The whole grain of oats is called oat groats. Oat groats are processed differently depending on what type of oatmeal they are being made into. To make steel-cut oats (also known as Irish oats), the groats are chopped up with steel blades. This allows for a chewier oatmeal. Steel cut oats also retain more protein and fiber from the groat. For Scottish oats, the groats are ground into a meal, which makes a porridge-type oat with a creamier texture. Irish and Scottish oats take about 30 minutes to cook. To decrease cooking time, soak oats overnight in a covered container. In the morning, they will cook in just a few minutes. I know this works for steel cut oats, let me know if you have tried it with the Scottish variety.
Rolled (also known as old-fashioned) oats take less time to cook. The groats are softened by steaming, then run through metal rollers to flatten them. Instant oats are also rolled thin, but are “cooked and then dried again.” With instant oats you just add hot water and stir.
March 20th, 2010 at 2:29 am
A head’s up about oats. Even though many oats, (like Bob’s Red Mill pictured here,) are certified gluten free, it is estimated that up to 10% of people with Celiac disease still have a reaction to them. This is due to proteins in the oats that are similar to gluten proteins, and NOT to cross contamination, as I’m talking about certified gluten free oats.
In other words, technically there is no gluten, but a reaction could still occur. If you’d like more information, please check out my website.
Note: Many Celiacs are fine with eating oats, but there is reason for caution.
March 22nd, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Pat, thank-you for your comment.
Oat is the only cereal containing a globulin or legume-like protein, avenalins, as the major (80%) storage protein. The more typical cereal proteins, such as gluten are “prolamines.” The minor protein of certain species of oats is a prolamine: avenin. In certain cases of Celiac disease, we have heard of a the potential for reaction to the prolamines in oats. We have not heard of p0eople with gluten intolerance having a reaction to GF oats. People with Celiac disease may want to approach cereal grains, oats in particular, with caution until they find out how their body responds to them. We always advise people who ask to introduce oats into their diet in very small increments. Hopefully, their doctors have already done so, but you never know.
We will put your link up.