Oat

The edible seed of a cereal grass, Avena sativa, native to central Europe. For a long time, oats were used only as animal feed and were considered a weed when they sprouted up in wheat fields. Only relatively recently have oats received due credit for their high content of soluble fiber as well as vitamins B₁, B₂, and E. Whole oats are still commonly used for animal feed, however. Oats can be made into a flour, but they are devoid of gluten and thus of little help in bread baking. Oats are available in a variety of produced forms that can be added to cookies, crackers, and breads. The various forms are generally not interchangeable.