Having been pleased with store brands of instant oatmeal recently, I decided to pick up Kashi’s Heart to Heart instant oatmeal in Golden Brown Maple flavor when I was in my local health food store. I paid a little more than $4. I’ve tried Kashi’s breakfast bars before and was pleased.
The Kashi instant oatmeal box was in my pantry for around a week before I tried it. Maybe that’s why I forgot that there’s a little graphic on the front of the box that says, “Now with white tea.” Could that be why the flavor just wasn’t what I was expecting?
While Kashi’s instant oatmeal is naturally flavored, it is not organic. Compared to the organic store brand of instant oatmeal I’ve been eating, Kashi’s Heart to Heart instant oatmeal was a disappointment. The texture, look, smell and taste of Kashi’s oatmeal were all below my expectations.
The flavor of the instant oatmeal was wan, but not altogether unpleasant. My frequent objection to flavored instant oatmeal is artificial taste. This wasn’t the problem with Kashi’s instant oatmeal. It tasted very natural. The texture was rather mushy. However, adding more water would probably have made the texture a little smoother.
The color of the instant oatmeal was orangey and it had little orange flecks in it. Although I’m sure they are there intentionally, I found the orange flecks to be rather disturbing. I don’t want to throw out the other seven packets in the box, but I don’t plan on eating them.
Kashi’s Heart to Heart instant oatmeal does have some health benefits. In addition to containing nothing artificial, it also can help reduce cholesterol, support healthy arteries and promote healthy blood pressure.
The claim that this instant oatmeal can help reduce cholesterol comes from its 1 gram of soluble fiber from oats. Kashi claims the oatmeal promotes healthy blood pressure because of its low sodium content. Finally, Kashi’s claim that the oatmeal supports healthy arteries comes from the inclusion of natural antioxidants like green tea, white tea and grape seed.
Some of the primary ingredients in Kashi’s Heart to Heart instant oatmeal with Golden Brown Maple flavor include whole grain rolled oats, evaporated cane juice and chicory root fiber.
The preparation for the oatmeal is simple: You add two-thirds cup of water to a packet of oatmeal in a bowl that is microwave safe. Cook on high for 1 and a half to two and a half minutes, then stir. My microwave must be more powerful than most, because after cooking only 45 seconds, the instant oatmeal was very steamy. I do believe it would have been vastly overcooked if I had followed the directions on the box. The oatmeal may also be prepared by adding boiling water to a bowl containing the instant oatmeal.
