Oats come in many different forms, but offer even more benefits.
Often overlooked, oats are an excellent source of fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Research also indicates that they can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and even help prevent the risk of heart disease.
Not to mention, they help keep you regular!
Here are five types of oats and creative ways for how to cook them.
Whole oats
If you like to keep things plain and simple, whole oats are the result of harvesting oats, cleaning them, and removing the hulls - their inedible hard outer casing. They are an everyday staple of most health food stores but take the longest to cook.
Soak them for at least one hour or, ideally, overnight. Then, add the desired amount to a pot of boiling water. Pre-soaked oats will need 45 minutes up to one hour to cook.
Steel-cut oats
Steel-cut oats are the product of cutting whole oats into two to three pieces using a metal blade, hence ‘steel-cut.’
These oats cook quicker than whole oats because the water can more easily pass through the smaller pieces. They take roughly 20 to 30 minutes to become tender.
Rolled oats
Also known as old-fashioned oats, rolled oats result from steaming and rolling whole oats into flakes. This process helps stabilize the healthy oils, ensuring the oats stay fresher longer.
Rolled oats are flat and therefore have more surface area, which helps them cook faster. Bring water or milk to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the oats, reduce heat to low and leave to simmer uncovered over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
Scottish oats
Unlike steel-cut, Scottish oats are traditionally ground using a stone, creating pieces of various sizes.
Bring a medium saucepan of milk or water to a boil, add one cup of oats and a pinch of salt, reduce the heat and cook for ten minutes.
Quick oats
A tried and true classic for those on the go! Quick oats are just rolled oats that have been rolled to be even thinner and/or steamed longer. The nutritional value is the same, but there is a change in texture.
Obviously, these are the quickest to cook. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and one cup of oats. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for three minutes.
Thanks to bargain-loving outlets like Famous Foods, you can take these oats notes and make them a reality. Even better still, you can buy them in bulk to make the most of your oats!