Types of Healthy Oatmeal

How to Tell Between the Different Varieties of Nutritious Oatmeal

Oct 27, 2009 Linda Gentile

There are many different kinds of oatmeal with sometimes-confusing names. Learn the differences between oatmeal types to best choose which healthy oatmeal to use.

In its purest form, healthy oatmeal is made from ground oat groats, or the hulled grains of the cereal crop oats. The outer husk of the oat is removed, leaving the groat, which is processed into various forms. Say "oatmeal" to the average person in North America, and she'll think "granola" or "cookie." In the United Kingdom, however, she'll tell you "porridge."

In North America, the healthy cereal oatmeal can be sold as steel-cut, Scottish, Irish, rolled oats, old-fashioned oatmeal and even oatmeal flour. Telling these variants apart can be a little tricky.

Scottish Oatmeal is the Closest Equivalent to British Oatmeal

In North America, the closest equivalent to what the British call oatmeal is Scottish oatmeal. When British recipes call for oatmeal, the cook should generally use Scottish oatmeal, which tends to be a specialty item and therefore expensive (as of October 2009, a one-pound bag is typically in the region of $3-5).

Bob's Red Mill describes Scottish oatmeal as groats ground into a coarse meal or powder, which makes for a smoother, creamier porridge than rolled oats or "oatmeal."

Steel-cut Oatmeal Turns Healthy Oatmeal Into Rice-like Pieces

A more familiar product in North America, steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats or Irish oats. Sometimes this variant is also referred to as Scottish oatmeal, but this is not accurate.

As noted above, Scottish oatmeal is ground finely; steel-cut oatmeal still has recognizable grains. According to the website Chow, the groats are cut into two or three pieces with steel blades, and the resulting product resembles grains of rice. The texture of this healthy oatmeal is more chewy and satisfying than that of rolled oats, but it needs longer soaking.

Rolled Oats are a Common Form of Healthy Oatmeal

Rolled oats, used to make the breakfast cereal commonly called "oatmeal," is also referred to as old-fashioned oatmeal. This healthy oatmeal is made from groats that are first steamed, then rolled into flat flakes. Thick-rolled oatmeal has complete flakes; thin-rolled oatmeal variant has the flakes cut into pieces.

Healthy, rolled-oat style oatmeal is used in granola, breakfast oatmeal and cookies. Instant oatmeal is also made from rolled oats, but it is rolled flatter, steamed and then dried again to soften it, so that almost no soaking is required. This oatmeal is usually mixed with sugar, fruit and flavorings, and thus loses some of its healthy nature.

Gluten-Free Oat or Oatmeal Flour is Used for Baking

Not truly an oatmeal though sometimes called oatmeal flour, this ingredient is a coarse flour made from ground-up groats. Oat flour can be used to add a nutty flavor or heavier texture to any recipe requiring flour.

The cook should be aware that oat flour is gluten-free. This means that baked goods like bread simply won't hold together if oat flour is used exclusively. Therefore, oatmeal flour should be mixed with a different flour. Also, oat flour may have been processed in the same machinery as flour that contains gluten. Thus, the cook who wishes to create gluten-free food should pick a flour explicitly labeled gluten-free.

The copyright of the article Types of Healthy Oatmeal in Recipes is owned by Linda Gentile. Permission to republish Types of Healthy Oatmeal in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Healthy Irish Oatmeal has a Golden Color

Traditional Rolled Oats is also known as Oatmeal

Healthy, Nutritious Steel-Cut Oatmeal in Cans