How Do Bob’s Red Mill Protein Oats Compare to Regular Oats?

By: Elisabeth Allie | August 11 2023

We are so excited about our Protein Oats and Organic Protein Oats, and we can’t wait to tell you all about them. These new protein-packed oats are a conventionally bred, Non-GMO Project Verified variety that is 50–60% higher in protein* than our regular oats, without added protein powders. It’s an easy swap—one simple ingredient—to add a boost of protein to your morning oatmeal, as well as baked goods and even smoothies!

What Is the Difference Between Protein Oats and Regular Oats?

Traditional oats undergo several steps to create the delicious whole grain oatmeal you love. First, they are harvested with a combine, which separates the individual grains from the chaff (the stalks and other plant materials humans don’t eat). From there, the oats are stored in silos until the hulls—the outer coating of the oats—are removed. Then the oats are heated and steamed before they are flattened between steel rollers to create that traditional rolled oat texture.

However Protein Oats are a unique hull-less oat cultivar that does some of the work for the farmers! As they grow, these oats shed their hulls during harvest. Because of this, these oats are less processed, with fewer steps between farm and table.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

Benefits of Protein Oats vs Regular Oats

All of our oats are made from whole grain oats and are absolutely delicious! But Protein Oats have a little something extra: 9–10 grams of plant-based protein per serving, compared to our Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, which have 6 grams. It’s an easy way to power up your morning, whether you’re enjoying them as oatmeal, in breakfast bars, or your next smoothie.

Another big difference from our regular Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: both our Protein Oats and Organic Protein Oats are gluten free, and grown under a purity protocol that is the highest standard in gluten free. While oats are naturally gluten free, they need to be specially grown, processed and packaged to avoid the chance of cross contamination.

Similarity Between Protein Oats and Regular Oats

Old Fashioned Rolled OatsOf course, there are a lot of similarities between Protein Oats and regular oats. They’re both made with one simple ingredient: whole grain oats. All of our oats are either a good or excellent source of fiber—be sure to check the packaging for full nutritional info. And both taste absolutely delicious!

The main thing we love about our regular and Protein Oats is their versatility. Add your favorite toppings for the ultimate bowl of whole grain oatmeal, top them with braised greens, a fried egg and hot sauce as a savory grain bowl, whirl them into a smoothie, or bake them into cookies. The possibilities are endless!

Can I Substitute Protein Oats for Regular Oats in Recipes?

Protein Oats are a simple swap for regular oats in virtually any recipe, with a couple of exceptions: one, we recommend around five extra minutes on the stovetop for Protein Oats—they cook up in about 15 minutes rather than 10. Two, we do not recommend microwaving Protein Oats! Protein Oats contain a little extra starch that releases to form a “shield” over the oats, causing them to quickly boil over in the microwave.

Otherwise, the sky’s the limit! Use these Protein Oats in cookies, pancakes, bars, smoothies and more. We especially enjoy them in overnight oats—check out our yummy recipe for Apple Pie Overnight Protein Oats for an eco-friendly breakfast!

So what are you waiting for? Make sure to learn all about our Protein Oats and Organic Protein Oats and power up your mornings with extra plant-based protein! It’s a great way to add protein to your breakfast routine, or anytime you enjoy our delicious oats.

*Protein per 48 grams, regular rolled oats 6 grams vs. Protein Oats, 9–10 grams.

20 Comments

  1. dove
    I am concerned regarding your protein oats when you say 'unique hull-less cultivar oat'. How is it so? Is it a GMO oat? How did you find a new oat? I am a licensed health/life coach and am always very skeptical when a company that I trust and respect, like Bob's goes and creates a new type of grain, seed, plant, etc. when mother earth obviously didn't all of a sudden create something new so is it man made?

    Thank you for clarifying.
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Dove! Our Protein Oats were developed using conventional plant breeding techniques. As a general rule, conventional breeding develops new plant varieties by the process of selection, and seeks to achieve expression of genetic material which is already present within a species. This is different from genetic modification, which works primarily through insertion of genetic material, including material from other species or life forms.
      Reply
  2. Lance
    I'm curious if their is any thought/interest in creating a sprouted variant of this product. My understanding is that sprouting creates a better nutrient profile (higher fiber/protein).
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Lance! We'll pass this forward to our decision makers. :)
      Reply
  3. Jim Barrett
    So interested in the Protein Oats. Is the protein listed in the label “after cooking” or before? I was wondering if the extra protein came from not heating and steaming the oats.
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Jim! All of our nutritional info reflects the food in the packaging, uncooked.
      Reply
      1. Tina
        So does the cooking process change the nutritional profile of the oats as listed on the package?
        Reply
        1. Elisabeth Allie
          Elisabeth Allie
          Hi Tina! The nutritional profile of the oats remains the same, but if you add extra toppings or ingredients, that will affect the final nutrients.
          Reply
  4. Emily
    How is Protein Rolled Oats different from Steel Cut Oats?
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Emily! For rolled oats, the groats are rolled flat, and for steel cut, they're cut in 2-3 pieces instead. In addition to the shape of the oats, our Protein Oats are grown from a special variety that is higher in protein than our other oats.
      Reply
  5. Lori
    How does the amino acid profile of regular oats compare to high protein oats? Thx.
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Lori, we don’t have information on the amino acid profiles for our oats as this is not something we have evaluated. We apologize for the inconvenience!
      Reply
  6. Shelly
    Could you explain why there is 1 gram of sugar in these protein oats when there.is none in the regular old fashioned oats? I know it is not added suger so curious where this is coming from.
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Shelly, The sugar in some of our oats comes from the naturally occurring sugars found in the oats themselves. Oats, like many grains, contain small amounts of natural sugars, which can show up on the nutrition label even when no sugar has been added during processing. This is typical for whole grains and does not indicate added sugars. Oats are primarily composed of complex carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, and a small amount of fat. Among these complex carbohydrates, there are naturally occurring sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, though in very small amounts. Sugar content is also rounded so if the amount is greater than .5 grams it’s rounded to 1 gram but if it is less than .5 grams it is rounded to zero; oats with “0g” sugar likely still have small amounts that are less than .5 grams.
      Reply
  7. Claudia Harbert
    Claudia Harbert
    Please tell me why the "Protein Oats" require extra cooking and extra liquid? I boiled them in water 15 minutes yesterday according to the directions on the package. Today I boiled them in almond milk, just 2:1 (forgot to look at the instructions), and they soaked up all the milk quickly, so they were more chewy.
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Claudia, thank you for your question! Our Protein Oats are a specific cultivar that has been selectively bred (they are not genetically modified, just bred to have specific traits, like a higher amount of protein than other oats) to contain more protein. Our Protein Oats are slightly less processed because this type of oat naturally sheds its hull (similar to “hull-less” barley) but they are a little thicker and starchier and this is why they need a little more water than our other oats.
      Reply
  8. Cassy
    Is there an odor to these oats? Not a bad one but I can’t describe it. I opened a bag right now and I can smell something. I got 2 answers from Google. One being there should be zero smell and the other being there may be a nutty smell.
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Cassy, please email [email protected] and our customer service team can assist you. Thank you!
      Reply
  9. Laura Stuebe
    I am curious about the answer given to Cassy when she asked about the odor of the oats. Cassy was referred to the customer service team at an email address. Thank you.
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Laura, please reach out to our customer service team who can assist you with this question. You can email them at [email protected]. Thank you!
      Reply

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