Oats

Oats can grow and prosper under conditions that won’t produce thriving wheat. I think that’s part of the reason oats were traditionally used for animal feed in many places where wheat wasn’t cultivated. They don’t contain gluten-producing proteins, however, and for that reason they’re daunting for bread makers because they don’t contribute to the crumb of a loaf. I think you may already have a good idea about where I stand on the gluten issue. For most people they provide good, high-quality nutrition. The bottom line is that I rarely use oats in flour form (the exception is Toasted Oat Bread).