Oats are best known for being a hearty breakfast cereal, but they're also used in breads, muffins, cookies and other food products. They're more than just a filling and tasty treat; they provide important nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals. Oatmeal was the first food in the U.S. allowed to claim health benefits, when in 1997 the FDA approved labeling on oatmeal products stating that they may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Identification
Oats, known scientifically as Avena sativa, were brought by early settlers from Europe and are now grown in almost every one of the continental states in the U.S., making them the third most important grain crop. Oats tend to go rancid rapidly due to the natural fats and a fat-dissolving enzyme in the grain, which is why they have to be processed right after harvesting. The distinctive flavor of oats comes from the roasting process they undergo following harvesting and cleaning, after which the oats are hulled, preserving the bran, germ, and most of their fiber and nutrients.
Types
Oat groats, or whole oats, are the least-processed form of the grain, meaning they have to be soaked and cooked longer. Oat bran is the outer casing removed from the groats. Steel-cut oats are made by chopping groats into pieces with steel blades, leaving them with a firm texture. Rolled or old-fashioned oats are steamed and flattened by rollers and require less cooking time than groats or steel-cut. Quick-cooking oats start out like the old-fashioned variety, but then they're cut more finely, thus reducing the necessary cooking time further. Instant oatmeal is the most processed, with salt and other ingredients added, making them unsuitable for baking. You can also purchase oat flour, a product made from groats ground into a powder, which has a similar texture and appearance to wheat flour.
Considerations
Since oats do go rancid fairly quickly, you should buy as little as needed at one time. If buying in bulk, make sure the oats smell fresh and there are no signs of moisture. Store oats in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place, where they can keep fresh and retain their nutrients for up to two months. Oats may be well-tolerated by some patients with celiac disease and gluten-intolerance, although there can be cross-contamination with wheat and other gluten-containing grains during processing.
Benefits
Oats are a very good source of the mineral manganese, important for promoting healthy bones, nerves, thyroid and blood sugar levels, and also selenium, an antioxidant that plays an important role in the immune system. Oats also contain vitamin B1, magnesium, phosphorus, protein and fiber. A review of the studies investigating the health benefits of whole grains including oats and published in 2004 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that whole grains have been linked to their ability to protect from atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity and premature death. One of the main reasons for these effects, aside from the fiber and other minerals, are cholesterol-lowering compounds that include polyunsaturated fatty acids, among others.
Expert Insight
A study at Tufts University and published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2004 discovered that avenanthramides, antioxidant compounds that are unique to oats, helped prevent free radicals from boosting levels of bad cholesterol and reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oats, oat bran and oatmeal contain a special type of fiber known as beta-glucan, and several studies have investigated the fiber's effects on health. One study, led by Jonathan Reichner of the Department of Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University, found that beta-glucan significantly boosts the immune system's response to bacterial infections, while another study at the University of Ottawa in Canada showed that the beta-glucan in oats lowered plasma glucose and insulin levels following meals in both people with type 2 diabetes and in those without.
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