oats can turn mushy if cooked too long. Regular oats hold their shape better.
- Flavor – Some brands use light processing that maintains the hearty, nutty steel cut flavor.
So while quick cook oats are faster, their texture may be less firm. Following package instructions carefully prevents overcooking. But even with minor textural differences, the nutritional qualities remain intact.
Cost comparison
Convenience comes at a price – quick steel cut oats usually cost more than regular. Here’s how some popular brands compare:
| Brand | Type | Ounces | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob’s Red Mill | Regular | 24 oz | $3.49 ($0.15/oz) |
| McCann’s | Quick Cook | 18 oz | $5.49 ($0.31/oz) |
| Oatly | Quick | 18 oz | $6.99 ($0.39/oz) |
Per ounce, quick cook steel cut oats can cost over twice as much as regular. But the time savings may be worth the added cost for busy families and individuals.
Environmental impact
Steel cut oats are less processed than most other oats, giving them a smaller carbon footprint. One life cycle analysis found the greenhouse gas emissions of different oats:
| Oat Type | CO2eq (kg per kg oats) |
|---|---|
| Steel cut oats | 1.02 |
| Old-fashioned oats | 1.04 |
| Quick oats | 1.19 |
| Instant oats | 1.92 |
This shows steel cut oats have the lowest carbon footprint. Quick cook steel cut oats follow close behind, producing only around 16% more emissions than regular steel cut, but still far less than heavily processed instant oats.
Conclusion
In summary, quick cook steel cut oats retain the same nutritional qualities as unprocessed steel cut oats, including:
- Fiber
- Protein
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Lower glycemic impact
While they undergo additional processing like cutting, dehydrating, and partial cooking, this does not significantly degrade the nutrient profile or health benefits. Quick cook oats simply provide a more convenient preparation while maintaining nearly all the nutritional merits of regular steel cut oats.
The main trade-off is a softer, mushier texture and higher cost. But their ability to deliver all the advantages of steel cut oats in just 5 minutes makes quick cook oats a smart choice for time-pressed individuals and families trying to eat healthy breakfasts.