When you choose a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, you might think you’re doing yourself a favor because oatmeal is “healthy.” That’s true, for the most part. A bowl of steel cut or rolled oats With some Fruit and a little sweetener is among the healthier breakfasts you can eat. But not everyone has time to boil oatmeal in the morning, and unless you develop a taste for overnight oatsyou may need to turn to instant or quick-cooking oatmeal for convenience.
When it comes to prepared oatmeal, not all are created equal. With so many brands, it can be difficult to determine which ones to avoid, especially since the packaging is designed to deliver flavor and nutrition promises that the food inside can’t deliver. We took the most popular oats on the shelves and compared them to a standard bowl of sugar-free oatmeal. A 40-gram bowl of oatmeal has 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, no sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of sugar.
Here are some of the worst oats on the shelf and some tips for recognizing these health imposters. (Also, if you’re ready to try something new, check out how 16 celebs make their oatmeal extra.)
PER 1 cup (65 G): 250 calories, 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 230 mg sodium, 47 g carbs (5 g fiber, 1 g soluble fiber) , 3 g of insoluble fiber, 19 g of sugar ), 7 g of protein, 2 mg of iron, 160 mg of potassium
Watching your sugar? Stay away from this maple pecan brown sugar flavor with 19 grams of the stuff, which is comparable to a serving of most types of chocolate. Why is there so much sugar? Because this little cup contains four different types of sugar to sweeten it. Keep this oatmeal on the shelf and check the label for multiple types of sugar. If an oatmeal has more than one, it’s best to toss it to the side.
PER (67 G): 270 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 210 mg sodium, 49 g carbs (8 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 7 g protein
Just because this is the highest calorie option of the bunch doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the worst for you. This mix has good stuff like chia and flaxseeds that boost fiber admirably. However, the ruin of this oatmeal is that it’s loaded with nearly twice the carbs and 12 more grams of sugar than a basic bowl of oatmeal.
PER 1 packet (43 G): 180 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 g monounsaturated fat), 135 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrates (3 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 10 g protein, 2 mg iron, 78 mg calcium, 138 mg potassium
Don’t let the brand fool you into thinking this is healthier than it is. While it does have a significant amount of protein as its name suggests, has twice the fat of a standard oatmeal bowl of oatmeal that includes 1.5 grams of saturated fat.
PER (60 G): 250 calories, 6 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 200 mg sodium, 35 g carbs (4 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 14 g protein, 1.7 mg iron, 110 mg calcium, 210 mg potassium
Time this oatmeal has 14 grams of protein that does not take away its content of fats and carbohydrates. It’s by no means the worst on this list, but it does have a few factors working against it, including 11 grams of added sugar. Also, keep an eye on the calories because at 250 per serving it’s easy to go overboard.
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PER (50G): 190 calories, 4.5g fat (1.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 210mg sodium, 30g carbs (5g fiber, 9g sugar), 10 g protein, 2 mg iron, 30 mg calcium, 150 mg potassium
In terms of fat content, this peanut butter oatmeal ranks high on the list at 4.5 grams. Sodium content is slightly above average. Note that there are almost 10 grams of sugar in this oatmeal. Keep that in mind when you think about adding it to your cart on that next trip to the grocery store.
PER (43G): 160 calories, 2.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 g monounsaturated fat), 220 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrates (3 g fiber, 1 g soluble fiber, 2 g insoluble fiber, 12 g sugar), 4 g protein, 3.6 mg iron, 100 mg calcium, 120 mg potassium
For lovers of blueberry muffins, this savory oatmeal brings the sweet taste to life with 12 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein. Now, that’s definitely less sugar than a standard blueberry muffin, but for oatmeal that’s a hefty amount. Plus, those tiny dried cranberries don’t provide the antioxidants and fiber you’d get from a handful of fresh cranberries.
PER (54G): 200 calories, 1g fat (0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0g polyunsaturated fat, 0g monounsaturated fat), 360mg sodium, 44g carbs ( 3 g fiber, 18 g sugar), 4 g protein, 5.4 mg iron, 130 mg calcium, 120 mg potassium
There are other ways to sweeten up your morning routine besides this microwave oatmeal. it is not only loaded with 18 grams of sugar but the sodium level is also quite high.
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PER (30 G): 110 calories, 1.5 g fat (0.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates (2 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 3 g protein, 3.6mg iron, 130mg calcium
Anything flavored with strawberries and cream is delicious and so is this oatmeal, but in terms of nutrition, it’s iffy. The calorie count seems correct and the sugar level is not high, but this oatmeal hides some secrets on its label. This oatmeal does not contain strawberries. If you look at the ingredients, you’ll see that those fruit bits are dried apples with natural flavors and colors added.
PER (28 G): 100 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 g monounsaturated fat), 210 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (3 g fiber, 1 g soluble fiber, 2 g insoluble fiber, <1 g sugar), 4 g protein, 3.6 mg iron, 100 mg calcium, 110 mg potassium
This low-sugar option is the best of the worst on the shelves…or is it? It’s low in calories (100 calories), carbs, and fat, but if you look at the serving size, the nutritional information isn’t that stellar. When you double this package down to the size of cups, the calorie level isn’t impressive and the sodium skyrockets. Also, to get flavor without sugar this oatmeal comes with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
READ MORE: Every Instant Oatmeal in America, Ranked!.
