( oats, effects of cooking methods on oats ) - if you know a lot of oats, please see

I have eaten steel cut oats for years - real ones & not quick. I follow the microwave directions. No soaking required.

It doesn't matter if you cook the oats or soak them in order to help with controlling blood sugar and cholesterol. Both cooked and raw oats contain soluble fiber called beta-glucan, and you will benefit if you eat it raw, soaked or cooked. However you will not get as much benefit from quick cooking or instant oats. For best results use rolled oats. Rolled oats have a low glycemic index, quick oats have a medium glycemic index and instant oats have a high glycemic index, according to the American Diabetes Association.

There is not one definition of cooked for all foods. Also, different foods can vary in how they are treated, some vegetables are good both quick cooked and slow cooked and it is just different ways to enjoy it. Also each of the type of oats mentioned above cooks at a different rate because quick oats and instant oats are processed to hurry the cooking. To find the minimum that is cooked to your taste, experiment and taste as you go.

See this:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/542083-nutrition-facts-on-dry-vs-cooked-oatmeal/

What is the basis behind your question about food being "cooked" ? Normally that applies to the application of heat - however, in the case of something like ceviche we use the word "cooked" to describe the denaturing of the proteins in the fish causing it to change color and texture.

Are you interested in the nutritional changes or the textural changes or safety issues? I am not sure there is one word that describes all the different things that might take place nor am I sure that there is a standard definition of cooked. What do you really want to know?

Sorry, Mate, but your question format is hard to understand. But I'll give it a try:

1. I don't think the oats have to be cooked to lower your glycemic index (unless GI you refer to is something else). I think that the less processed it is (i.e. instant oatmeal, you know, the stuff that 'cooks in 5 minutes using only hot water') the better in terms of nutrition and fiber.

2. Yes, soaked oats should also lower GI, if the oats (in whichever form) hasn't been processed to the point that it longer has any of the fiber and nutrients that make it so low GI.

However, soaked oats does not count as cooked. It's been soaked and has softened, but it's still raw (it can have the rather unpleasant 'raw' chalky/starchy flavor). The flip side is that soaked oats are nutritionally better than cooked oats. Some vitamins and minerals don't survive heating very well. Soaked oats are more easily digestible plus you get to keep all the wonderful vitamins.