Oats

A cereal plant which produces grain that is steamed, rolled, cut, and ground to produce products such as oat bran, oat flakes, oatmeal, and oat flour. Oats are one of the most nutritious grains and are considered to be a good source of soluble fiber, which helps to decrease cholesterol in the blood. Whole oats refer to the entire kernel with the hull on, while whole oat groats are the entire grain with the outer hull removed. Groats provide a sweet nutty taste with a slight hint of pecan and are often used for pilafs, soups and salads. Steel-cut oats, which are sometimes referred to as Irish or Scottish oats, are oats that have been cut into smaller bits so they will cook faster. This type of grain can be found in various textures from fine to coarse steel-cut oats and are used to make a chewy and delicious hot cereal. Rolled oats are produced by a process that steams the grain to loosen the husks, then removes the hull, slices the grain, and presses it between steel rollers to create oat flakes. Like cut oats, rolled oats cook faster and are often used for quick cooking breakfast cereals, muesli, granola, breads, scones, and cookies. Oat bran is the outer hull of the grain and it can be kept on the grain, such as it is for whole and rolled oats or it can be removed to be processed into foods. Oat bran is used in muffins and cereals.