Oats: Nutritious and delicious

Oats have been a widely grown grain and staple food for thousands of years for many good reasons. They are an incredibly versatile and nutritious dish that can be enjoyed at any time of day and in a variety of styles.

If you’ve ever stood in the grocery aisle wondering about the difference between rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and quick oats, the answer is simple: it all comes down to how they’re processed.

All our oats start in the field as grain crops and are harvested in the late summer to early fall. Afterwards, they begin their journey to being processed into all the kinds of oats we enjoy.

What kinds of oats are there?

Whole oats: When oats are harvested from the field, the whole grain is contained in an inedible hull. Once this hull is removed, the rest of the whole grain, including the germ, bran, and endosperm, is known as an oat groat, and can be eaten without any other processing. Since they are minimally processed, they take the longest to cook out of our oats but offer a unique texture and hearty flavour.

If you want to learn how to cook your own oat groats, check out these ideas from The Incredible Bulk.

Rolled oats: Rolled oats are created by steaming and then rolling out oat groats. This increases their surface area, causing them to cook quicker. In addition to being a useful staple in the kitchen, rolled oats are used to make many other oat products, such as oat beverages made by soaking rolled oats.

Make a wheat and honey oat loaf with rolled oats, or try making your own oat beverage.

Instant/quick oats: As rolled oats are cut into even smaller and thinner flakes, the surface area of the oats will increase. The larger the surface area, the quicker they are to cook, which makes quick oats and then instant oats. Their size makes them convenient to have on the go, or for making baked goods with a smoother texture.

Try some homemade banana oat cookies with quick oats.

Steel-cut oats: Instead of steaming and rolled, steel-cut oats are very simply processed, with each groat being cut into about two or three pieces by steel blades. They retain much of the chewy texture and nutty flavour of oat groats. You can also find steel-cut oats under the name Irish oatmeal.

Use steel-cut oats to make oat pilaf.

What is the same in all our oats?

One thing which stays the same between all our oats is their nutritional benefits. Oats are filled with heart-healthy beta glucans, a kind of fibre which have been shown to protect against cardiovascular diseases. Fibre also helps you feel full longer and supports healthy digestion.

Oats can also be a great option for people with dietary restrictions. They are naturally gluten-free, though it’s important to choose oats that are processed in gluten-free facilities to avoid cross-contamination for those with gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease.

With how many varieties of oats there are, there are many ways add this nutritious staple to your diet. Looking for inspiration? Check out our recipes.