Oat flakes have now become an essential ingredient in the breakfasts of those looking for simple and nutritious foods. You can use them to make porridge, add to yogurt or fruit, or use for pancakes and other homemade desserts. And there are now many types of them on supermarket shelves: large, fine, wholemeal, organic, gluten-free, protein-based or enriched with other ingredients.
But are they all the same? And above all, which are the best ones to choose at the supermarket? He thought about answering this question Altroconsumowhich evaluated over 300 products as part of an extensive analysis dedicated to breakfast cereals. Among these, 20 oat flakes were also examined, compared on the basis of the ingredients and nutritional information on the label.
The result is quite interesting: oat flakes are among the products that obtained the highest scores in the entire analysis. In fact, the three best scored between 91 and 93 points out of 100.
The 3 best oatmeal
On the top step of the ranking podium Altroconsumo we find Goodly wholemeal oats for porridge, which obtained 93 points out of 100. What makes the difference is above all its fiber content: 19 grams per 100 grams, almost double the average of the other oat flakes analyzed, which stands at around 10 grams.
The product is made exclusively from oats, without added sugar or salt, and also bears the indication “gluten-free” on the label. The flakes are fine, a characteristic that makes them particularly suitable for preparing porridge.
In second place we find another Goodly product: Large flaked oats, with a score of 92/100. Also in this case the list of ingredients is extremely simple: it is exclusively oat flakes. The product stands out for its good fiber and protein content, both equal to 13 grams per 100 grams, and for the absence of salt.
Compared to the previous product, the flakes are larger and therefore may be preferred by those who love a crunchier consistency or want to use them directly in yogurt or to make muesli.
Stella Avena gluten-free organic large flakes completes the podium, with 91 points out of 100. This product also has a very simple composition and stands out for its good supply of fiber (11.6 grams per 100 grams) and proteins (11.8 grams). The salt content is practically zero.
As its name suggests, it is also one of the few products analyzed that explicitly bear the “gluten-free” indication.
Not all oatmeal is created equal
The good result of oat flakes is not accidental. In fact, when we buy real oat flakes, in most cases we find only one ingredient. There are no added sugars, salt, flavors or other ingredients typical of many breakfast cereals.
Added to this is the natural fiber and protein content of oats, two elements that contribute positively to the nutritional evaluation.
Altroconsumo assigned scores based on the information on the label, considering both nutritional values and calories and the ingredients present in the product.
However, the comparison shows that even between apparently very similar products there can be differences. One of the most important concerns the quantity of fibre: the product that came in first place contains 19 grams per 100 grams, while the average of the other flakes analyzed is around 10 grams.
The size of the flakes can also make a difference, especially depending on usage. The fine or extra fine ones cook faster and are therefore particularly suitable for porridge; large ones may instead be more suitable to add directly to yogurt, milk or fruit.
And also pay attention to the word “integral”: second Altroconsumoin the oat flakes analyzed there was no significant difference in the fiber content between the products bearing this indication and those which did not. For this reason, if the goal is to increase fiber intake, it is always better to look at the nutritional table rather than just what is written on the package.
Ultimately, the test result suggests a rather simple rule when we find ourselves in front of the shelf: the fewer ingredients, the better. When it comes to breakfast cereals, you don’t necessarily need processed products or products enriched with many ingredients to obtain a good nutritional profile.
How the test was conducted
Altroconsumo evaluated the 20 oat flakes by analyzing the information on the label, in particular ingredients and nutritional values.
For the nutritional part, it used the method underlying the Nutri-Score, which considers elements to be limited, such as calories, sugars, saturated fats and salt, and instead rewards the presence of fiber and proteins.
The overall evaluation therefore took into account both the nutritional profile and the simplicity of the composition.
