Monday, August 11, 2014

Oats - A case study

 It's been raining " oats" in my kitchen offlate. Need to try out very many recipes as I can with oats as the main ingredient (got a reason for it..will let know in the next coming posts ;) . So, it basically..an experiment, a recipe trial literally each day (to be read as "night") , and as the first very first step what myself wanted to be aware of was on the different type of oats.What the differences are...which type is suitable for what...

So, for myself, and for those whom this would seem informative, thought of putting up this post on the very same.
Oats types
The different types at a glance. Image courtesy - The Yummylife.com

In detail...


 
 Raw Oats, newly harvested
This is what oats look like before the kernels (groats) are separated from the hulls and stalks. Admittedly, you won't see them this way in stores, but we thought you'd like to see what they look like fresh from the fields.

  
 
 Whole Oat Groats
A groat is another name for a grain kernel. Whole oat groats are the result of simply harvesting oats, cleaning them, and removing their inedible hulls. You can most often find these in health food stores. They take the longest to cook.
 
 
 
 
Steel Cut Oats / Irish Oatmeal / Scottish Oatmeal
If you cut groats into two or three pieces with a sharp metal blade, you get steel cut oats. They cook quicker than oat groats, because water can more easily penetrate the smaller pieces. Steel cut oats are also sometimes called Irish oatmeal.
 
Instead of cutting oats with a steel blade, the Scots traditionally stone-grind them, creating broken bits of varying sizes, which some say results in a creamier porridge than steel-cutting.
 
 
 
Rolled Oats – regular (old fashioned)
Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats) are created when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. This process stabilizes the healthy oils in the oats, so they stay fresh longer, and helps the oats cook faster, by creating a greater surface area.
 
 
Quick Cooking Oats
If you roll the oat flakes thinner, and/or steam them longer, you create quick oats and ultimately instant oats. The nutrition stays the same (these are all whole grains) but the texture changes – a plus for some people and a drawback for others. The good thing about having so many choices is that everyone can get exactly the taste they like best!
 
 


Instant Oats
 Pressed even thinner than quick oats, instant oats oats often break into a coarse powder. They cook the quickest of all and make a very soft and uniform mush (erm...for lack of a better description).
 
 
To note :
 
1. Quick oats and old fashioned oats can be freely substituted for each other. 
 
 
2. Which type of oats is best suited for baking ?
 
On trying the different type oats for making cookies -   Both old fashioned and quick oats produced cookies that tasters described as “chewy” and “oaty.” The cookies made with instant however, were deemed “gummy”, “raw” and not acceptable. 
 
While the nutritional value is the same between the different styles of oats, the speed in which your body digests them is different.

The coarse oats, such as steel cut and rolled, take the longest to digest, keeping you full longer. Instant oatmeal digests the fastest, but won't keep you going. They also spike your insulin production sharply. Steel cut and rolled even out your insulin levels, making them healthier to eat.This is a good thing for diabetic patients who are  trying to keep a stable blood sugar.
 
 


 
well...Lady Barbara Bush Totally Looks Like The Quaker Oats Man in here.. ;)

And for the most commonly asked doubt.
 
Does eating oatmeal really help to reduce cholesterol...or, is it just some marketing stratergy. And if yes.. how ??
 
The short answer is yes, oatmeal can lower your cholesterol. Now for the long answer.
 
There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is acted upon by the normal bacteria in your intestines. Insoluble fiber is not digested by the body and promotes regularity and softens stools. Wheat bran, whole grain products and vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
 
Soluble fiber appears to reduce your body's absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber that reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol that can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. This type of fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
 
Believe i have clarified myself on this topic, and hope it does for you too.
 
 
 


18 comments:

  1. Very useful information. I try to include oats in my meal as much as possible due to the many benefits.

    Kisses
    www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com
    www.indianbeautydiary.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oats research ugran. After Kerala paryadanam why are u posting oats I was hoping for some chakka appam in kuzhipaniyaram or achappam with cookie cutter etc... , ippoo gulfil mazhaku pakaram oatsanoo peiyunathu :)))) Anyway welcome back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meennnaaa ...haa haaa...Achappam with cookie cutter... kallallo... :) :)

      Delete
  3. Good post. Long time no news from u

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Beena...yeah ! i know.. I have made apology in the previous post. but i keep doing that every now and then. Cant be consistant here..sadly . Will drop by urs ..

      Delete
  4. Chechi, waiting for oats recipes.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good post on oats, Sona. I love oats for breakfast as it's healthy and yummy. Regards :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very informative post on oats dear..

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is such an informative post. I am impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow such an informative review.. now i know the difference :)

    ReplyDelete

Monday, August 11, 2014

Oats - A case study

 It's been raining " oats" in my kitchen offlate. Need to try out very many recipes as I can with oats as the main ingredient (got a reason for it..will let know in the next coming posts ;) . So, it basically..an experiment, a recipe trial literally each day (to be read as "night") , and as the first very first step what myself wanted to be aware of was on the different type of oats.What the differences are...which type is suitable for what...

So, for myself, and for those whom this would seem informative, thought of putting up this post on the very same.
Oats types
The different types at a glance. Image courtesy - The Yummylife.com

In detail...


 
 Raw Oats, newly harvested
This is what oats look like before the kernels (groats) are separated from the hulls and stalks. Admittedly, you won't see them this way in stores, but we thought you'd like to see what they look like fresh from the fields.

  
 
 Whole Oat Groats
A groat is another name for a grain kernel. Whole oat groats are the result of simply harvesting oats, cleaning them, and removing their inedible hulls. You can most often find these in health food stores. They take the longest to cook.
 
 
 
 
Steel Cut Oats / Irish Oatmeal / Scottish Oatmeal
If you cut groats into two or three pieces with a sharp metal blade, you get steel cut oats. They cook quicker than oat groats, because water can more easily penetrate the smaller pieces. Steel cut oats are also sometimes called Irish oatmeal.
 
Instead of cutting oats with a steel blade, the Scots traditionally stone-grind them, creating broken bits of varying sizes, which some say results in a creamier porridge than steel-cutting.
 
 
 
Rolled Oats – regular (old fashioned)
Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats) are created when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. This process stabilizes the healthy oils in the oats, so they stay fresh longer, and helps the oats cook faster, by creating a greater surface area.
 
 
Quick Cooking Oats
If you roll the oat flakes thinner, and/or steam them longer, you create quick oats and ultimately instant oats. The nutrition stays the same (these are all whole grains) but the texture changes – a plus for some people and a drawback for others. The good thing about having so many choices is that everyone can get exactly the taste they like best!
 
 


Instant Oats
 Pressed even thinner than quick oats, instant oats oats often break into a coarse powder. They cook the quickest of all and make a very soft and uniform mush (erm...for lack of a better description).
 
 
To note :
 
1. Quick oats and old fashioned oats can be freely substituted for each other. 
 
 
2. Which type of oats is best suited for baking ?
 
On trying the different type oats for making cookies -   Both old fashioned and quick oats produced cookies that tasters described as “chewy” and “oaty.” The cookies made with instant however, were deemed “gummy”, “raw” and not acceptable. 
 
While the nutritional value is the same between the different styles of oats, the speed in which your body digests them is different.

The coarse oats, such as steel cut and rolled, take the longest to digest, keeping you full longer. Instant oatmeal digests the fastest, but won't keep you going. They also spike your insulin production sharply. Steel cut and rolled even out your insulin levels, making them healthier to eat.This is a good thing for diabetic patients who are  trying to keep a stable blood sugar.
 
 


 
well...Lady Barbara Bush Totally Looks Like The Quaker Oats Man in here.. ;)

And for the most commonly asked doubt.
 
Does eating oatmeal really help to reduce cholesterol...or, is it just some marketing stratergy. And if yes.. how ??
 
The short answer is yes, oatmeal can lower your cholesterol. Now for the long answer.
 
There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is acted upon by the normal bacteria in your intestines. Insoluble fiber is not digested by the body and promotes regularity and softens stools. Wheat bran, whole grain products and vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
 
Soluble fiber appears to reduce your body's absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber that reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol that can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. This type of fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
 
Believe i have clarified myself on this topic, and hope it does for you too.
 
 
 


18 comments:

  1. Very useful information. I try to include oats in my meal as much as possible due to the many benefits.

    Kisses
    www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com
    www.indianbeautydiary.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oats research ugran. After Kerala paryadanam why are u posting oats I was hoping for some chakka appam in kuzhipaniyaram or achappam with cookie cutter etc... , ippoo gulfil mazhaku pakaram oatsanoo peiyunathu :)))) Anyway welcome back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meennnaaa ...haa haaa...Achappam with cookie cutter... kallallo... :) :)

      Delete
  3. Good post. Long time no news from u

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Beena...yeah ! i know.. I have made apology in the previous post. but i keep doing that every now and then. Cant be consistant here..sadly . Will drop by urs ..

      Delete
  4. Chechi, waiting for oats recipes.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good post on oats, Sona. I love oats for breakfast as it's healthy and yummy. Regards :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very informative post on oats dear..

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is such an informative post. I am impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow such an informative review.. now i know the difference :)

    ReplyDelete