Mornflake - All About Oats

Of all the cereals which are available to us today, oats stand out as a basic food which can easily be called ‘a best buy’! It has been a best buy in Europe for many years and although oats nutritionally are unsurpassed by other cereals with regard to quality and price value there seems to be a lack of information about them, which is surprising.

Today oats are grown in almost every part of the world, with the most important being North America, Scandinavia, Russia, Great Britain and Australia.

If we look back into history, the origin of cultivated oats is very hard to find. Oat grains have been found with archaeological remains in all parts of England. Numerous Celtic, old Nordic and old Germanic names for oats point to its very old and central function in ancient nutrition.

Oats have been a popular food crop in Britain from the 13th century to the present day.

The oat plant grows up to around 1 metre high and each stem carries about 20-25 grains called oats, and each grain is partially enclosed in thin papery husks (or chaff). Oat varieties differ markedly in appearance and characteristics; the colour of the grain for example may be white, golden, black or grey and, as a result of crossing, in between colours are common.

Oats are a great source of dietary fibre they contain a ratio of aproximately 55 percent soluble fibre and 45 percent insoluble fibre.

Oats contain a high percentage of desirable complex carbohydrates.

Oats Have a high Vitamin B1 content, which is required by the body for carbohydrate metabolism

On a per gram basis, oats contain a higher concentration of protein, calcium, iron magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin, folacin, and Vitimin E than many other unfortified whole grain, such as wheat, barley,corn or rice.

Oats contain an excellent balance of essential amino acids. Amino acids are proteins that help optimum functioning of the body.

Oats are naturally low in fat, when compared with many complex breakfast cereals.

The lipids present in oats contain a good balance of essential fatty acids.

Oats are also a very good source of selenium.

	are the oats as they arrive at Mornflake after being cleaned.		Groats are oats after the husk has been removed.
	is made by stone grinding Pinhead Oatmeal.		Oatbran is produced by extracting the bran from the outer layer of the Groat. Oatbran is rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre. It makes a very smooth porridge and can be sprinkled into many recipes, including cereals and salad dishes, or used in baking for high-fibre food.
	Jumbo Oats are larger, thicker oats which are rolled from the whole Groat. Jumbo Oats are ideal for making a good, thick porridge with a more pronounced texture.		Superfast Oats are the most popular oats and are rolled from Pinhead Oatmeal. These are given many names such as Flaked Oats, Oat Flakes, Quick Oats, Rolled Oats, Easy Oats and Porridge Oats but they are basically all the same type of product.
	Pinhead Oatmeal is made by cutting the Groats into three.		Organic Oats are made from oats specially grown to the established organic standards laid down by the UK Register of Organic Food Standards, by which the crops rely for their purity on the goodness of the soil, enriched only by natural means.