Hi everybody this is Monica Reinego the nutrition diva here with another quick and dirty

tip for eating well and feeling fabulous. Several of you have written with questions about oats and

oatmeal. In particular, whether steel cut or Irish oats are healthier or more

nutritious than regular rolled oats. I think some of you are going to be

surprised by the answer. And now let's get back to today's topic and the

difference between steel cut and regular rolled oats.

I think it'd be helpful first to give you a quick guide to how the different types of oats cereals are produced.

All types of oats cereals starts out as groats, which are hulled toasted

oat grains. Removing the hull doesn't remove the brand, by the way. Steel cut, also known

as Irish oats, are the least processed type of

oats cereal the toasted oat groats are simply chopped into chunks about the

size of a sesame seed. Stone ground, also known as Scottish oats, are the same as

Irish oats, but they're ground into smaller pieces, closer to the size of a poppy seed.

Both Irish and Scottish oats have to be cooked

before you eat them. Irish oats take about 45 minutes or so. Scottish oats

only about half that long because they're smaller. Old-fashioned rolled oats are made by steaming the toasted groats and then running them between

rollers to create those flat flakes.

Rolled oats can be eaten as is or cooked into oatmeal, which takes about 10 minutes.

And quick cooking oats are the same as rolled oats, they're just rolled into

thinner flakes, so they cook a little bit faster.

And finally, instant oatmeal,

this is the most heavily processed type.

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