Oat Bran For The Win!

 

 

Mares eat oats, and does eat oats…and we eat oats too. Lots of ‘em. We Canadians love our oats; only Russia grows more oats annually, and as a country, Canada is the number one exporter of oats in the world, most destined for a little tweaking into breakfast cereals like Cheerios, granolas and granola bars, breads, oatmeal cookies and so on. And the reasons for this are simple; oats are good for you, they are inexpensive and they taste good.

Nutritionists have long touted the health benefits of oats; high in antioxidants and lignans, they are beneficial in the battle against heart disease. Their high fibre content also reduces “bad” cholesterol (low density lipoprotein)  without affecting “good” cholesterol while also preventing constipation and controlling blood sugar levels, thus assisting in the fight against diabetes. Because they are a low-calorie yet bulky, high fibre whole grain, oats give you a feeling of satiety so they are a great food in assisting with weight loss, and as they are so high in the vital element magnesium  – a quarter cup gives you a days supply of it- oats offer valuable support to the immune system.

 

 

There are folks who are not big fans of oats, no matter how you roll, cut, cook or bake with them, and a bowl of porridge in the morning is not their cup of tea. One way to get around that is by trying oat bran. Oat bran actually cooks up faster and smoother and creamier than oatmeal, plus it has fifty percent more soluble and unsoluble fibre. The bran of a grain is the outer surface, often removed when refining grains like wheat flour. Whole grain cereals contain bran so it is not a whole grain if the bran is removed; wheat bran seems to get all the press as it is so high in fibre, but oat bran has its own highly esteemed characteristics, especially appealing for those who can’t abide wheat bran. Once used mainly as a livestock feed (lucky cows!) it has now come into its own, prized for its high nutrient content of protein, calcium, iron, thiamine, phosphorous, riboflavin, magnesium and zinc.

 

 

A hot bowl of cereal made with oat bran is vastly different from a bowl of porridge, having the texture of cream of wheat, patent barley or a soft polenta. The flavor is mild, slightly nutty and wholesome. Is wholesome a flavor? Sure it is. Some things just taste wholesome, don’t they? Adding a little oat bran to your daily diet is a good thing, but if you don’t feel like preparing a bowl of it everyday, you can also “sneak” the oat bran into sauces or stews as a thickener instead of cornstarch, or substitute a little oat bran for flour into your baked goods- breads, muffins or cookies. In sauces it blends easily and lump-free, and in baked goods it is undetectable. You won’t even know it’s there, but your body will thank you.