Oats

Appears in

Published 2016

About

In his dictionary, Dr. Samuel Johnson noted oats (Avena sativa) as being “a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people”. A tad harsh on both Scots and oats, especially as the latter are nutritious and delicious.

The gumminess you see in porridge/oatmeal is generated by beta-glucans in the oats which can also be used to help create structure in bread, though oat flour is better suited to flatbreads unless mixed with wheat or other flours. Beta-glucans are a form of soluble fibre that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.