Oats

Avena sativa

Origin / Harvest:

USA / September–October

Description & History

Oats can be traced back to the Fertile Crescent (the region of the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates Valleys in the Middle East). During the Bronze Age (2300–600 B.C.), domesticated oats spread into Europe. Oats are usually considered a secondary crop, derived from a weed of the primary cereal domesticates wheat and barley.

In modern times, oats can be found throughout all temperate zones. They have a lower summer heat requirement and greater tolerance of rain than other cereals like wheat, rye or barley. Our oats are typically grown in the upper plains of the Western and Midwestern U.S.

Uses

We offer two main types of oats: Rolled and Steel Cut.

Regular rolled oats are made from kilned (oven–baked), whole groats processed by steaming and flaking. These oat flakes, sometime known as old–fashioned rolled oats) are mostly served as a popular, hot breakfast meal. In addition, they are a primary ingredient in a number of applications such as cookies, breads, energy bars and granola.

Large cylindrical steel cutters chop kilned whole oat groats into steel–cut oats, which shortens cooking time while maintaining the whole–grain nutritional value. Steel–cut oats can be used as a hot cereal on the breakfast table, or baked into breads.

Nutrition

A good source of soluble and insoluble fiber, a healthy diet including oats has been shown to lower cholesterol and help fight heart disease. Oats are also a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. However you eat them, oats are a healthy, nutritious component of a well–rounded diet.