While steel-cut oats are the slowest-digesting type of oatmeal (with a GI of 42), they are faster digesting than some other carb sources like barley. The following table compares the carb content, fiber, protein (in 100 g), and glycemic index of the four main types of oatmeal. Smaller molecules mean the body can have faster digestion compared to larger molecules. Since they all have different processing, they have different fiber content, which leads to a different glycemic index.įor example, quick oats have been previously cooked and rolled out thin. There are four main types of oatmeal: steel-cut oats, rolled oats, instant oatmeal, and quick oats. Types of Oatmeal: Ranking From Fastest To Slowest Digesting No matter which type you consume, all of them are within the complex carb category. Thanks to this trait, they tend to be more filling than simple carbs. The body requires more processing to digest them, so they have a slower absorption rate. On the other hand, complex carbs are higher in fiber and starches. This means your body doesn’t need to do much digesting, leading to fast absorption. Simple carbs are lower in fiber and higher in sugars. Related Articles: Is Banana Fast Digesting Carbs? & Is Pasta Fast Digesting?Ĭarbs are classified into two groups: simple and complex.On the other hand, quick oats have faster digestion, meaning it might take less than an hour or up to only two hours to digest. They can take around 2-3 hours to digest fully. However, this depends on the type of oatmeal you use. Oatmeal can take between 30 minutes to four hours to digest. It uses a scale of one to a hundred, and it classifies food into low, medium, and high categories. As such, the higher the number in the glycemic index, the faster food is absorbed. The lower in fiber, protein, and fat, the easier it is to absorb, which means the quicker it spikes sugar levels. The glycemic index measures how fast food can raise blood sugar levels. Using the Glycemic Index To Determine How Quickly Oatmeal Will Digestīefore getting into how long it takes oatmeal to digest, it’s important to understand what the glycemic index is since I’ll reference it throughout this article. Check out our complete guide on the Fastest Digesting Carbs with over 20+ examples.Other factors that affect the digestion of oatmeal.Benefits & drawbacks of eating a slow-digesting carb like oatmeal.Types of oatmeal ranking from fastest to slowest digesting.How long it takes for oatmeal to digest.Knowing how fast oatmeal digests is important because it can help you understand why you may want to choose it over other carb sources at certain times of the day. This means steel-cut oats are slower digesting. For example, steel-cut oats have a GI of 42, and quick oats have a GI of 66. The higher the GI, the higher the impact.

So, is oatmeal fast or slow digesting? Oatmeal is generally slow digesting, but it depends on the type and its glycemic index (GI), which determines how quickly a food affects sugar levels. However, you might wonder whether it is a fast- or slow-digesting carb, which can affect when you include it throughout the day. A nice warm cup of oatmeal can be a great way to increase your carb intake.

Easily digested carbs