Bobs Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran Hot Cereal Review

I bought several bags of this   Bobs Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran Hot Cereal   back in 2008, in an effort to raise the amount of soluble fiber in my diet, hoping to lower my borderline high blood cholesterol.  Well, I’m sorry to say that eating this oat bran had little effect.  I guess it’s hard to counteract the effects of periodic pizza and other high fat foods, which I’ve cut back on but still love.

However, this is a filling hot cereal.  No, it has no whole grain, but does feature the bran part of the oat grain, that best works in the body to lower blood cholesterol.  While I do not enjoy eating this product by itself, I often add it to my pancake batters, soups, and salads to gain its beneficial effects.

Benefits And Features

  • The bag is air tight until first opening, and quite strong.
  • This cereal keeps well for years.  I’ve kept mine in the freezer for the past four years, and it still tastes as fresh as the day I bought it.  However, it will remain well-preserved outside the freezer too.  Just store it in a cool, dark, and dry place.
  • Though not a whole food, this is USDA certified organic, and so, may have less pesticides and other undesirable farm chemicals.
  • Grown in the northwest United States, this is a homegrown product.
  • This is a heart-healthy mix, not necessarily because it has cholesterol-lowering effect, but rather, I think, because it contains little fat, and virtually no artery-clogging saturated fat.
  • The oats herein have been specifically selected for their high protein content.
  • The sell-by date was a year out from the date I purchased this product.  But it remains edible to this day, some four years later.
  • No added salt, sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives here.
  • Indeed, this is a sodium-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free food.
  • Can be prepared in the microwave or on the stove, and cleanup is a cinch with mild soap and water.
  • It’s flavor is extremely mild.  So it’s easy to shape to however you’d like this cereal to taste.  I’ve added chocolate milk drink mixes to mine now and then; a recipe that I call “cocoa oats.”
  • Even when prepared, this is a light food.  It won’t just sit in your stomach for hours.  So serve it with fruits, as well as additional protein sources such as eggs, milk, or meat, for a well-rounded meal.
  • The product has the same color as whole oat meal, though its grain fragments are notably smaller; about the size of thick sand or 1B gravel.  No, it tastes nothing like thick sand or 1B gravel.  Only the size of each oat bran granule is close to those.
  • Too thick to be classified as a flour.  So it takes longer to digest than other more “floury” cereals.

Disadvantages

  • As this cereal contains only part of the oat grain (the bran part), it is in my view, still a refined carb.  That is to say, that it’s not a whole food, and so may lack some of the nutrition found in whole oats.
  • You cannot re seal the bag without a bag clip or twist tie.
  • While the transparent bag does not shield the bran cereal from light, I like being able to view the contents inside.
  • Served by itself, this cereal tastes bland to me.  Its flavor is featureless, except for the blandness that is.  But you can quickly solve this problem by adding a little olive oil and basil, fruit, Parmesan cheese, butter, or a smidge of dried garlic.
  • Hard to find, except in health food stores and occasionally, in the larger general grocery stores.

Cooking Instructions

On The Stove

  1. Take 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 2/3 cup of this oat bran cereal, amd 2 cups of boiling water.
  2. Disolve the salt into the boiling water.
  3. Then, slowly stir in the cereal.
  4. Allow to cook for around two minutes.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Add your favorite flavorings and toppings.
  7. Serve immediately.

In The Microwave Oven

  1. Mix together the salt, cereal, and water in a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Microwave on the high power setting for two minutes.
  3. Remove from the oven.
  4. Add your favorite condiments or flavorings.
  5. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Try adding milk, honey, pure maple syrup, brown sugar, any fruit syrup you desire, Parmesan cheese, butter, or sliced fruits or nuts.

Ingredients

Organic oat bran.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving size: 1/3 cup (31 grams dry).
  • Servings per 18-ounce bag: 16.
  • Calories of just the cereal: 120.  Calories prepared: 170.
  • Calories from fat in just the cereal: 20.  Calories from fat as prepared: 25.
  • Total fat in just the cereal: 2 grams, 3% DV.  Total fat as prepared:  2.5 grams, 4% DV.
  • Saturated fat in just the cereal: 0.5 grams, 2% DV.  Saturated fat as prepared: 0.5 grams, 2% DV.
  • Trans fat in just the cereal: 0 grams. Trans fat as prepared: 0 grams.
  • Polyunsaturated fat in just the cereal: 0 grams.  Polyunsaturated fat as prepared: 1 gram.
  • Monounsaturated fat in just the cereal: 0 grams.  Monounsaturated fat as prepared: 1 gram.
  • Cholesterol in just the cereal: 0 milligrams, 0% DV.  Cholesterol as prepared: 2.5 milligrams, 1% DV.
  • Sodium in just the cereal: 0 milligrams, 0% DV.  Sodium as prepared: 75 milligrams, 3% DV.
  • Total carbohydrate in just the cereal: 21 grams, 7% DV.  Total carbohydrate as prepared: 28 grams, 9% DV.
  • Dietary Fiber in just the cereal: 5 grams, 20% DV.  Dietary fiber as prepared: 5 grams, 20% DV.
  • Sugars in just the cereal: 1 gram. Sugars as prepared: 5 grams.
  • Protein in just the cereal: 5 grams.  Protein as prepared: 10 grams.
  • Vitamin A in just the cereal: 0% DV.  Vitamin A as prepared: 8% DV.
  • Vitamin C in just the cereal: 0% DV.  Vitamin C as prepared: 2% DV.
  • Calcium in just the cereal: 2% DV.  Calcium as prepared: 20% DV.
  • Iron in just the cereal: 8% DV.  Iron as prepared: 10% DV.

Product Rating

While I do not routinely eat this product by itself due to its bland taste, I find it highly useful as an additive in other cereals, cake mixes, pancake mixes, soups, and so on, to get more oat fiber into the diet.  This is a simple product with frequently documented heart benefits, and it’s entirely plant-based.  So I’d rate it at 89 out of 100.

Where To Buy Bobs Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran Hot Cereal

Sold in many health food stores throughout the North America such as Whole Foods Market, and larger grocery stores, such as Giant Eagle Market District.

Look for this product in the transparent plastic bag with a blue, tan, brown, red, and white label on the front, in the 16 or 36 ounce bags..

References