This prized grain is an annual grass which, believe it or not, is primarily grown for use as livestock feed. There are several species of oats. The common oat (Avena sativa) is the one we normally purchase for our cooking and baking needs. However, there is an Algerian or red oat (Avena byzantina), the animated oat (Avena sterilis) and even a naked oat (Avena nuda). bit.ly/3Y6yDXo.
Old fashioned, instant, steel cut, Scottish and groats. Have you seen these options and others at your local grocery store? Groats are the whole oat kernel with only the loose, inedible hull removed. These are the least processed and take a long time to cook.
Steel cut oats, also known as Irish oats, are made from groats that are chopped into two or three smaller pieces. Scottish oats are stone ground into a meal and the result is a cereal resembling porridge. Old fashioned or rolled oats are “steamed, rolled and flattened into flakes and then dried up to remove any remaining moisture.” bit.ly/3uzcwuX.
There are so many options these days. Simply buying oats has, for me, turned into a research project. Which are the healthiest? Well, as you can probably imagine, the least processed oats are going to provide the most punch. The more the oat is processed, the quicker it will be digested due to the processing effects on the fiber. “This results in blood sugar rising quicker.” Also, less processed oats are higher in prebiotics.
The UMass Chan Medical School recommends adding oat groats to dinner time by including them in soups or simply served as a side dish. You can make mushroom or cauliflower risottos with steel cut oats. For a recipe for oatmeal carrot cake muffins, check out their website at bit.ly/3uzcwuX.
For more uses on oats, you can check out two of my previous columns. We don’t exactly have livestock at our house, but we do have a number of feline friends. For them, we grow cat grass. I shared in my 2017 column aptly titled Roll Your Own about an experiment that my trusty sidekick and I performed to determine that cat grass is basically oat grass. You do not need to buy expensive seed to provide your kitties with a healthy treat. Avena sativa seed can be purchased in bullk. bit.ly/3Y7Fi3u.
In September 2020, I discussed the benefits of cover crops. Oats can be used to improve soil health and fertility, while controlling soil erosion and adding organic matter. For more on cover crops, check out bit.ly/3W48Ugw.
Arianna Kelley Rawlsky has a M.S. in horticulture and is the director of Bringing People and Plants Together, an organization dedicated to bringing horticulture education and therapy to the community. For more information: PeopleAndPlantsTogether@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook.
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December 11, 2022 at 12:11AM
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People and plants: Avena sativa - Broomfield Enterprise
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