Oats are a species of grain which are usually either rolled into oatmeal or ground into flour. Oats are also used for livestock feed, brewing beer, and in skin products. Oats are grown around the world in temperate zones, including North American, Europe, and Russia. Oat florets:
Health Benefits
Oat bran, which is the outer husk of the grain, is rich in fiber and minerals. Some oat products such as rolled oats and steel cut oats include the bran. You can also find oat bran cereal, which is just the bran and excludes the other parts of the oat. The soluble fiber in the bran is linked to lowering LDL levels and reducing the risk of heart disease. Once eaten, soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel, which slows digestion, lowers cholesterol, and promotes colon health.
Oat is the only grain containing avenalin as the major protein. Oat protein is similar to soy protein in quality.
Types of Oats
Steel cut, also called Irish or Scotch oats, are cut up whole grain oats. They are not processed or cooked prior to packaging. They take a while to cook (about 30 minutes) and have a hearty, chewy texture.
Old fashioned rolled oats are steamed and rolled prior to packaging. They are quicker to cook than steel cut and have a softer, creamier texture.
Quick oats, also called instant oatmeal, are precooked, dried, and rolled. They cook very quickly, usually by just adding hot water or microwaving for a minute or so. The texture is very soft and creamy. This type of oatmeal is usually sold with added flavoring and sweetener.
The longer a food is precooked and processed, the less fiber and nutrients it will contain. So steel cut oats contain the most nutrients, followed by old fashioned oats, and instant oatmeal contains the least. A 1/4 of a cup serving of steel cut oats (measured prior to cooking) contains 8 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and 0 grams of sugar. One packet of instant oatmeal contains 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 0 grams of sugar for plain, and 13 grams of sugar for the flavored varieties. However even the sugarless instant oatmeal will convert to sugar in your body faster than the steel cut oat because of the degree of processing and the fiber content. Therefore steel cut oats will keep you satisfied longer, and won't disrupt the body's blood sugar levels as drastically.
Oat Recipes
No comments:
Post a Comment