Hot vs. Cold Cereals Most cold cereals are filled with refined grains and sugars, scarce nutrients, preservatives, and lots of empty calories and carbohydrates (carbs). And you’re no doubt going to want to eat more than the suggested portion amount on the nutrition label. Hot cereal, like oatmeal made with rolled or steel-cut oats or other whole grains, are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index (GI). This means that these carbs are digested and absorbed more slowly, thus they create a smaller incremental rise and fall in blood glucose (blood sugar). For those who are trying to better