Steel Cut Oats vs Rolled Oats

This is a question I get a lot: So What is the difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats?

They look different, rolled oats are easier to cook and softer but other than that there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between the two.

Of course nothing is as it appears. Here are the differences: Steel Cut Oats have fewer calories, 140 calories for 1/4 cup vs 160 calories for a 1/4 cup of rolled oats. Another difference is Steel Cut Oats have zero grams of sugar vs rolled oats that have 1 gram. Rolled oats have no saturated fat, while steel cut oats have .5 g. So there really isn't that much of a nutritional difference between the two either.

So Why are steel cut oats the preferred oat weight loss and weight management?

The difference is the way they are processed. Rolled oats are steamed, then rolled and then steamed again and then toasted says Andrew Well, MD. Steel cut oats are just coarsely chopped. So the lack of processing of the steel oats puts them lower on the Glycemic index. The Glycemic Index is a measurement that predicts how much a person's blood sugar level will spike after eating. The less spike the better! So it is better to eat food of a low Glycemic Index number. Concluding steel oats are a better option than rolled oats and this is why they are the chosen oat!