Rolled Oats / Instant Oats / Quick Oats Description Oats are a whole-grain food, known scientifically as Avena sativa. Oat groats, the most intact and whole form of oats, take a long time to cook. For this reason, most people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats. Instant (quick) oats are the most highly processed variety. Rolled oats are Produced by de-husking and slightly rolling the oat grain. No further processing and no pre-cooking, so the nutritional properties of the whole grain are retained.