Is Eating Uncooked Oatmeal Safe?

While most people prefer to eat their oatmeal cooked and combined with toppings like fruit and nuts, others are opting for eating the breakfast staple raw. Whether blended into a smoothie or sprinkled on top of a yogurt parfait, dry, uncooked oats are generally considered safe to eat, too. However, their nutrition information and health benefits can differ from cooked preparations.

What Are Raw Oats?

Raw oats are straight-from-the-field, newly harvested oats with the kernels, hulls, and stalks of the oat plant still intact, according to the Oldways Whole Grains Council. It’s unlikely you’ll find pure, raw oats at your local grocery store.

Though technically not "raw," less processed varieties of oats include whole oat groats and steel-cut oats (also known as Irish oatmeal). While some manufacturers may steam these oats after cleaning them, others do not, so it’s important to refer to specific product labels when determining whether these oats are safe to eat raw, according to The Ohio State University.

Meanwhile, more processed varieties of oats like rolled oats and instant oats are pre-steamed and heated to destroy potentially harmful pathogens, making them safe to eat raw, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Health Benefits of Eating Oatmeal

There are a number of health benefits associated with the consumption of oats.

A 1/2-cup serving of steel-cut oats provides 152 calories, 28 grams (g) of carbohydrates, 5 g of protein, and 2.3 g of fat. Similarly, a 1/2-cup serving of rolled oats contains 152 calories, 27.5 g of carbohydrates, 5.4 g of protein, and 2.4 g of fat.

Unlike refined grains typically found in breakfast cereals, whole-grain oats contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. Each of these parts contains its own nutrients, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, such as:

• Antioxidants
• B vitamins
• Fiber
• Vitamin E

A great source of complex carbohydrates, whole-grain oats also contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that's associated with improved digestion and a reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As such, oats are a great food for those looking to maintain or lose weight as well.

Which Types of Oats Are Healthiest?

Your local supermarket's cereal aisle is likely loaded with a number of brands and varieties of oats. While most oats are similarly nutritious regardless of how they're processed, less processed types such as groats and steel-cut oats tend to be lower on the glycemic index, which means that they won't spike your blood sugar as much as more processed oats, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Oat Groats

While they aren't as easy to find in every grocery store as other types of oats, groats are among the healthiest varieties of oats thanks to their minimal processing. Oat groats are whole oat kernels that have been cleaned and removed from their hulls. Consider them the edible version of what you'd find in an oat field.

Steel-Cut Oats

Steel-cut oats are oat groats that have been cut into smaller pieces, according to Oldways Whole Grain Council. They're less processed than rolled or instant oats and have a smaller immediate effect on your blood sugar. Steel-cut oats are much easier to find at your local grocer than oat groats.

Rolled Oats

Also referred to as old-fashioned oats, rolled oats are steamed, rolled, flattened, and dried groats. Therefore, they’re more processed than groats and steel-cut oats, but they’re less processed than quick or instant oats. They’re also likely safest (and most enjoyable) to consume raw compared to groats and steel-cut oats.

How to Eat Oats

Cooking your oats into oatmeal with water or low-fat milk and adding toppings like fresh fruit and nuts is a healthy way to add more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your breakfast, according to Mayo Clinic. While more processed oatmeal varieties and rolled oats are generally safe to consume raw, Harvard Health Publishing recommends cooking your oatmeal or preparing overnight oats instead. While letting oats soak technically isn’t a cooking method (no heat required), it does make them softer and creamier and potentially easier to digest.

If you’d rather eat your oats raw, consider blending them into your favorite smoothie recipe, sprinkling a handful on top of a yogurt parfait, or rolling them into no-bake energy bites with other ingredients like dates, nut butters, and chia seeds.