Muesli vs. Oats - What's the difference?

Breakfast wouldn’t be the same if oatmeal had never been discovered. It’s a prominent element in many of our favorite morning meals, like muesli and oatmeal.

Rolled oats have been a family staple for centuries, and muesli has become all the rage in more recent history.

What is the difference between muesli and oatmeal?

The biggest difference is that muesli is made ready-to-eat, whereas oatmeal needs to be cooked. Both are commonly enjoyed with a variety of fruit, dried fruit and sweet toppings, but all of those treats come packaged with the oats in the muesli and need to be added separately to the oats unless you buy an instant, pre-made variety.

Muesli and oatmeal are similar, but different, and both are delicious. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how and why you might choose to brew one over the other.

Main differences between muesli and oatmeal

Both muesli and oatmeal are cereals made primarily from whole grains .

Rolled oats are made with oats , of course, but many cooks add various ingredients to their rolled oats for flavor and texture.

Muesli is ready -made , as the ingredients are added to the cereal before it is packaged and sold. The other main difference between the two is that muesli is usually eaten cold, although it can be cooked.

Rolled oats are eaten hot, although the oats themselves can be eaten raw or in other forms.

Muesli

Muesli is a ready-to-eat cereal that can be eaten hot or cold. It consists primarily of oats and a variety of flakes, such as bran or corn flakes.

Nuts, seeds and other flavorings, such as coconut or chocolate, are added to the cereals.

In reality, muesli is more like granola than rolled oats , and the only real difference in the realm of muesli vs. granola is that granola is baked before being used, while muesli is raw.

Is muesli healthy?

Muesli can be incredibly healthy and packed with nutrients, but it can also be a sugar bomb that wreaks havoc on your glucose levels.

By making your own muesli so you know exactly what’s in it, you can ensure that you include a wide variety of healthy ingredients, such as raw nuts, coconut, and dried fruit with no added sugar.

You can also control the amount and type of sweetener you add. We recommend the monk fruit sweetener.

If you buy a pre-cooked variety, check the nutrition label to decide for yourself how healthy it is. Look at the sugar to fiber ratio, which should be in favor of fiber.

It will have some sugar, but check the ingredients to see if that sugar comes primarily from fruit, nuts, or even honey, or if it comes from less desirable sources, like anything called “syrup” or “high fructose.”

Oatmeal

As common as oatmeal and rolled oats are around the world, many people still wonder if rolled oats are porridge. The answer is a simple yes and no.

Oatmeal is a type of porridge, but not all porridge is oatmeal , although most people use the terms interchangeably.

Porridge is a hot cereal made from almost any grain, legume, or even vegetable, while oatmeal is, by definition, made from oats. The oats can be any variety, such as steel-cut, rolled, or quick.

How to prepare the oats

The most common way to consume oatmeal is to cook it in milk or water and make it. Depending on the type of oats you have, you may need to cook them longer or soak them first.

Here are some specific varieties that are often asked about:

1. How to Make Steel Cut Oats: Steel cut oats are heartier and nuttier than their more finely processed relatives, making them perfect for cooking in batches.
   1. For a more intense flavor, toast it first in a dry pan on the stove.
   2. Use 1 cup of oats for every 4 cups of liquid, either water, milk, or a combination of both. Cook over low heat with a little salt and butter or coconut oil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. How to prepare the oats in the oven: If you want an oatmeal with more body and texture, use rolled oats. If you prefer creamier, doughier oats, use quick oats. In either case, bring the water to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, and add the oats.

   1. Use ¼ cup to ½ cup of oats per serving and double the amount of water. Add the milk and ingredients after the oats are cooked, which takes about 4 minutes over low heat and stirring frequently.

3. How to cook oats in the microwave:  Rolled oats and quick oats are sliced much thinner than steel cut oats, so they cook well and quickly in the microwave.

   1. For a single serving, place ¼ cup oats in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with milk or water, about ½ cup. Add the ingredients you want, such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc.
   2. For rolled oats, cook for 2.5 minutes, watching and stirring if it threatens to boil over in the bowl. For quick oats, you only need 1 minute.
4. How to cook oatmeal for weight loss:  If your goal is to lose weight, the most important rule of thumb is to avoid instant oatmeal, which is full of sugar and other additives. Use rolled or steel-cut oats for the most fiber and protein, and add natural toppings like fresh berries and nuts, avoiding syrup, sugar, honey, and even nuts to reduce sugar.

5. How to make oatmeal with milk:  If you prepare the oatmeal on the fire, you have to be very careful if you want to cook it in milk, because the milk will scald easily. You’ll have more success if you cook the oats in individual portions in the microwave, as above, making sure they don’t boil.

   1. If you want to cook the steel cut oats in milk , use your slow cooker on low power overnight, using a 1:4 ratio.

oats benefits

Both muesli and rolled oats are oat-based, so you’ll enjoy their benefits no matter what you fill your bowl with in the morning.

Oat Nutrition - 100 g

As you can see from the table above, oats are a very respectable plant source of a wide variety of nutrients.

They take care of all your macros in a balanced way, especially considering their high fiber content, they are a good source of almost all the B vitamins , and they are high in multiple minerals that are essential for your overall health.

Thanks to these various nutrients, as well as a host of antioxidants, oats have been shown to lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol, improve blood sugar response, and support good gut health.

It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties , making it especially suitable for relieving skin irritations. The benefits of oats for the skin have been noticed by many cosmetic companies that now include finely ground oats in their formulas.

You can get the same calming benefits by wrapping a ½ cup of dry oats in cheesecloth, securing with an elastic band, and soaking in hot water with the bunch of oats.

If you’re interested in learning even more about oats, we’ve written a complete guide here: Ground Oats: The Complete Guide

Related questions

Can I eat oatmeal every day?

You can eat oatmeal every day.  Millions of people around the world start their days with oatmeal as a way to get them through the morning without losing energy or feeling hungry before lunchtime.

Even if you get a chance to stop and snack, a good bowl of oatmeal will help you stick to your diet plans and keep you regular, healthy, and fully satisfied in the process.

The best thing about oatmeal is that you can make it new every day , adding different ingredients to change your routine.

Berries and cocoa powder one day, and maple syrup and nuts the next.