Start Your Morning with Steel Cut Oatmeal
When researchers announced that eating oatmeal was “heart healthy”, adults became motivated to return to this sometimes lack luster childhood breakfast option. Being the busy people that we are, we opted for “Quick Oats”—the kind of oatmeal that cooks in a minute’s time; “just add hot water and stir”.
However, not all oatmeal is created equally, or should I say, not all oatmeal is processed the same way. Most likely you grew up as I did, eating rolled oats packaged in small packets with a ton of sugar and spices added. Even the five minute, cook-in-a-pot sort of rolled oats are not all they’re rolled up to be. Let me explain.
In order to “roll” oats, the grain of oatmeal is rolled flat by a heavy metal “rolling pin”, steamed, and then toasted. The reason the oats are processed in this way is to shorten their cooking time dramatically—great news for busy, run-out-the-door in the morning people. Unfortunately, something else gets “flattened” in the process: some of their B vitamins and, more importantly, some of the work of digestion. And here’s where we would all benefit from a bit more “work”…enter STEEL CUT OATMEAL.
Steel cut oatmeal consists of grains of oatmeal which have been sliced in half with a sharp steel blade. The cooking time suffers, yes, but the steady fueling brought about by slower digestion is so helpful in maintaining steady blood sugar levels and therefore avoiding insulin resistance and diabetes. Not to mention you’ll feel fuller, longer.
Here’s how I make it work as a breakfast option in my fast-paced life: When I have a half hour available (like while I am cooking dinner), I put up a pot of steel cut oats. When the oats are fully cooked, I add cinnamon, walnuts, a bit of raw honey, and some low fat milk. Then I fill 4-5 small containers to be eaten throughout the week. I even find it makes for a very satisfying snack!