Avena para el desayuno: ¿aplanada o cortada?
By: Keith
El hecho es que a menos de que tú prefieras el sabor de una sobre la otra o que seas un hippie, verdaderamente no importa. Ambas son saludables. Hace poco yo estaba en el supermercado, sosteniendo dos latas de avena, rascándome la cabeza y considerando mis opciones. Mi amigo, quien estaba parado junto a mí, me dijo que la avena cortada era la clase que todos los aficionados a la avena compraban porque ésta avena, es más saludable. “¿De verdad” Bueno, ¿cuál es la diferencia?” Le pregunté. Y él dijo, “Creo que la avena cortada no es tan procesada y de alguna manera tiene más nutrientes.” ¿Todo este tiempo yo he comprado la avena aplanada y no he conseguido una experiencia completa con la avena? Yo compré la avena aplanada porque aún no me he muerto y he comido este tipo de avena desde que era bebé así que estaba seguro que no me iban a matar antes de que hiciera mi investigación. Y, no lo han hecho.
¿Qué es la avena? 
La avena, a diferencia de otros granos, es muy difícil de procesar. La avena contiene 5 veces más grasa que el trigo. La avena carga una gran cantidad de una enzima que digiere grasa y se vuelve rancia si se deja sin procesar. Todos los granos de avena (granos de avena completos) pasan por un tratamiento de calentamiento que desactiva esa enzima. Pero, ¿por qué consumimos avena si es tan difícil de procesa? Porque es extremadamente saludable, esa es la razón. La avena es súper rica en beta-glucano (carbohidratos indigestibles) los cuales absorben y retienen agua y son responsables por mantener un nivel bajo de colesterol en la sangre. La avena también contiene montones de antioxidantes – lo cual siempre es bueno.
Los granos de avena son utilizados completos porque el endospermo, germen, y salvado no pueden ser separados como lo hacemos con el maíz y el arroz. Por lo que son simplemente cortados en pedazos pequeños. Primero, los granos son calentados a temperatura baja para desactivar la enzima de la que estaba hablando antes. Después del calentamiento inicial la única diferencia es en la forma y el tamaño en la que prefieras comer tu avena, y en qué tan fácil quieras preparar tu desayuno.
Avena cortada: los granos completos son cortados en varios pedazos para poder cocinarse fácilmente.
Avena aplanada: Los granos completos que son cocidos al vapor para que puedan ser fácilmente aplanados con rodillos. Su naturaleza plana les hace mejores para absorber humedad. El muesli es preparado con avena plana por esta razón.
Avena regular, instantánea, rápida: Estas designaciones se refieren al grosor del aplanado. .8mm de grosor son la avena regular mientras que .4mm de grosor es típico para la avena de cocinado rápido. La avena instantánea es la más delgada.
Hay que dejar saber que el valor nutricional de la avena cortada y el de la avena aplanada es idéntico. Algunos puristas creen que el proceso de cocimiento al vapor utilizado para preparar la avena aplanada degrada su valor nutricional de la avena. 
Mis investigaciones dicen lo contrario. De acuerdo con On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, 2004 (Con comida y cocinando: la ciencia y el saber de la cocina), no se pierde ningún nutriente en el proceso de hacer la avena comestible en cualquier tamaño y forma.
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BIG fan of the oats in all forms, oatmeal, cookies, granola, and anything else you can do with it. My mom was so creatative with Oatmeal I guess because it was cheap and easy on top of being good for you. We did it with the traditional butter and brown sugar, but also we would put all kinds of jellies and jams in there and get a whole variety of flavors. My ten month old son picked up the bug. He can eat just as much oatmeal for breakfast as I can. No kidding. a full sized adult bowl almost every morning. It like the size of his head, but he puts it down and is happy to do it.
Jeremiah, Oatmeal has been a favorite of mine for a while. I never knew the differences between them until I looked it all up. One thing I didn’t mention is that steel cut oats are three times the price of rolled oats. I find that funny considering it costs less to produce
It’s the power of the naturalist I guess. All those folks thinking they’re being posh!
Oatmeal rocks! I’ve been feeding all my kids (5, 3, and 1) and myself rolled oat oatmeal for breakfast since they were big enough to eat it. We usually put bananas, craisins and raisins (if you chop them up really well the young ones can eat them) in it with some cinnamon (yep, I so spetlled that wrong) and nutmeg.. even chopped walnuts these days (we buy the walnuts, craisins and raisins at Costco for WAY cheap compared it the supermarket). Voilla!, oatmeal cookie without the guilt! I’ve had friends look at me cross eyed for doing it, but I never understood why. It’s super cheap, it’s REALLY yummy and it’s WAY healthier than the frozen pancakes and sugar cereal their kids eat for breakfast every day! Thanks for the information.. I hope you convert some folks!!
I knew there wasn’t a difference in nutrition, but I like steel cut oats a little better, maybe it’s the texture. But, like you pointed out, they are so freaking expensive, which most likely has to do with the production volumes than anything else. At our store there is only one option for steel cut oats, while there are 84,000 options for rolled and instant.
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hmmmmm does the cinnamon brown sugar instant oatmeal count? I like that…lol
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John, Hmmm, I’m thinking the cinnamon brown sugar stuff might just have a little added sugar
But, jeez, it tastes great! Thanks for reading.
I hate oatmeal and avoid the stuff as much as possible.
This one time my wife sent me to buy oatmeal. But it has to be special oatmeal to help increase breast milk supply. Long story short I stood in the oatmeal isle for about 30 minutes dumbfounded and probably looked like a moron!
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Chris. I had no idea there was such as thing as oatmeal that increased breast milk supply! That must have been an interesting and educational experience for you
Thanks. I have been meaning to look into what the difference was. I’ll continue with my rolled oats.
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Thanks for reading, Nely! I’d been eating rolled oats all these years and I hadn’t felt crummy about it. Reading up on it has just reassured me and made me feel better about being cheap!
I like oatmeal, but my kids hate it. I also heard that there was no nutritional difference in any of the oatmeals including instant. But is there a fiber difference? I would think, no. It’s a little hard to believe, though. Btw, if you like oats that aren’t mushy and you want to buy rolled oats, let the water come to a boil BEFORE you put the oats in. Then cook as directed. That sort of slimy gelatinous stuff that makes it taste mushy will be greatly diminished. Thanks, Keith. Now… any ideas about getting super finicky kids to eat it?
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Beth, I looked it up, and the fiber content is the same as well. That’s a pretty good question
Thanks for the oatmeal info!
Wow, this is the most informative article on oats that I’ve ever read. Keith, it’s great that we have a detective like you to figure this out for us. Apparently we can’t blindly assume the more expensive item in the more expensive tin is better quality.
I personally like the flavored oatmeal– about to make one with apples and cinnamon right now, even though I know they add nasty things like high fructose corn syrup in it.
I love oatmeal and I eat it every morning! I’m glad to hear that I’m not losing nutritional value.
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LOL! David. I didn’t know you wrote an oatmeal article too. Nice catch!