Oatmeal is a tasty and healthy cereal. Everybody knows it since childhood as a nice thing your mom always cooks. It is actually good for health and losing weight, but how much calories are there exactly? Let us find out!
Oat is a grass used in a whole lot of meals. Not only oatmeal itself contains it, but also some cakes, pancakes, fritters and cookies. The main reason is its health benefits. Regular use of oat porridge not only helps to maintain your figure, but also to improve memory, brain activity, vision and hearing. Moreover, it helps to fight stress, depression and insomnia.
Calories in a Bowl of Oatmeal
Calories content of oat porridge in one bowl depends on the way it is cooked. Dry (uncooked) oat itself is highly calorized with a number of 757 Cal per bowl. It also has a lot of carbohydrates and proteins. But if you make an oatmeal with water and some sugar, the amount of calories will decrease to 220 kcal. One bowl of oat porridge with milk worths 255 Cal (with sugar taken into account).
Calories in McDonald’s Oatmeal
McDonald’s meals are known to be filled with sugar. This means there are many carbohydrates in there, which leads to a high calorie level. So, the amount of calories in McDonald’s traditional ‘Fruit and Maple Oatmeal’ is 725 kcal! That is almost as much as pure oat! You should remember it, if you decide to eat in McD’s, while you are on diet. By the way, there are also 155 grams of carbohydrates in a bowl.
How Many Calories are There in a Cup of Oatmeal?
Of course, the amount of calories in one cup of oatmeal depends on how much water or milk you add. Regular amount of water added decreases calorific value of a cup almost by four times (compared to a cup of the dry uncooked cereals): from 424 to 123 kcal. Milk may have practically the same effect with 143 kcal. It means you should not worry about eating oatmeal with milk, when you are on diet. However, it is recommended to use water instead, if you have some stomach problems.
Instant vs. Plain Oats: What to Choose?
Instant oatmeal is really easy to cook. It comes in handy, when you go camping or simply have no time for cookery. However, should you be worried about the amount of calories in there? Well, depending on a brand, instant oat cereals contain 725-875 kcal in a bowl. This is fairly the same as the usual cereal. If your diet is too persistent, make sure to check the amount of calories before buying anything.
It is needed to be said that there are much less vitamins in any instant oatmeal. You can find some numbers here.
Calories in Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies are enjoyed all over the world. It is a delicious, as well as nutrient product. However, it does contain many calories. The main reason is, of course, sugar. Any cookies should be sweet, aren’t they? Anyway, 100 grams of this tasty treat worth 437 kcal. This is a huge number, comparing to the oat porridge with milk. For those who is on diet, this product should be forbidden, but who can resist? You may have some, but make sure it does not affect your daily norm.
Calorie Chart for Oat Porridge (Uncooked and Cooked with Water or Milk)
| Kind of oatmeal | Calories in a cup | Calories in a bowl | Calories in 100 g | Percent of daily norm (for 1 bowl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain oatmeal uncooked | 424.2 | 757.5 | 342 | 20,8% |
| Instant oatmeal uncooked | 448±29 | 800±75 | 250 | 22,7% |
| Oat porridge cooked with milk (no sugar) | 118.1 | 210.4 | 102 | 5,7% |
| Oat porridge cooked with water (no sugar) | 104.7 | 185.5 | 88 | 5,0% |
| Oatmeal with milk and sugar | 143.3 | 255.8 | 140 | 7,0% |
| Oatmeal with water and sugar | 123.7 | 220.1 | 130 | 6,0% |
| McDonald’s oatmeal | 406.4 | 725.6 | 290 | 19,9% |
Oat porridge is a healthy product, which helps to maintain your body fit and your immune system strong. You should not stop eating this cereal even if you go on a diet, because nothing can replace this cereal. The only thing you need to do is to count the amount of calories you consume. Oatmeal cookies are also something cool, tasty and healthy as well. Even with a high amount of calories, it is ok to grab one or two for breakfast.
