Oats are whole grains that are touted to be a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They can be used for a wide variety of recipes, often used for breakfasts and baking.
Selecting the right kind of oats to use in your recipes is important to ensure you’re getting the outcome expected. Each type of oatmeal is processed differently and has varied preparation requirements which can greatly alter your recipe if using the wrong variety of oats.
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Where are Oats Grown?
Oats are grown all around the world, with it’s top producers being in Northwest and Eastern Europe, North America, and Canada.
In the United States many of the top oat producing states are in the Midwest. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa have lead the US in oat production for many years. Pennsylvania is another state that has been a top producer alongside it’s Midwestern counterparts.
Different Types of Oats and How to Enjoy Them
You have likely seen different types of oatmeal in your local grocery store. You may be wondering what the difference is between steel cut oats vs rolled oats vs quick oats. In short, it’s the way they’re processed!
Here we walk through the different varieties of oats, their texture, the best ways to use each of them, and general cooking times for comparison between the different oat varieties.
Whole Oat Groats
Whole oat groats are the raw oats that have been cleaned and removed from their inedible hull, making them the least processed form of oats. Oat groats are what all of the other forms of oats are derived from.
Oat groats are are long grain, looking similar to rice. They have a very nutty flavor and toasty taste.
Because whole oat groats are so unprocessed, they have the longest cooking time to soften them. To save time, soak the oat groats overnight before you plan to cook with them.
You may have to search a little harder for these, potentially ordering them online (I was able to get some from my friends at Heartland Craft Grains in Lodi, WI). Oat groats are not a common product at most grocery stores.
Texture: Very chewy, toothsome.
Best Uses: Slow-cooked oatmeal. They can also be used like many other grains in savory dishes like stews, salads, and grain bowls.
Cooking Time: Approximately 60 minutes once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low.
Steel Cut Oats (aka Irish Oats)
Steel cut oats are made by cutting the whole oat groats into two and three smaller pieces with a steel blade. They look similar to cut-up grains of rice. Because of their size and shape, they are sometimes called pinhead oats.
Since steel cut oats are only slightly more processed than whole oat groats, they have one of the longer cooking times of the common types of oats you’ll find in your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart.
Steel cut oats have a slightly nutty flavor and a very chewy texture making them considered to be one of the best types of oats for oatmeal. Because the small pieces take so long to cook, steel cut oats are generally not the best choice for baking because the oats stay too chewy and tough.
Texture: Very chewy.
Best Uses: Great as a bowl of oatmeal (often what you’ll get in restaurants), in baked oatmeal, as a replacement for breadcrumbs in meatloaf or meatballs.
Cooking Time: Approximately 20-30 minutes once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low.. You may cook these longer depending on the creamy consistency you prefer in your oatmeal.
Scottish Oats
Scottish oats are made by milling oat groats instead of slicing them. Scottish oats are paper-thin, and because of the finer texture they create a super creamy breakfast cereal. This type of oat is rich, creamy, and has a mild flavor.
This type of oat is relatively common and should be easy to find at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. You can also easily order Scottish oats online.
Texture: Creamy.
Best Uses: Traditional porridge. Can be used for baking, and are particularly good for pancakes, scones, cereal bars, and Scottish oatcakes.
Cooking Time: Approximately 10 minutes once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low..
Old Fashioned Oats (aka Rolled Oats)
Traditional rolled oats are made by steaming oat groats and then flattening them into flakes with a roller. This steaming and rolling process not only gives the oats more surface area allowing for quicker cooking, it also helps them stay fresh longer.
Old Fashioned Oats are one of the common oat types that you’ll easily find in your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. You can also generally find rolled oats at Costco.
Texture: Creamy. When made into oatmeal, they often have a mixture of creamy and lumpy sections.
Best Uses: Oatmeal, overnight oats, baking, granola, granola bars, pulsed into oat flour. Old fashioned oats are especially good for cookies, quick breads and muffins, fruit crisps, and in pancakes. They can also be used in smoothies as a thickener and to add fiber.
Cooking Time: Approximately 5-10 minutes (depending on the consistency you prefer) once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low.
Quick Oats
Quick-cooking oats are processed in the same way rolled oats are (by steaming oat groats and then rolling them), but are rolled into thinner flakes. This results in an oat that cook even faster than rolled oats.
Quick Oats are another one of the main types of oats that you’ll easily find in your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart.
Texture: Ultra creamy.
Best Uses: Oatmeal, baking, pulsed into oat flour. They can also be used in smoothies as a thickener and to add fiber.
Cooking Time: Approximately 3-5 minutes once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low.
Instant Oats
Instant oats are the most processed form of oats. This type of oat is processed similarly to old fashioned oats and quick oats, but they are steamed at a higher temperature and rolled to an even finer thickness than quick oats.
Since instant oatmeal is the thinnest oat variety and is pre-cooked, they have the fastest cooking process. With the thin texture, they will also result in a softer texture than the other varieties when cooked.
Instant oats are commonly packaged in individual portions (like ready-to-microwave packets and cups) with other additives and flavors. Packets of instant oatmeal will be readily available at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. Costco often has large variety packs of instant oatmeal packets and cups as well.
Texture: Soft, sometimes described as mushy.
Best Uses: Quick and convenient oatmeal.
Cooking Time: Approximately 1-2 minutes once added to boiling water. This type of oat is often microwaved with water or milk as well.
Oat Bran
Oat bran is also derived from the whole oat groat. Unlike the other types of oats, oat bran is made from the outer part of oat groats! Because of this difference, oat bran contains more protein, B vitamins, iron, and fiber than other types of oatmeal.
Oat bran is becoming relatively common and should likely be found at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. You can also order oat bran online if needed.
Texture: Creamy and soft, sometimes described as mushy.
Best Uses: Enjoyed as a hot cereal. It can also be used in smoothies as a thickener and to add fiber.
Cooking Time: Approximately 3 minutes once added to hot water on the stove that has been brought to a boil and then has had the heat reduced to medium-low. Oat bran can also be cooked easily in the microwave.
Do Oats go bad?
If you’ve been wondering how to store oats long term, and oatmeal shelf life, this is the section for you!
Commercially processed oats usually go through a steaming process, which contributes to a long shelf life. Commercially processed, uncooked rolled oats, quick-cooking oats, and steel-cut oats will generally last at least 12 months (and up to 2 years when unopened) when stored properly. It is best practice to use opened oatmeal within one year.
Dry oatmeal should be stored in tightly sealed containers (such as a resealable plastic bag or lidded plastic or glass container) in a cool and dry place. Minimizing exposure to light can also be helpful for extending shelf life. Dry oatmeal can also be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to one year.
Cooked oatmeal should be stored covered in the fridge and enjoyed within 4 days of preparation. Cooked oatmeal can also be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
What are the Best Oats for Baking?
Old fashioned oats (also known as rolled oats) are often considered the best oats for baking. They add great flavor and texture to baked goods.
Scottish oats and quick-cooking oats are also considered good for baking. Because both Scottish oats and quick oats are thinner than rolled oats, baked goods made with these will not be quite as chewy.
How to Make Oat Flour
Making your own oat flour is easy to do! All you need is old-fashioned oats (aka rolled oats) or quick oats and a food processor or high-speed blender.
Place the oats in the basin of a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until the oats form a fine flour. Stop to stir a few times throughout the process to help clean the blades and ensure the best texture.
Benefits of Oats
Oats are a good source of both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, and a good source of high-quality plant-based protein. Because of this, oatmeal is considered to be very filling.
Oats are rich in antioxidants, including a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides that are only found in oats. They’re also loaded with vitamins and minerals like manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, and B vitamins.
You can learn more about the nutritional value and health benefits of oats in this article from Healthline.com, which is written by a licensed dietitian.
Do Oats Have Gluten?
Oats in their pure form are considered to be gluten free. The primary concern about oats and gluten stems from the fact that many mills that process oats may also handle gluten-containing grains. This exposure to gluten-containing ingredients, called cross-contact, may make oats that are NOT labeled as gluten free unsafe for people with celiac disease to eat.
Can You Eat Raw Oats?
Yes, eating raw oats that are steamed during production, such as rolled oats or quick oats, is considered ok to do because the process of steaming the oats destroys potentially harmful pathogens to ensure safety! Less processed varieties of oats, such as groats and steel-cut oats, that do not have steaming as part of their production process could carry carry risky germs.
According to healthline.com there are some less than desirable potential side effects of eating raw oats, including: bloating, indigestion, and constipation.
Popular ways of enjoying raw old fashioned or quick oats include sprinkling them on top of yogurt or blended into smoothies for added fiber.
What to make with Oats
Breakfast
Snacks
Desserts
Sources
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-oats-oatmeal
- https://www.bonappetit.com/story/types-of-oats
- https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/4124/types-of-oats.html
- https://www.bobsredmill.com/
- https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/oats/
- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/dry_oatmeal_needs_careful_handling
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-oatmeal-expire
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-steel-cut-oats
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-instant-oatmeal-healthy
- https://project.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/oats.html
- https://www.cropprophet.com/us-oats-production-by-state-rankings-in-2023/
- https://www.croptrust.org/pgrfa-hub/crops-countries-and-genebanks/crops/oat/
- https://www.atlasbig.com/en-us/countries-oat-production
- https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/what-is-oat-bran/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raw-oats
- https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/safefood/2019/01/14/the-safety-of-raw-oatmeal/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/412378-is-eating-uncooked-oatmeal-healthy/
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