5 Best High-Fiber Oatmeal Choices, According to a Dietitian
While nonessential to your diet, fiber offers a myriad of health benefits.
It supports healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, aids weight loss, and promotes bowel health and regularity, among other benefits.
Oats are an excellent source of fiber and make a great addition to your diet to up your fiber intake.
The majority of fiber in oats comes from beta-glucan, which in addition to its cholesterol- and blood-sugar-lowering properties, improves the body’s immune system defense against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses.
This article lists the five best high-fiber oatmeal choices to manage constipation, support healthy blood sugars, and promote fat loss.
A quick look at the best high-fiber oatmeal choices
- Best overall: Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal
- Best for constipation: Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats
- Best for diabetics: Bob’s Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran
- Best for weight loss: Quick Oats with Whey Protein
- Best gluten-free: Anthony’s Organic Rolled Oats
How I chose these high-fiber oatmeal choices:
- Nutritional value: Each oatmeal choice provides at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
- We’ve tried them: I only include oatmeal choices that I have personally tried so I can confidently speak to and recommend them.
My picks for the best high-fiber oatmeal choices
Best overall
Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal
Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal is the best overall high-fiber oatmeal since it’s widely available and cost-effective.
It also packs 10 grams of fiber per serving — the most among the other high-fiber oatmeal choices on this list.
About half of the fiber comes from the addition of chicory root extract, which contains a fiber called inulin.
Each packet provides 6 grams of added sugar, which isn’t a concern for most people who otherwise limit their intake of added sugar.
You can find Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal in two flavors — Cinnamon Swirl and Maple and Brown Sugar.
I tried the latter and it tastes similar to its traditional counterpart. The texture was also similar, despite having more than triple the fiber.
Nutrition facts per packet:
- Calories: 150
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Fat: 2 grams
- Carbs: 35 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
Best for constipation
Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats
It’s a common belief that more fiber is better for relieving constipation.
However, consuming too much can actually have the opposite, worsening your constipation, especially if you don’t normally consume a high-fiber diet.
As such, it’s better to slowly increase your fiber intake to treat constipation.
Added 3–5 grams of fiber per day is a good place to start, which you can do by starting your day with Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats.
Also known as pinhead or Irish oats, steel cut oats are made by cutting oat kernels into smaller pieces using a steel blade.
They have a coarser, chewier texture and nuttier flavor than traditional rolled or quick oats and require a significantly longer cooking time.
However, I soaked them to speed up the cooking time, which you can do also. Soaking them also provided a creamier texture, which I prefer.
I added two packets of Splenda for sweetness, but if you prefer a natural sweetener, you can use monk fruit extract, stevia, or sugar alcohols like erythritol or xylitol.
Nutrition facts per quarter-cup (44-gram) serving:
- Calories: 170
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Fat: 2.5 grams
- Carbs: 31 grams
- Protein: 5 grams
Best for diabetics
Bob’s Red Mill High Fiber Oat Bran
Fiber lessens the impact of carbohydrates on your blood sugars, making it easier to maintain them in a healthy range.
This is what makes fiber so beneficial for people with diabetes.
In fact, a review of several meta-analyses observed significant reductions in fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C — a measure of blood glucose over the past 2–3 months — in people with type 2 diabetes with even just small increases in daily fiber intake (1).
And while people with diabetes can consume added sugars in moderation, it’s best to limit them as much as possible.
This is why Bob’s Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran is the best choice for people with diabetes — it provides 6 grams of fiber per serving and no added sugars.
Bob’s Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran contains just one ingredient — organic oat bran.
Oats are considered a whole-grain since they retain all three components of the grain — the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
As the name suggests, oat bran contains only the bran — not the germ or endosperm.
So while oat bran is not considered a whole grain, the bran is where all the fiber is located.
Some high-fiber breads use oat bran as an ingredient to increase the fiber content.
Bob’s Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran tastes similar to traditional unflavored oatmeal but it has a smoother texture than oatmeal.
I added Splenda for sweetness and topped it with blueberries.
Nutrition facts per one-third (40-gram) serving:
- Calories: 160
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Fat: 3 grams
- Carbs: 26 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Best for weight loss
Quick Oats with Whey Protein
To lose weight, you must be in and maintain a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you need.
At the same time, studies suggest greater weight loss results by increasing your protein intake (2).
This is because protein boosts your metabolism, promotes fat loss rather than muscle loss, and helps keep you fuller for longer.
Oatmeal provides a fair amount of protein alone but mixing in protein powder to make “proats” is an excellent way to boost your intake and experience protein’s benefits for weight loss.
I use Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein Double Rich Chocolate but any protein powder of your favorite flavor works well.
If you are lactose intolerant you can use a whey protein isolate, or if you avoid animal products, you can opt for a plant-based protein powder like pea or soy.
Here are the steps I take to make proats:
- Pour 1/4 cup (40 grams) of quick oats into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Mix one scoop of protein powder in a shaker cup and pour over the oats.
- Microwave for 1:30–2:00 minutes.
You can also cook the oats first and then stir in the protein powder but I enjoy the frothy texture of mixing the protein and adding it before cooking it.
Quick oats also make a great addition to smoothies to boost your fiber. Just make sure to blend it into a fine powder before adding other ingredients.
Nutrition facts per quarter-cup (40-gram) serving:
- Calories: 270
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Fat: 4 grams
- Carbs: 30 grams
- Protein: 29 grams
Best gluten-free
Anthony’s Organic Rolled Oats
Oats are naturally gluten-free.
However, because they may come in contact with gluten-containing grains during processing or transportation, they cannot be guaranteed gluten-free.
Therefore, the only way to ensure you’re oats are gluten-free is to purchase products that are batch tested and verified gluten-free like Anthony’s Organic Rolled Oats.
This product uses rolled oats — also called old-fashioned — which take 4–5 times longer to cook than quick oats.
Rolled oats taste similar to quick oats but rolled oats are thicker and less creamy.
Instead of Splenda, I added honey for sweetness and mixed in peanut butter for a creamier texture since I prefer quick oats.
Nutrition facts per 1/2 cup (50-gram) serving:
- Calories: 190
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Fat: 3.5 grams
- Carbs: 34 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
A comparison of the best high-fiber oatmeal choices
Here’s a quick look at how our top picks for high-fiber oatmeal compare:
| High-Fiber Oatmeal | Best For | Fiber |
|---|---|---|
| Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal | Everyone | 10 grams |
| Bob’s Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats | Constipation | 5 grams |
| Bob’s Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran | Diabetics | 6 grams |
| Quick Oats with Whey Protein | Weight loss | 5 grams |
| Anthony’s Organic Rolled Oats | Gluten-free | 5 grams |
The bottom line
Oatmeal is rich in a beneficial type of fiber called beta-glucan.
Adding oatmeal to your daily diet is a great way to boost your fiber intake and experience its health benefits related to blood sugar control, weight management, and immune health, among other benefits.
Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal can meet most people’s needs for a high-fiber oatmeal but the other oatmeal choices on this list may be a better fit depending on your goals.
If you want to change things up, check out our picks for the best high-fiber cereals.
