Porridge oats review
Quick, rolled, steel cut - we take you through the top 3 things you need to know about porridge oats.
Porridge, please!
There's nothing better than a hot, steaming bowl of porridge on a cold winter's day. Oats are a fantastic breakfast option, but with so many varieties out there how do you choose? Here's what you need to know.
1. Different oats for different folks...
Whether to choose 'rolled', 'quick' or 'steel cut' oats depends on how much time you have, and whether or not you're a fan of a nuttier flavour and/or a chewier texture in your morning porridge.
Rolled oats, also referred to as traditional oats, are produced by hulling then steaming oat grains (also known as oat groats), pressing between rollers and then drying. To prepare them you simply add water or milk, and cook for about five minutes on the stove or three in a microwave.
Quick oats have been pressed thinner than rolled oats. You prepare them in the same way as rolled oats, but they cook faster, and the resulting porridge is smoother.
Steel cut oats are produced by removing the outer husk then cutting the whole oat groat into several pieces using steel discs. Steel cut oats take around 20 minutes to cook, but if you soak them overnight to soften the grain they can take just a couple of minutes in the microwave. They have a nuttier flavour than rolled or quick oats, and a chewier texture.
2. All oats are good for you.
Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that helps keep your blood cholesterol down. They're also low GI, which means their carbohydrate is slowly absorbed into your system, providing you with energy for hours after you've eaten. And they're packed with B vitamins, vitamin E, protein and minerals. Eating oats is associated with protective effects against heart disease in adults.
Whether they're steamed and rolled like traditional or quick oats, or chopped up like steel cut oats, they’re still complete whole grains with the bran (the outer layer which is a good source of fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals) and germ (the smallest part of the grain rich in vitamin E and other vitamins and minerals) intact – so they have similar nutritional properties.
3. Flavoured varieties have a lower Health Star Rating.
Most of the porridge oats you can buy in supermarkets receive a Health Star Rating of 5. The exceptions are the various flavoured quick oat varieties. These are usually high in sugar – as much as 26g per 100g, compared with about 1g per 100g for traditional options – and this can knock their Health Star Rating down to 4 or lower.
So if you can't resist adding a dollop of honey or a teaspoon of brown sugar to your porridge, you might want to stick with the unflavoured varieties.
Product | Type | Health Star Rating |
Energy (kJ/100g) |
Sat fat (g/100g) |
Sugars (g/100g) |
Sodium (mg/100g) |
Country of origin statement |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coles Organic Instant Rolled Oats | Quick oats | 4.5 | 1572 | 1.5 | 0 | 7 | Product of Australia |
Coles Smart Buy Quick Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1590 | 3 | 1.1 | 3 | Product of Australia |
Lowan Wholegrain Quick Oats | Quick oats | 4.5 | 1700 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 5 | Product of Australia |
Macro Organic Quick Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1580 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 5 | Product of Australia |
Macro Organic Quick Oats Sachets | Quick oats | 5 | 1540 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 6 | Product of Australia |
Red Tractor Foods Instant Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1624.7 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 100% Australian Grown & Made |
Red Tractor Foods Omega 3 Instant Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1690 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 100% Australian Grown & Made |
Red Tractor Natural Protein Instant Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1743 | 1.8 | 1 | 10 | 100% Australian Grown & Made |
The Chia Co Oats + Chia - apple spice | Quick oats | 3.5 | 1708 | 7 | 18 | 9 | Made in USA |
The Chia Co Oats + Chia - banana & mango | Quick oats | 3 | 1732 | 7 | 22 | 12 | Made in USA |
The Chia Co Oats + Chia - mixed berry | Quick oats | 3 | 1745 | 7 | 18 | 12 | Made in USA |
Uncle Tobys Oats Gourmet Temptations - apricot, almond, vanilla | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.3 | 25 | 13 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Gourmet Temptations - fig, sultana, maple | Quick oats | 4 | 1560 | 1.2 | 25.1 | 8 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Gourmet Temptations - variety pack | Quick oats | 4 | 1630 | 1.3 | 24.7 | 13 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Brown Sugar & Cinnamon | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.3 | 22.9 | 11 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Caramel | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.2 | 24.9 | 33 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Creamy Honey | Quick oats | 4 | 1640 | 1.7 | 24.7 | 35 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Creamy Vanilla | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.2 | 24.9 | 29 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Golden Syrup | Quick oats | 4 | 1610 | 1.2 | 23.8 | 11 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Hi Fibre | Quick oats | 5 | 1510 | 1.3 | 9.3 | 41 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Original | Quick oats | 5 | 1590 | 1.7 | 1 | 12 | Made in Australia. We use Australian grown oats to support local farmers. |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Variety Pack Berry | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.2 | 24.3 | 35 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Variety Pack Classics | Quick oats | 4 | 1620 | 1.5 | 24 | 23 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Variety Pack Fruit | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.1 | 26.6 | 70 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Variety Pack Multigrain | Quick oats | 4 | 1590 | 1.1 | 22.9 | 31 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Oats Quick Sachets Variety Pack Vanilla | Quick oats | 4 | 1600 | 1.2 | 24.4 | 32 | Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients |
Uncle Tobys Quick Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1600 | 1.7 | 1 | 6 | Made in Australia. We use Australian grown oats to support local farmers. |
Woolworths Homebrand Quick Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1590 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 5 | Product of Australia |
Woolworths Select Quick Oats | Quick oats | 5 | 1570 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 7 | Product of Australia |
Woolworths Select Speedy Oats Honey | Quick oats | 3.5 | 1659 | 1.1 | 22 | 3 | Made in Australia |
Woolworths Select Speedy Oats Original | Quick oats | 5 | 1567 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2 | Product of Australia |
Brookfarm Power Porrij | Rolled oats | 5 | 1632 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 9 | |
Coles Organic Traditional Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1572 | 1.5 | 0 | 7 | Product of Australia |
Coles Smart Buy Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1600 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 3 | Product of Australia |
Coles Wholegrain Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1602 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | Product of Australia |
Lowan Wholegrain Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 4.5 | 1710 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 5 | Product of Australia |
Macro Organic Traditional Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1580 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 2 | Product of Australia |
Macro Organic Unstabilised Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1540 | 1.3 | 1 | 3 | Product of Australia |
Natural Grocer Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1600 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | |
Red Tractor Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1590 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 100% Australian Grown & Made |
Uncle Tobys Oats Traditional | Rolled oats | 5 | 1590 | 1.7 | 1 | 12 | Made in Australia. We use Australian grown oats to support local farmers. |
Woolworths Homebrand Rolled Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1620 | 1.7 | 3 | 2 | Product of Australia |
Woolworths Select Traditional Oats | Rolled oats | 5 | 1480 | 2 | 1.1 | 6 | Product of Australia |
Macro Organic Steel Cut Oats | Steel cut oats | 5 | 1427 | 1.1 | <1 | 2 | Product of Australia |
Red Tractor Foods Steel Cut Oats | Steel cut oats | 5 | 1584 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 2 | 100% Australian Grown & Made |
Soland Health Foods Steel Cut Oats | Steel cut oats | 5 | 1540 | 1.5 | 1 | 10 | |
Uncle Tobys Steel Cut Oats | Steel cut oats | 5 | 1590 | 1.7 | 1 | 12 | Grown, milled and packed in Australia |