Whole grain oats come from the unrefined whole grain and retain all parts of the seed: the germ, endosperm, and bran. It is an exceptionally nutritious food, known for its richness in fiber, particularly beta-glucan, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Oats are a versatile ingredient, used in a variety of food products, from breakfasts to baked goods.

Nutritional Profile (per 100 grams).

• Calories Approximately 389 kcal.
• Protein About 16.9 grams, making it a good source of plant-based protein.
• Fat About 6.9 grams, with a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.
• Carbohydrates About 66.3 grams, a significant portion of which is fiber.
• Fiber About 10.6 grams, significantly contributing to digestive health and a feeling of fullness.
• Vitamins and Minerals Rich in B vitamins, magnesium, iron, selenium, and zinc.

Industrial Production Process

The industrial process for whole grain oats involves several key steps to clean, dehull, and prepare the oats for consumption. This process ensures that the oats are safe, nutritious, and ready to be used in various food products.

• Receiving and cleaning. Upon arrival at the facility, the oats are first inspected for quality and then cleaned to remove impurities such as dust, stones, and other grains.
• Dehulling. The oats go through a series of machines that remove the tough outer hull, leaving the whole kernel intact.
• Steaming and toasting. After dehulling, the oats may be treated with steam to increase digestibility and then toasted to enhance flavor.
• Cutting, crushing, or rolling. Depending on the desired end product, the whole oats may be cut into smaller pieces, crushed, or rolled into flakes.

Considerations

Whole grain oats offer several health benefits, including improving cardiovascular health through cholesterol reduction, aiding weight management, and regulating blood sugar levels. Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber contained in oats, is particularly effective in promoting heart health.

Culinary Use Oats can be used in multiple ways, including oatmeal for breakfast, added to smoothies, used in baked goods, or as a thickener in soups and stews.

Storage Should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness.

Safety

Allergies and Sensitivities Although oats are naturally gluten-free, they may be contaminated during processing. Those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should look for gluten-free certified oats.

 Oatmeal is high in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which is beneficial for heart health and blood sugar control. It also contains a good amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.

It also contains a good amount of potassium and vitamin B and is one of the cereals that have a particularly low glycemic index.

Heart Health: Consuming oatmeal regularly can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease (1) due to its soluble fiber content.

Blood Sugar Control: The beta-glucan in oatmeal helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, aiding in blood sugar control (2) and making it a good dietary choice for people with diabetes.

Digestive Health: The fiber in oatmeal supports digestive health, helping to prevent constipation, promote regular bowel movements and has an effect on gut microbial functions (3).

Versatile Ingredient: Oatmeal can be used in various culinary applications, from breakfast cereals to baking. It can be made into porridge, added to baked goods like cookies and bread, or used as a thickener in soups and stews.

Weight Management: The high fiber content in oatmeal can help you feel fuller longer, potentially aiding in weight management by reducing overall calorie intake.

Skin Health: Colloidal oatmeal (finely ground oatmeal) has properties that can soothe skin irritation and itching, making it a beneficial ingredient in skincare products for conditions like eczema and rashes (4).

More recent studies have shown the antioxidant (5) capacity of this cereal .  

Oatmeal studies

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) Kwok CS, Gulati M, Michos ED, Potts J, Wu P, Watson L, Loke YK, Mallen C, Mamas MA. Dietary components and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a review of evidence from meta-analyses. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2019 Sep;26(13):1415-1429. doi: 10.1177/2047487319843667. Epub 2019 Apr 11. PMID: 30971126.

Abstract. Aims: The optimal diet for cardiovascular health is controversial. The aim of this review is to summarize the highest level of evidence and rank the risk associated with each individual component of diet within its food group. Methods and results: A systematic search of PudMed was performed to identify the highest level of evidence available from systematic reviews or meta-analyses that evaluated different dietary components and their associated risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. A total of 16 reviews were included for dietary food item and all-cause mortality and 17 reviews for cardiovascular disease. Carbohydrates were associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality (whole grain bread: relative risk (RR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82-0.89; breakfast cereal: RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83-0.92; oats/oatmeal: RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83-0.92). Fish consumption was associated with a small benefit (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-1.00) and processed meat appeared to be harmful (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.07-1.45). Root vegetables (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66-0.88), green leafy vegetables/salad (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.86), cooked vegetables (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.99) and cruciferous vegetables (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95) were associated with reductions in all-cause mortality. Increased mortality was associated with the consumption of tinned fruit (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.21). Nuts were associated with a reduced risk of mortality in a dose-response relationship (all nuts: RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.72-0.84; tree nuts: RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.75-0.90; and peanuts: RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.86). For cardiovascular disease, similar associations for benefit were observed for carbohydrates, nuts and fish, but red meat and processed meat were associated with harm. Conclusions: Many dietary components appear to be beneficial for cardiovascular disease and mortality, including grains, fish, nuts and vegetables, but processed meat and tinned fruit appear to be harmful.

(2) Missimer A, DiMarco DM, Andersen CJ, Murillo AG, Vergara-Jimenez M, Fernandez ML. Consuming Two Eggs per Day, as Compared to an Oatmeal Breakfast, Decreases Plasma Ghrelin while Maintaining the LDL/HDL Ratio. Nutrients. 2017 Jan 29;9(2):89. doi: 10.3390/nu9020089. 

Abstract. Eggs contain high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, yet regular consumption is still met with uncertainty. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of consuming two eggs per day or a heart-healthy oatmeal breakfast on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and satiety measures in a young, healthy population. Fifty subjects participated in a randomized crossover clinical intervention; subjects were randomly allocated to consume either two eggs or one packet of oatmeal per day for breakfast for four weeks. After a three-week washout period, participants were allocated to the alternative breakfast. Fasting blood samples were collected at the end of each intervention period to assess plasma lipids and plasma ghrelin. Subjects completed visual analog scales (VAS) concurrent to dietary records to assess satiety and hunger. Along with an increase in cholesterol intake, there were significant increases in both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol following the egg consumption period (p < 0.01). However, there was no difference in the LDL/HDL ratio, a recognized biomarker of CVD risk, nor in the plasma glucose, triglycerides or liver enzymes, between diet periods. Several self-reported satiety measures were increased following the consumption of eggs, which were associated with lower plasma ghrelin concentrations (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that compared to an oatmeal breakfast, two eggs per day do not adversely affect the biomarkers associated with CVD risk, but increase satiety throughout the day in a young healthy population.

(3) Valeur J, Puaschitz NG, Midtvedt T, Berstad A. Oatmeal porridge: impact on microflora-associated characteristics in healthy subjects. Br J Nutr. 2016 Jan 14;115(1):62-7. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515004213.

Abstract. Oatmeal porridge has been consumed for centuries and has several health benefits. We aimed to investigate the effect of oatmeal porridge on gut microflora functions. A total of ten healthy subjects ingested 60 g oatmeal porridge daily for 1 week. The following microflora-associated characteristics were assessed before and after the intervention: intestinal gas production following lactulose ingestion, faecal excretion of SCFA and faecal levels of urease and β-galactosidase. In addition, rectal levels of PGE2 were measured. Microbial fermentation as evaluated by intestinal gas production and excretion of SCFA did not change significantly following the dietary intervention. However, faecal levels of β-galactosidase and urease decreased after eating oatmeal porridge (P=0·049 and 0·031, respectively). Host inflammatory state, as measured by rectal levels of PGE2, also decreased, but the change was not significant (P=0·168). The results suggest that oatmeal porridge has an effect on gut microbial functions and may possess potential prebiotic properties that deserve to be investigated further.

(4) Capone K, Kirchner F, Klein SL, Tierney NK. Effects of Colloidal Oatmeal Topical Atopic Dermatitis Cream on Skin Microbiome and Skin Barrier Properties. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020 May 1;19(5):524-531. 

Abstract. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by dry, itchy, inflamed skin with a dysbiotic microbiome. In this clinical study (NCT03673059), we compared the effects of an eczema cream containing 1% colloidal oat and a standard moisturizer on the skin microbiome and skin barrier function of patients with mild to moderate eczema. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with 1% colloidal oat eczema cream or a standard, non-fragranced daily moisturizer. Treatment lasted 14 days, followed by a 7-day regression period. Of 61 patients who completed the study, 30 received the 1% colloidal oat eczema cream and 31 received the standard moisturizer. At 14 days, the 1% colloidal oat eczema cream reduced mean Eczema Area Severity Index and Atopic Dermatitis Severity Index scores by 51% and 54%, respectively. Unlike treatment with the standard moisturizer, treatment with the 1% colloidal oat eczema cream was associated with trends towards lower prevalence of Staphylococcus species and higher microbiome diversity at lesion sites. The 1% colloidal oat eczema cream significantly improved skin pH, skin barrier function, and skin hydration from baseline to day 14, whereas the standard moisturizer improved hydration. Overall, the results demonstrate that topical products can have differing effects on the skin barrier properties and the microbiome. Importantly, we show that the use of a 1% colloidal oat eczema cream improves microbiome composition and significantly repairs skin barrier defects. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(5):   doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.4924.

(5) Esfandi R, Willmore WG, Tsopmo A. Antioxidant and Anti-Apoptotic Properties of Oat Bran Protein Hydrolysates in Stressed Hepatic Cells.   Foods. 2019 May 11;8(5). pii: E160. doi: 10.3390/foods8050160.

Abstract. The objective of this work was to find out how the method to extract proteins and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis affect the ability of hepatic cells to resist oxidative stress. Proteins were isolated from oat brans in the presence of Cellulase (CPI) or Viscozyme (VPI). Four protein hydrolysates were produced from CPI and four others from VPI when they treated with Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Papain, or Protamex. Apart from CPI-Papain that reduced the viability of cell by 20%, no other hydrolysate was cytotoxic in the hepatic HepG2 cells. In the cytoprotection test, VPI-Papain and VPI-Flavourzyme fully prevented the damage due to peroxyl radical while CPI-Papain and CPI-Alcalase enhanced the cellular damage. Cells treated with VPI-hydrolysates reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 20-40% and, also increased the intracellular concentration of glutathione, compared to CPI-hydrolysates. In antioxidant enzyme assays, although all hydrolysates enhanced the activity of both superoxide dismutase and catalase by up to 2- and 3.4-fold, respectively relative the control cells, the largest increase was due to VPI-Papain and VPI-Flavourzyme hydrolysates. In caspase-3 assays, hydrolysates with reduced ROS or enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities were able to reduce the activity of the pro-apoptotic enzyme, caspase-3 indicating that they prevented oxidative stress-induced cell death.