Since 1877, the Quaker Oats Company has been making breakfast cereals from oats with the image of the white-haired man with the wide brimmed hat on every box. Today, Quaker Oats is made of the same thing it was back then; pure, whole grain oats. Very nutritious, Quaker Oats is an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Its use also reaches beyond food, as an ingredient in natural beauty and skin care products.
Description
Quaker Oats is made from the whole oat kernel. To prepare Quaker Oats, the kernels are milled and cut, then steamed and flaked to produce a flattened kernel that cooks thoroughly. All varieties of Quaker Oats include the bran, endosperm and germ of the kernel. The difference in oatmeal types affects only cooking time and texture.
Varieties
Old Fashioned Quaker Oats are 100 percent natural rolled oats. Quaker Instant Oats are cut to cook faster, usually in under 5 minutes. Quaker Quick Oats are cut even more to cook in 1 minute. Quaker Steel Cut Oats are not rolled at all. Instead the kernels are cut in half by steel blades to retain a more solid texture and nutty taste.
Nutritional Information
Old Fashioned Quaker Oats alone is a significant source of complex carbohydrates, delivering 28g of total carbohydrates per 1/2-cup serving. It also provides 5g of protein and 3g of unsaturated fat. Ten percent of the recommended daily intake of iron is also available in each serving. Other Quaker Oats products, such as Quaker Instant Oatmeal with Apples & Cinnamon, can also provide a significant portion of vitamins and minerals. Quaker Oats is also an excellent choice as a source of both soluble an insoluble dietary fiber.
Health Benefits
Quaker Oats is a cholesterol free product that is low in fat. This helps to maintain proper cholesterol blood levels. In fact, the soluble fiber in oatmeal can help to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream, which may help to reduce the risk of heart disease. As a whole-grain product, oatmeal also contributes to digestive health and may reduce the risk of certain types of gastrointestinal diseases.
Food Uses
Quaker Oats can be eaten as a hot breakfast cereal, often served with sugar, honey or maple syrup. Many prefer it with milk. It can also be used as an ingredient in other food items, including cookies, cakes, muffins, granola, breads and other baked goods. Quaker Oats also makes an excellent filler for ground meat dishes including meatloaf and meatballs and as a breading for baked and fried foods.
Other Uses
Oatmeal has been shown to have soothing properties for skin. A bath prepared with uncooked Old Fashioned Quaker Oats can help to relieve the irritation of dry and itching skin and can also be used as a treatment for mild dermatitis. Refreshing beauty masks and scrubs can also use ground, uncooked Old Fashioned Quaker Oats as a natural ingredient.
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