Heart-healthy oats are tasty in cookies, but they offer greater health benefits as oatmeal for your breakfast. Rolled oats cook quickly, but be careful of pre-packaged varieties if you’re watching your sugar intake. Steel-cut oats are cut into small pieces rather than rolled and have a crunchier texture.

A serving of rolled oats contains 150 calories and 3 g of fat. A serving of steel-cut oats also holds 150 calories and has 2.5 g of fat. One serving is 1/4 cup of dried oats, before cooking with water. Adding ½ cup of skim milk to your oatmeal adds 40 calories.

The nutritional profiles of both rolled oats and steel-cut oats are very similar. Both contain 4 g of fiber and 5 g of protein. You can get 15 percent of your recommended daily calcium intake by adding ½ cup of skim milk.

Oats are a good source of soluble fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. A diet high in fiber can help prevent heart disease and diabetes.