Not All Oatmeal Is Created Equal
February 4th, 2012If you go to the grocery store, the oatmeal aisle is always puzzling even for the seasoned shopper. One finds the traditional giant cylinder with the words old fashioned or slow cooking, fast cooking oats, and boxes comtaining small instant packets. Here’s the deal. The reason why the oats cook quicker is because the surface area for cooking is increased. In other words, they mash up the oats. The quicker the oats, the finer the grain. Why is this important? Our digestive tracts are very efficient. But they have one big barrier, fiber. Fiber prevents us from absorbing all the sugars in oats. If you break the oats up into small pieces, you are destroying that barrier. In other words, the instant oats are like baby food- predigested nutrition. I tell all my patients to buy the slowest cooking oats possible. They may take more time, but they are worth it! If you are travelling, the instant is a good (but not equivalent) alternative.
The same rules apply to whole grain bread and brown rice. These are much better for you than their counterparts. Actually, once you switch over you will realize what amazing flavor these foods have. Brown rice has a nutty taste that is delicious.
