Steel-cut oats glycemic index
Steel-cut oats has a glycemic index of 52, which is low. A 40 g serving (dry, makes 1 bowl) has a glycemic load of 12 (medium).
Also known as: Irish oats, pinhead oats
- Serving40 g
- Available carbs23 g
- Fiber4 g
- Sugars0.4 g
- Protein5.3 g
- Calories152 kcal
Serving: dry, makes 1 bowl (dry weight).
What to know
Steel-cut oats are whole oat groats chopped into pieces, so they take longer to cook and to digest. They have the lowest GI of the common oat porridges.
Glycemic load by portion size
GI stays the same whatever you eat, but glycemic load scales with the amount: eating twice as much doubles the effect on blood sugar.
| Amount | Available carbs | Glycemic load | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 g | 29 g | 15 | Medium |
| 100 g | 58 g | 30 | High |
| 40 g · dry, makes 1 bowl | 23 g | 12 | Medium |
| 80 g · double serving | 46 g | 24 | High |
What the studies found
The value of 52 is the mean calculated by the authors of the International Tables of Glycemic Index (2021) across 5 studies.
Steel-cut oats compared with other grains & rice
Similar low-GI foods
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Frequently asked questions
Is steel-cut oats low glycemic?
Yes. With a GI of 52, steel-cut oats is in the low range (55 or less).
What is the glycemic load of steel-cut oats?
A 40 g serving (dry, makes 1 bowl) has a glycemic load of 12, which is medium. Glycemic load combines GI with the amount of carbohydrate in the portion: 10 or less is low, 11 to 19 medium and 20 or more high.
Can people with diabetes eat steel-cut oats?
With a GI of 52 and a medium glycemic load per serving, steel-cut oats can be part of a diabetes-friendly diet with attention to portion size and pairing it with protein, fat or fiber. Everyone responds differently, so talk to your doctor or dietitian about your plan.
How many carbs are in steel-cut oats?
A 40 g serving has about 27 g of total carbohydrate, including 4 g of fiber, leaving 23 g of available carbohydrate (the part that raises blood sugar). Per 100 g: 67.7 g of carbohydrate.
Nutrition facts
| per 100 g | Serving (40 g) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 379 kcal | 152 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g | 27 g |
| Available carbs | 58 g | 23 g |
| Fiber | 10 g | 4 g |
| Sugars | 1 g | 0.4 g |
| Protein | 13 g | 5.3 g |
| Fat | 6.5 g | 2.6 g |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, Cereals, oats, regular and quick, not fortified, dry (SR Legacy, FDC 173904). Available carbohydrate = total carbohydrate minus fiber.
Sources: Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625–1632. USDA FoodData Central. How we calculate each value: Methodology & sources.
Data last reviewed 2026-09-29.