Porridge Oats Vs. Rolled Oats – What’s The Difference?

Eating healthy is something that everyone is trying to do, but it’s not as easy as people think, especially in the world where everyone is depending on fast food and frozen food for meeting their nutritional requirements. One of the most important nutrients that we must get right to achieve a good nutritional status is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates come in different shapes and forms, and some are better than others in terms of sustaining a healthy body.

While choosing the right carbs, we have to choose the right kinds of food. One of the best sources of carbs that are easily available is oats. Oats provide us with plenty of complex carbohydrates released in the bloodstream slowly, which ensures that the insulin is not released too quickly and we have a steady supply of energy for an extended period.

For this reason, oats are considered one of the best breakfast options. But there are several kinds of oats that we can choose from, including Rolled Oats and Porridge Oats. This article will talk about the key differences between these two kinds of oats, so keep reading to find out all you need to know.

What are Oats?

Before we go into detail about the differences between Rolled Oats and Porridge Oats, we need to look at what exactly Oats are; This will help you understand the differences between the two types of oats in a better way. Oats are cereal grains that are usually cultivated for their seeds. The scientific name for oats is Avena Sativa, also known as common oat in layman’s terms.

Oats are usually grown for human consumption, in which case they are processed in different ways to make different products such as Rolled oats, porridge oats, steel-cut oats etc. Oats are frequently used to feed animals such as cows, and this means that oats have a high demand in the market. According to a survey, in 2021, the whole world combined produced around 25.21 million metric tons of oats, and Russia was the top producer of oats.

The basic processing of Oats involves different processing such as cleaning and sizing, dehulling, kilning, Sizing the groats, Flaking, Oat Bran Milling, and Flour milling. Using these methods, the oat grains can be converted into a variety of different products such as:

• Export hay
• Oat Bread
• Oat milk
• Oatmeal
• Porridge
• Rolled Oats
• Muesli
• Steel cut oats

Rolled Oats

These oats are a type of processed oats made with Oat Groats; the Oat cereal (after being processed to remove their husk and being steamed) is rolled using different rollers. These rollers are usually very heavy, and this, combined with the soft texture of the steamed oats, causes the oats to become flat. The rollers are also heated or toasted for stability.

Rolled oats can be either thick or thin. The thick Rolled grains are full grain flakes that are not broken down by any other processing. On the other hand, Thin-Rolled oats might be processed further to break them down. This increases their surface area, which leads to faster absorption of water/milk and heat into the oats, leading to a faster cooking time.

These oats with quicker cooking times are also usually called quick and instant oats, while the thicker types are Old fashioned or Scottish Oats. Rolled oats can be used in various ways, ranging from being used as a breakfast cereal to being used in making products like granola bars and muesli. Most Rolled oats you get from the market are pre-soaked in water or milk to decrease the time spent on cooking them; This further reduces the time you spend on cooking, and you can also choose to toss them in a bowl of milk and eat without cooking (we would not recommend doing that if you have a sensitive stomach).

Porridge Oats

Porridge, unlike Rolled oats, is a kind of food that is usually made using any oats. The oats are usually heated in water or milk and served with fruits and other toppings such as honey, maple syrup, and flavoring agents. Porridge can also be served with spices, vegetables, and meat. So, the options are plenty, and it’s up to you however you want to make them.

Porridge Oat or Oat Porridge is a thicker porridge with a slightly chewy texture; on the other hand, Gruel is porridge with a thinner consistency. Most of the Porridge Oats you buy from the market are pre-cooked and finely grounded oats that you can cook instantly. They may have other ingredients added to them, including flavorings, salt, sugar, butter, cream, milk, and fruits.

Rolled Oats and Porridge Oats Nutrition

Usually, all the porridge in the market cooked by microwaving or boiling contains around 84 percent water, 12 percent carbohydrates (2 percent of which is dietary fiber), 2 percent fat, and 2 percent proteins. One hundred grams of cooked oats have around seventy-one calories, and they have small amounts of micronutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, iron, and magnesium. On the Other hand, Rolled Oats have a better nutrition profile because they are less processed.

Uncooked rolled oats have around 68 percent carbs, 6 percent fats, and 13 percent proteins. When cooked, 100 grams of oats provides 379 kcals, and they have large quantities of micronutrients like B-Vitamins, manganese, phosphorous, and dietary fiber. Oats have an abundant supply of dietary fiber, especially Beta-Glucan (also a type of fiber), which has cholesterol-lowering properties.

So What’s the difference Between Rolled Oats and Porridge Oats?

To sum up the differences Between Rolled Oats and Porridge Oats:

• Rolled oats usually are processed oats made by steaming the oats and using a roller (usually heavy and toasted) to flatten the oat grains into flakes.
• On the other hand, Porridge Oats are food made using various oats boiled in water or milk.
• Rolled oats contain higher amounts of carbs, B-vitamins, magnesium, and dietary fiber, while porridge usually has lower amounts of nutrients unless it is enriched.

Sources

• Wikipedia
• CookedBest
• KitchenCommunity