Eat Better Feel Better

Oats are an often overlooked, yet well-balanced grain containing protein, starch, unsaturated fatty acids, and fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals.¹ While many only associate them with breakfast foods, they have the potential to be included in savory dishes, baked goods, and even smoothies.

The oat, whose scientific name is Avena sativa, is a type of cereal grain from the Poaceae, or grass family, of plants.² Oats have been around for a long time; however, it was not until recent years that they were seen as a beneficial addition to the diet. Many viewed them as weeds, in comparison to other grains such as wheat and barley. Therefore, in North America, oats were primarily grown as a feed for animals.³ Today, Europe is the largest producer of oats with the Americas being the second largest³ and they are predominantly grown in Russia, Canada, and the United States since they do well in cool, moist climates.¹ In 1997, the Food & Drug Administration allowed manufacturers to include a health claim on products containing oats stating that they may reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. This was a big deal, as the FDA had previously only allowed health claims to be made on classes of foods rather than a specific item.⁴ Thus, this is when people began to change their thoughts on the value of oats.

You may realize though that the cereal aisle at the grocery store has a variety of oats to choose from. It can be confusing on what the difference is or if the nutritional value varies between the options. Oat groats are a type of oat you might not be familiar with. These are the whole oat kernels that are harvested, with only the loose, inedible hull removed from the surface.² Since they are the least processed oat variety, they take the longest amount of time to cook, at about 50-60 minutes on the stovetop.⁵

Oat groats are what every other variety of oats is made of, but what differs is the type and amount of processing. Steel-cut oats, which can also be called Irish oats, are made when the oat groat is cut into 2-3 smaller pieces.² This speeds up the cooking time, allowing them to be made in a much shorter period than groats, at 15-20 minutes on the stovetop.⁵ A less known type are Scottish oats, which are stone-ground into a meal consistency, resembling a porridge when cooked.² Rolled oats, which are the same as old-fashioned oats, are commonly available at the supermarket. These are made by the oat groat being steamed, rolled, and flattened into flakes and then dried up to remove any remaining moisture.² This variety can cook on the stovetop in 10 minutes.⁵ Quick oats and instant oats are both made similarly to rolled oats, but they are rolled even thinner, as this allows the water to absorb more easily, speeding up the cooking time even further.² Quick oats cook as fast as they sound, in as little as 2 minutes in the microwave, with instant oats being able to be made even faster, in just 1 minute.⁵

While their exact nutrient profile slightly differs, all oats are well-balanced grains as they contain healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.¹ A distinctive trait of oats is that they are rich in a polysaccharide called β-glucan, which is a soluble fiber. β-glucans have been found to aid in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.⁶ They also have phenolic compounds such as avenanthramides, a unique antioxidant that is abundant in oats.¹ In addition to its soluble fiber content, oats contain insoluble fiber, as well as phosphorus, thiamine, magnesium, and zinc.²

While all types of oats are whole grains, containing the bran, endosperm, and germ⁷, they differ based on the degree of processing. Therefore, as the oat is more processed, the amount of fiber is affected, and it is digested quicker. This is because the processing has a direct effect on β-glucans being released from the wall of the oat groat cell.⁸ This decreases its glycemic index and results in blood sugar rising quicker.² Since the soluble fiber content is what gives oats their prebiotic properties, the less processed versions will be higher in prebiotics.⁸ On the IBD-AID diet, oat groats or steel-cut varieties are encouraged for this reason.

In one study of patients with Crohn’s disease, the aim was to examine the effects of eating large amounts of oat bran in the diet for 24 weeks versus a control group that was eating a diet very low in fiber that contained wheat. The study found that consuming an oat bran diet was well tolerated, decreased LDL cholesterol, and prevented GI symptoms.⁹ In an extensive systemic literature review on oats and bowel disease, it was concluded that long-term dietary intake of oats or oat bran could provide benefits for patients with IBS or ulcerative colitis.¹⁰

So, what are some ways you can add oats to your diet to reap the benefits? Oat groats can be a great grain to include at dinner time. Add them to soups, make a grain bowl, or eat them as a side dish. With steel-cut oats, try making a mushroom or cauliflower risotto, which you can find the recipes for on the Center for Applied Nutrition’s website. When baking, old fashioned/rolled oats are a better option for maintaining a familiar texture. Try adding cooked oats to a smoothie or experiment with different toppings (such as fruit, nuts, flaxseed) on your morning oatmeal. Oats are a fairly plain food making them very versatile. How do you plan to include more oats in your daily diet? Start by trying out the recipe below for an oatmeal carrot cake muffin!

Oatmeal Carrot Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup honey- local is best
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated carrots
• ½ cup raisins (optional, for phase 3 only)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF and prepare a muffin pan by lining with baking cups or coating with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Add the Greek yogurt, honey, almond milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
4. Grate your carrots and then fold into the medium bowl with the wet ingredients.
5. Add the wet ingredient to the dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in the raisins at this point if you plan to use them.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, which should fill about 12 cups.
7. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.runningwithspoons.com/carrot-oatmeal-greek-yogurt-muffins/

References:

1. Rasane P, Jha A, Sabikhi L, Kumar A, Unnikrishnan VS. Nutritional advantages of oats and opportunities for its processing as value added foods - a review.Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2013;52(2):662-675. doi:10.1007/s13197-013-1072-1 
2. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/.
3. Oats – January Grain of the Month. Oldways Whole Grains Council. https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/grain-month-calendar/oats-%E2%80%93-january-grain-month.
4. Brown D. Oat Bran Product Makers Win Right To Label Health Claims. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1997/01/22/oat-bran-product-makers-win-right-to-label-health-claims/d9f41221-9402-4765-9075-5cdf0acc98d3/. Published January 22, 1997. 
5. All About Oats. Bob's Red Mill. https://www.bobsredmill.com/all-about-oats.html. 
6. Joyce SA, Kamil A, Fleige L, Gahan CG. The Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Oats and Oat Beta Glucan: Modes of Action and Potential Role of Bile Acids and the Microbiome. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2019;6. doi:10.3389/fnut.2019.00171 
7. Rebello CJ, O’Neil CE, Greenway FL. Dietary fiber and satiety: the effects of oats on satiety. Nutrition Reviews. 2016;74(2):131-147. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuv063 
8. Van den Abbeele P, Kamil A, Fleige L, Chung Y, De Chavez P, Marzorati M. Different Oat Ingredients Stimulate Specific Microbial Metabolites in the Gut Microbiome of Three Human Individuals in Vitro. ACS Omega. 2018;3(10):12446-12456. doi:10.1021/acsomega.8b01360 
9. Nyman M, Nguyen TD, Wikman O, Hjortswang H, Hallert C. Oat Bran Increased Fecal Butyrate and Prevented Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients With Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis—Randomized Controlled Trial. Crohn's & Colitis 360. 2020;2(1). doi:10.1093/crocol/otaa005 
10. Thies F, Masson LF, Boffetta P, Kris-Etherton P. Oats and bowel disease: a systematic literature review. British Journal of Nutrition. 2014;112:S31-S43. doi:10.1017/s0007114514002293