Healthy Oatmeal Throwdown:

 Fast Food vs. Homemade

 

Earlier this week, we posted about McDonald’s recent addition of oatmeal to the menu, skeptical of their marketing slogan, “when wholesome meets delicious” (we don’t consider sugary toppings ‘wholesome’). Still, many of our readers weren’t so perturbed by the overall nutrition value of McDonald’s new breakfast – “I personally consider under-300 calories to be a perfectly reasonable amount to eat for breakfast, even if you’re on a diet,” said one commenter. “And the nutrition facts aren’t so terribly different than when I make truly 100% natural oatmeal for myself at home (1/2 cup pre-cooked oats, cooked in water with 1/4 cup raisins and topped with 1 tsp brown sugar and a couple of tablespoons of nonfat milk).”

The debate over Mc-Oats got us wondering how the other options out there size up: Are chains other than McDonald’s making a better breakfast? And either way, are we really much better off slaving at the stove to make our own? To find out, we did some research and found nutrition facts for six national chains: Starbucks, McDonald’s, Tim Horton’s, Caribou Coffee, Jamba Juice, and Au Bon Pain. (We also looked up what would end up in your bowl of oats, were you to skip the drive-thru altogether). Check out the gallery below to find out which oats came out on top:

McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal

 McDonald's fruit and maple oatmeal contains 290 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber. If you lose the brown sugar, you save 30 calories and 9 grams of carbohydrates.

Jamba Juice's Steel Cut Oatmeal

Jamba Juice's steel cut oatmeal is tasty (we've tried), and they're one of only two chains we found that actually reveals its oatmeal ingredients on its site – unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily make it the healthiest. Without toppings, their oatmeal contains 180 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of sugar. The steel cut oats contain far more protein and a bit more fiber than the rolled oats used by most restaurants, but unfortunately, their fruit and sugar toppings add a considerable number of calories and grams of sugar to the plate - er, bowl. Here are the total counts for a few of their flavors:

Berry Cherry Pecan: 340 calories, 9 grams of fat, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of protein, and 7 grams of protein.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal: 290 calories, 4 grams of fat, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of protein

Tim Horton's Hot Oatmeal

Surprisingly, Tim Horton's seems to pack the least calories into its toppings: Their plain oatmeal packs 291 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber.

Their mixed berry version has 327 calories, with the toppings adding 12 grams of carbohydrates, plus one gram each of protein and fiber, while the maple version contains 308 calories, adding an extra 17 calories and no extra fiber or protein.

Au Bon Pain

 This east coast chain serves up a surprisingly high-fat, high-protein cup of morning gruel: With 260 calories, 5 grams of fat, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber, it beats most brands, and that's without the addition of any toppings. Their Apple Cinnamon version contains just 20 extra calories and 9 extra grams of carbohydrates, but it's also got a bit less fat and protein.

ABP gets extra points for revealing its ingredients online: Water, natural rolled oats, apples, honey, sugar, cinnamon, and canola oil are all that goes into their apple cinnamon oats.

Caribou Coffee

 Caribou's breakfast-in-a-bowl is made with a seven-grain oatmeal blend, steamed milk, and added soy protein, making it one of the most nutritious options out there. Their classic oatmeal (made with 2% milk) contains 280 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fiber (although they do add sugar to even their plainest option).

Just hold up on their topping options, which add considerable calories and sugar: Their "very berry" version contains 470 calories, with a whopping 86 grams of carbohydrates. It still has 11 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, so we can't say that you might as well have a doughnut for breakfast, but their berry topping is basically the equivalent of dumping a whole lot of sugar on your cereal. Stick to the classic.

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal

Starbucks adds an additional charge for toppings on its plain, "perfect" oatmeal, but those condiments will also cost you in the calorie category: With all three toppings (brown sugar, dried fruit, and nuts), your breakfast will contain 390 calories and 72 grams of carbohydrates. Here's how it breaks down:

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal: 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber

Nut Medley: 100 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2 gram of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of protein

Dried Fruit Topping: 100 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of dietary fiber

Brown Sugar Topping: 50 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates

 

Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats

One 1/2 cup serving (that's uncooked) of classic Quaker contains 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. If you don't add sugar or toppings, that's far better than any of the restaurant versions, but chances are: you do. Watch the calorie count of all the brown sugar and cream you add to your bowl.

McCann's Steel Cut irish Oatmeal

 When you choose between steel cut oats like McCann's and rolled oats like Quaker's, you're not just choosing between taste or texture; there are big nutritional differences, too. One 1/4 cup serving of McCann's contains 150 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber.