Training & Nutrition - Cheerios vs. Oats

Hey all!

I have been lurking around here for a few weeks and keep seeing lots of people reccomending eating oats for breakfast. I almost always eat Honey Nut Cheerios. So last night I got the oats box and Cheerios box down and started comparing them. They seem basically the same as far as Cal, Carb, etc. Am I missing something?

Will I gain anything from switching to Oats?

I figure this is probably posted somewhere on here already, but just try searching for oats and cheerios in a thread... There are a LOT.

Thanks for your time.

PS: Just had to share with someone. I had to punch yet another hole in my belt today! :thumb:

I think most people mean hot oatmeal when they say Oats. Which is different from the cereal.

UD

How do they compare on fiber? Added sugar?

I would think that old fashioned rolled oats would digest slower than Cheerios and would not cause as large a spike in blood sugar and all that goes along with that.

Oatmeal, your body will thank you for it, when you get older.

Drops Cholesterol better than anything else, and fibre will keep you squeeky clean inside.

If you absolutely have to have something sweeter, add fruit, raisins, or some such natural sweetener.

On top of that, it tastes good!

Then, when you get as old as me, your doctor won't want to put you on more pilllllllllllllls.

P.S. Keep ridin, though, cause that's good for you too......

I eat oatmeal with flaxseed, wheat germ, strawberries, a banana, and some blueberries every morning for breakfast and it is great. It took some getting used to because of the bland taste (especially coming off waffles and toaster strudels), but I am glad I made the switch.

OK, I should have specified I guess :lol:

I know they mean hot oatmeal. I had my wife buy some steel cut oats, honey and walnuts today and I tried some raw oats and it's GOOD!

I was just wondering what the health benefits were one over the other.

I mean, the oatmeal seems to have more cals (slightly), both about the same carbs, etc. Cheerios say they lower chol and the oats box says it removes chol. Maybe THAT's the difference?

Shoot, I don't know. I am sure that the fact the oatmeal isn't really "processed" is better if nothing else. Maybe it's the Cheerios preservatives?

No biggie, I'll switch for a while and see what's what.

Thanks for the help and the motivation (over the entire board as a whole). I DO plan on sticking with riding. How did I ever forget how much fun it was as a kid?

I'm not sure, but I would guess that you are right. Oats are probably more natural, and you can control the ingredients much more. Cheerios probably have a lot of added sugar, and preservatives (I could be wrong though). If you are tight on time, try rolled oats. They are ALMOST as nutritional as steel cut, but cook much quicker

Hey all!

I have been lurking around here for a few weeks and keep seeing lots of people reccomending eating oats for breakfast. I almost always eat Honey Nut Cheerios. So last night I got the oats box and Cheerios box down and started comparing them. They seem basically the same as far as Cal, Carb, etc. Am I missing something?

Will I gain anything from switching to Oats?

I figure this is probably posted somewhere on here already, but just try searching for oats and cheerios in a thread... There are a LOT.

Thanks for your time.

PS: Just had to share with someone. I had to punch yet another hole in my belt today! :thumb:

Congratulations on the weight loss!

While Cheerios does use oats, a lot of it is processed, which adds a lot of other content that might not be as healthy (and I hear that it actually diminishes the benefits provided by the oats).

On the other hand, oatmeal is pretty much straight up oats with milk. No processing required (that I know of).

Too bad one of my favorite foods is a good bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. Processed foods? Kill me, baby! :D

Hey all!

I have been lurking around here for a few weeks and keep seeing lots of people reccomending eating oats for breakfast. I almost always eat Honey Nut Cheerios. So last night I got the oats box and Cheerios box down and started comparing them. They seem basically the same as far as Cal, Carb, etc. Am I missing something?

Will I gain anything from switching to Oats?

I figure this is probably posted somewhere on here already, but just try searching for oats and cheerios in a thread... There are a LOT.

Thanks for your time.

PS: Just had to share with someone. I had to punch yet another hole in my belt today! :thumb:

BTW, oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar and maple syrup tastes pretty amazing. Natural sweeteners are healthier, though.

Regular Cheerios are simply oats ground into flour and baked into the little o shape. The other varieties have some added bits, of course. They are almost as good as most unsweetened oatmeal products out there sans the added fiber.

They are my preferred snack food, often with dried berries and nuts sprinkled in.

BTW, oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar and maple syrup tastes pretty amazing. Natural sweeteners are healthier, though.

Brown sugar is merely white sugar with some molassas added. Maple syrup is a bit more complex. But essentially both are primarily sucrose which is the main transport sugar in plants. White sugar or Cane sugar is something like 99.9995% sucrose. It is the purest chemical you can buy at the grocery store. It is even USP grade or analytical grade. I seriously doubt that there is any really significant difference between white sugar and maple syrup and brown sugar. Eat them for their flavor. It is a minor indulgance and that is good. But I think you are fooling yourself if you think it is doing your health any good.

They aren't beneficial for your health, but at the level of exercise a lot of us do, they aren't that harmful either when used in moderation...

One cup of rolled oats has twice the fiber, 4 times the protein as Honey Nut Cheerios. Plus the Cheerios has 200 mg sodium to Zero for rolled oats.

Real maple syrup is a natural sweetener.

All very good responses! Thank you.

So I tried what I though was a good idea this morning. I got up, put 1/2 Cup water and 1/4 cup Steel Cut Oats in the microwave for 3 minutes while I got dressed...

Well, I must have still been asleep because it never dawned on me it would be boiling/bubbling. So when I got back to the kitchen to eat my oatmeal, I opened the microwave door to find the bowl pretty much empty and the oatmeal scattered all over the inside of the microwave.:bang:

So I just had some cheerios (after I cleaned the microwave before my wife saw it! :lol:)

I'll try a bigger bowl tomorrow but I gotta admit, I REALLY like the taste of them raw. Might just put a little skim milk in them with some honey and walnuts and chow down.

Once again, thanks for all the "Food for Thought". :thumb:

you want a really big bowl cereal tends to boil over a bowl bigger then you would eat out of. plus you need to time it well will takes a bit of practice.

You won't have much luck microwaving the steel-cut oats unless you soak them the night before. Rolled oats you can do that way though. :thumb:

Real maple syrup is a natural sweetener.

Isn't this hard to find?

Not at all. It's usually right next to the corn syrup with maple flavoring stuff, or perhaps with the specialty items. It's not cheap, but it's worth it. Should be easy to find in NYC. Zabars?

On another forum I visit, there is a debate over the health benefits of "instant" oatmeal vs. slow-cooked oatmeal. Just curious as to what everyone's opinion over here is on the topic. Basically, the consensus over there is that the "instant" packets don't provide the health benefits (mainly the cholesterol lowering properties) that the slow-cooked variety does. But this morning I came across an article in the December 2008 issue of Running Times magazine. On page 24 is an article titled "Grains On The Go"...and in the last paragraph it states that "instant" oatmeal is just as nutritious as whole oats because the germ and bran remain intact during processing. So now I don't know who or what to believe.

Also...what is your preferred method of cooking slow-cooked oats? I'm a sucker for convenience...but I've tried nuking them and it didn't come out very well...it was very chewy and clumpy...not at all like the consistency I get with the instant packets. BTW...I use skim milk to make my oatmeal. Any suggestions on how to get the slow-cook stuff to come out better in the microwave? Or do I really have to use the stove-top method to get it right?

Well, I tried something different this morning.

Like I said a few posts up, I like the taste of the oats raw, but they are a bit too hard. So I got up and put some in a bowl with some skim milk and heated in the microwave just long enough to get it hot then let it set while I showered and dressed. Then added honey and walnuts. I was NOT good! :eek:

I think it's going to be either fully cooked on the stove (30 minutes) or raw next to see what that's like.

Any tips on making it better? (Remember it is steel cut).

Thanks,

Tom

I don't think oats are hard to make at all. I get rolled oats, either thick cut or not (but not the "fast cook") in bulk. All I have to do in the morning is throw about 1/2cup oats in with 1 cup water or just over, bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low (I don't cover the pot, personally), and let them cook for about 5 or 10 minutes. Then, add these to a bowl with ground flax seed, cacao bits, some xylitol, and a banana, mix, then add a bit of rice/almond milk on top, and you're set! Easy, cheap, healthy, and nutritious.

Any tips on making it better? (Remember it is steel cut).


As mentioned above, steel cut are all about long cooking. If you want convenience, put a 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup water in a bowl, and leave over night. Microwave in the morning.

On another forum I visit, there is a debate over the health benefits of "instant" oatmeal vs. slow-cooked oatmeal. Just curious as to what everyone's opinion over here is on the topic. Basically, the consensus over there is that the "instant" packets don't provide the health benefits (mainly the cholesterol lowering properties) that the slow-cooked variety does. But this morning I came across an article in the December 2008 issue of Running Times magazine. On page 24 is an article titled "Grains On The Go"...and in the last paragraph it states that "instant" oatmeal is just as nutritious as whole oats because the germ and bran remain intact during processing. So now I don't know who or what to believe.

Isn't "instant" oatmeal just chopped up into smaller pieces and steamed so it's already a little bit cooked? I doubt this lowers the nutritional content.

Cheerios are just processed oats.

I pulled this from another site's discussion of cooking oats:

the easiest way to make steel cut oats is put 2.25 cups of water, .5 cups oats and a pinch of salt in a slow cooker, and turn it on low before you go to bed. if you don't have a slow cooker, heat your oven to 225 and put the oats/water in a covered pot in the oven.

cut up bananas are really good in oatmeal, and a little maple syrup will give it a very nice flavor.


Cheerios are just processed oats.
Wrong. As has already been said. Have you ever looked at the ingredients? (http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675)http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675

I cook my oats ahead of time (OVERLAP with dishes or something). I cook off a huge pot that will last me all week and store it in the fridge. 2 mins in the zapper and I'm good to go. Creamy, filling, and not with the mouth feel that I'm eating barnyard fodder.

I pulled this from another site's discussion of cooking oats:

Wrong. As has already been said. Have you ever looked at the ingredients? (http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675)http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/product_image.aspx?catID=53&itemID=675

Yes I have and cheerios are mostly reformed oats. How is this wrong?

You didn't say it was MOSTLY oats in your first post. You said it was JUST processed oats, which it is clearly not. It is processed oats with multiple added sugars, added salts, an emuslifying/foaming agent(TPP), and vitamin and mineral supplements. That's a little different from my bowl of JUST oats.

Thanks for the nutrition tips

Just an update.

I tried the steel cut oatmeal with splenda and cinnemon this morning and it was GOOD!

So, I made a big pot tonight and divided it into serving containers to reheat during the week.

I'll let you all know how it is tomorrow morning.

Thanks for all the info!!!

Tom

Well, just in case anyone is still following this or is interested, I tried the reheated oatmeal this morning.

It was........ "ok".

Not as good as fresh, but sure stuck with me a long time. I think we may be on to something.

Thanks to Artimus for the suggestion.

Did you store it in the fridge or the freezer?

I just ask because I have seen Trader Joes selling frozen cooked steel cut oatmeal, and I was curious as to whether there was a difference, and haven't gotten motivated to try it myself. I might be more likely to make up a big batch of steel cut if I can freeze some of it.

(I won't try the TJ's stuff because it's sweetened, which I don't like.)

Cyclist Alex Wetmore uses a fuzzy logic rice cooker for steel cut oats. Check it out at:

http://blogs.phred.org/blogs/alex_wetmore/archive/2007/12/31/tried-and-liked-2007-bike-and-not-bike.aspx

Did you store it in the fridge or the freezer?

I just ask because I have seen Trader Joes selling frozen cooked steel cut oatmeal, and I was curious as to whether there was a difference, and haven't gotten motivated to try it myself. I might be more likely to make up a big batch of steel cut if I can freeze some of it.

(I won't try the TJ's stuff because it's sweetened, which I don't like.)

Actually, I just cooked a weeks worth and stuck it in the fridge. Not sure what it'd be like in the freezer. Probably OK though if it was cool when it went in.

I'm thinking about some kind of fruit next week for a bit more "excitement". :lol:

Tom

Cyclist Alex Wetmore uses a fuzzy logic rice cooker for steel cut oats. Check it out at:

http://blogs.phred.org/blogs/alex_wetmore/archive/2007/12/31/tried-and-liked-2007-bike-and-not-bike.aspx

That's a neat idea. I wonder about the clean up though.

Anybody else notice you could almost resurface roads with dried crusty oatmeal? :lol:

I'm thinking about some kind of fruit next week for a bit more "excitement". :lol:

Nice! I like to use frozen berries (blueberries or raspberries), quick and easy, and they just heat up with the oatmeal. :)

I think the biggest difference between the two would be the Total Dietary Fiber content. Oats are known as a good source of soluble fiber, but cheerios aren't far off. I found this from peertrainer.com's website; "Old Fashioned Oats (Safeway brand) has 8 grams of fiber (4 soluble and 4 insoluble) per cup of cereal, and Cheerios, despite its banner proclaiming “the Soluble Fiber in Cheerios Can Reduce Your Cholesterol” has only 3 grams of dietary fiber/cup (1 gram from soluble fiber and the rest insoluble fiber)."

And with oats you can wear one of these while you ride:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u147/Editz_photos/feedbag.jpg

And with oats you can wear one of these while you ride:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u147/Editz_photos/feedbag.jpg

Now THAT'S FUNNY!

:lol::lol::lol:

Nice! I like to use frozen berries (blueberries or raspberries), quick and easy, and they just heat up with the oatmeal. :)


Excellent suggestion! I'll see if I can get some frozen blueberries this week.


Thanks to everyone for the help!

Tom

I think the biggest difference between the two would be the Total Dietary Fiber content. Oats are known as a good source of insoluble fiber, but cheerios aren't far off. I found this from peertrainer.com's website; "Old Fashioned Oats (Safeway brand) has 8 grams of fiber (4 soluble and 4 insoluble) per cup of cereal, and Cheerios, despite its banner proclaiming “the Soluble Fiber in Cheerios Can Reduce Your Cholesterol” has only 3 grams of dietary fiber/cup (1 gram from soluble fiber and the rest insoluble fiber)."

Good info.

I have noticed during this week that the oatmeal definitely stays with me longer than cheerios. Although i have to profess that I don't really LIKE the oatmeal yet (texture and taste) but I am working on that.

You didn't say it was MOSTLY oats in your first post. You said it was JUST processed oats, which it is clearly not. It is processed oats with multiple added sugars, added salts, an emuslifying/foaming agent(TPP), and vitamin and mineral supplements. That's a little different from my bowl of JUST oats.

Statistically, it's still 95% "whole grain oats". Do the math on the label.

Statistically, it's still 95% "whole grain oats". Do the math on the label.

Pretty much everything in the store starts out 95% real food before adding the chemicals and processing

I honestly love this...
Pour 1/4 cup of raw quick oats over a bowl of cheerios (cold). Stir it up with the milk, let it sit just a minute or so. It's great!!!

Well, I have to say that the frozen blueberries made it a LOT more tastey! Good suggestion!

I am going to try the rolled oats next week and see if they are any different. Would I cook the berries at the same time or just add them after it is cooked?

Thanks for all the info/suggestions so far!

Also, etothepii, that sounds pretty good too. I gotta say, I like the taste of the steel cut oats raw, they are just hard to chew! Might try that with the rolled oats.

I am going to try the rolled oats next week and see if they are any different. Would I cook the berries at the same time or just add them after it is cooked?

Either way...I usually throw them in after it is cooked and maybe put it back in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Either way...I usually throw them in after it is cooked and maybe put it back in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Gotcha! THANKS, MSINCREDIBLE!

This week it is the tub of Red River cereal in the fridge. This stuff looks like crushed bird seed! Another great rib sticker as well. And last but not least the dreaded "LUMPY CREAM OF WHEAT". I've never been able to figure out, why Mom was not able to make this without the lumps. Right, I forgot.......She didn't eat it!!! The simple secret is to use a small whisk, and then switch to a silicone spatula; perfect everytime!!!

This week it is the tub of Red River cereal in the fridge. This stuff looks like crushed bird seed! Another great rib sticker as well. And last but not least the dreaded "LUMPY CREAM OF WHEAT". I've never been able to figure out, why Mom was not able to make this without the lumps. Right, I forgot.......She didn't eat it!!! The simple secret is to use a small whisk, and then switch to a silicone spatula; perfect everytime!!!


Never heard of the Red River cereal. Does it make you want to sit in a tree and poop on statues? :lol:
I, too, like me some Cream of Wheat but my downfall is I REALLY like it with butter and sugar! MMMMMM!

I'm sticking with the rolled oats with Splenda, a dash of cinnemon and some blueberries. So far, so good!

I cook steel cut oats in the microwave all the time. I've never had a big sticky mess.

I use a 2 quart microwave safe Pyrex measuring bowl. I think the steep sides of my bowl aid the cooking process. Add 4 cups of water and 1 cup of steel cut oats (I use McCann's oats) to the bowl and stick it in the microwave on high for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the bowl after about 5 minutes. When the mixture starts to boil, take the bowl out of the microwave and give it a good stir. This would probably be a good time to add any dried fruit to the mix. Put the bowl back in the microwave for 20 to 25 minutes on a power setting of 40 percent. As the oven power cycles on and off the water will boil up and then settle back down.

Go take a shower and get ready for the day. When you come back, your oats will be cooked. Stir in a bit of salt if you like. Do not add salt to oatmeal until AFTER it has finished cooking. Add whatever else you like to put in/on your oats and it's done. You now have 2 or 3 servings of oatmeal. Freeze or refrigerate the leftovers.

I realize this method takes just as long as the stove top method. At least you don't have to stand there and stir the pot with my microwave method. Adjust the recipe to make more or fewer servings. You may need to experiment with the power setting on your microwave.