Any
Oatmeal is a Good Choice
by Susan Herndon
Most foods come in a variety
of forms and oatmeal is no exception. From
old-fashioned to flavored to instant oatmeal, the choices are many.
Which form of oatmeal is more nutritious?
On the whole, any kind of oatmeal will give you the oat-related benefits
you are looking for.
The biggest difference between instant
and old-fashioned oats, sometimes called “regular rolled,” is the way they
are cut and flattened. During
processing, oats are lightly steamed to deactivate enzymes and prevent the
product from becoming rancid during storage.
Then they are dried, and instant oats are cut into smaller pieces for
quicker cooking. After that, the
oats are “rolled,” or flattened. Instant
oats are rolled flatter than old-fashioned oats – again, for quicker cooking.
“Quick cooking” oatmeal is cut and
rolled finer than regular oats, but larger than instant.
It isn’t packaged with the extra flavorings that instant oatmeal often
has, but cooks more quickly than old-fashioned.
The fallacy that old-fashioned oats are
more nutritious might have arisen from a casual comparison of the Nutrition
Facts information. You might notice
the old-fashioned label lists more fiber (4 grams) compared with instant oats (3
grams). But that is mainly because
of difference in serving size: a
regular serving of oats, a half-cup dry, contains 40 grams of oats; a serving of
regular, non-flavored instant oats contains only 28 grams.
Instant oats often contain additional
sugar and flavorings, which increases carbohydrates and empty calories per
serving. But still, old-fashioned,
quick and instant oats all have the same health benefits and are a healthy
choice for a couple of reasons.
For one thing, oatmeal is high in fiber.
The American Heart Association recommends a daily fiber intake of 25-30
grams, with half of that amount being from whole grain foods.
The more calories you require to meet your daily needs, the more dietary
fiber you need. Try to eat at least
14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories you consume.
