- By Henry Stark
- Around Town
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I recently served oatmeal for breakfast to an overnight guest. She questioned why I used steel-cut oats which seemed to her to be more difficult to chew, and took longer to cook, than the commercial brands she was used to buying. We got into a bit of an argument about it since I claimed that the steel-cut oats that I used were healthier than the more commonly used rolled oats or packaged brands. This prompted me to do some research on oats. Turns out that I was right. What follows is a condensed version of what I learned about oats and oatmeal. By the way: Can you define groats? Would you like to know how to cut down on cholesterol? Well then, read on.
All kinds of oats are high in a fiber called beta-glucan which can lower cholesterol from 8 to 23 percent if you eat three grams per day. That's not much... you'll get that with a single serving of oatmeal.
Grouts is the name used to signify the whole oat with only the inedible outermost hull removed. The kind I use, steel-cut oats, are also sold as Irish or pinhead oats, and are grouts that have been cut into two or three pieces with steel blades. Since oat grouts and steel-cut oats are the least processed, they retain most of their health value but require more cooking. I actually enjoy a bit of their chewy, lower-glycemic character. If you don't share my enthusiasm for the rough edges either simmer them longer or use rolled oats.
When you steam, flatten, and dry the oats, you end up with rolled oats, the most popular form of oats on supermarket shelves. Although more processed than steel cut oats and grouts, they still offer the whole grain and are very healthy.
Try to avoid oats that are marketed as "quick-cooking" or "instant". In order to make them quick cooking, they are more processed and no longer offer the whole grain. If you do choose to buy these, I urge you to read the fine print on the packages because you might learn that they contain salt, sugar, and other additives.
You can get health benefits from adding oat bran to baked goods. Bran is the finely ground meal of the grout's bran layer. It offers high soluble fiber and a low starch content.
The oats I buy come in a self-sealing package and seem to stay fresh while I consume them. But be aware, oats have more fat than many other grains and can turn rancid over time so it is recommended that you buy them in smaller quantities and keep them in the refrigerator.
A word about gluten: Oats themselves do not contain gluten however they are often grown alongside grains that do, such as wheat and barley. Therefore, some gluten intolerant consumers might want to avoid them unless they can find certified gluten-free oats online or in some health food stores.
Cooking is simple but can be lengthy. The more the oats are processed, the less cooking time required. Oat bran can usually be cooked in 5-7 minutes, rolled oats in 10 minutes, steel cut take 20-40 minutes, and grouts can take 45 minutes to an hour depending on the texture you like. For the shorter cooking times you usually would use two cups of water to each cup of oats and for steel-cut and grouts, you might want to use a 3:1 ration. You can experiment with cooking times. I usually boil the water, add the oats, and them simmer, covered, over low heat until it reaches a texture I'm happy with.
Most recipes call for salt to be added to the water. I've found that, like with most food, you can get used to, and be happy with, the taste very quickly without adding salt. I personally mix in a small amount of maple syrup and half-and-half just before eating. You can add dried fruit and nuts for eye appeal and crunch but beware of the added sugar and fat. Obviously, adding reduced fat milk or just eating the oatmeal as it comes out of the pot is less fattening. No matter how you choose to prepare it, a dish of oatmeal is a healthy and appetizing dish.
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