30/100

Grains & Bread

Instant Oatmeal

Poor — Instant Oatmeal works against fat-burning.

Finely milled and often sweetened, so it spikes far more than steel-cut oats.

The breakdown

Per serving: 1 packet (40g)

Glycemic load
20
Sugar (g)
12
Fiber (g)
3
Protein (g)
4

Glycemic index 79 · Carbs 28g · Fat 2g · Processing ultra-processed

What this means for fat-burning

A FatTonic Score of 30 places instant oatmeal in the Poor band. The score is dominated by its glycemic load of 20 (high — a steep glucose and insulin response).

Being ultra-processed, it is also easy to overeat.

See how your whole day scores — free Metabolic Score →

Frequently asked questions

Does instant oatmeal spike insulin?

Instant Oatmeal has a glycemic load of 20 and a FatTonic Score of 30 out of 100, which means it works against fat-burning. Finely milled and often sweetened, so it spikes far more than steel-cut oats.

Is instant oatmeal good for fat loss?

With a FatTonic Score of 30/100 (Poor), instant oatmeal works against fat-burning. Finely milled and often sweetened, so it spikes far more than steel-cut oats.

Better swaps

100
AvocadoExcellent · GL 0
100
BroccoliExcellent · GL 1
100
SpinachExcellent · GL 0

More grains & bread

75
Whole Grain BreadGood · GL 10
73
Oatmeal (Rolled Oats)Good · GL 13
65
Sourdough BreadGood · GL 11
64
QuinoaGood · GL 18