Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 169705 (Oats (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)).
Fun facts
- 100g of dry oats has 10.6g of fiber and 16.9g of protein. Compared with white rice, that is about eight times the fiber and more than double the protein.
- Part of that fiber is beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that turns thick and silky in water. That is why oatmeal left to cool sets into a thick paste.
- Calories are fairly high, about 389 kcal per 100g dry, because oats carry 6.9g of fat, more than most other grains.
- Oats are naturally gluten free, but they are often processed on the same lines as wheat. If you need to avoid gluten, choose oats labeled gluten free.
Choosing and storing
Oats come as rolled, steel-cut and instant. They are the same grain, differing in thickness and cooking time, and we compare them in rolled vs steel-cut vs instant oats. Pick a pack within date with no stale-oil smell. Once opened, move oats to a sealed container somewhere cool and dry, since the fat in the grain can go rancid if left exposed to air.
Cooking it well
Rolled oats soften in water or milk in a few minutes. Short on time? Soak them in milk or yogurt overnight in the fridge and breakfast is ready as overnight oats. Add fruit and a few nuts for natural sweetness without much sugar. To learn what beta-glucan does in your gut, read beta-glucan in oats. At kOBE, our Oat Milk is cooked fresh in small batches with no refined sugar added, about 34 kcal per 100ml.
