Fun Facts about Oats

History of the Oat
1.Before Quaker made its way to our shelves and Cheerios became one of the most popular oat-based cereals, whole grain oats were consumed by a mass amount of people of the earliest of times, dating back to 7,000 B.C. Oats were one of the first cereals cultivated by man and were used in ancient China and even Greeks who were the first to turn them into a porridge.

Oats originate as mentioned above in Asia (specifically China) and were grown on the red oat plant. Oats have been cultivated for 2,000 years in regions all over the world but gained their popularity most when they were brought to Europe. We can thank the Scotlands for bringing oats to Northern America in the 17th century, since oats were one of the most important commercial crops and dietary staples in Scotland, Germany, Scandinavian countries, and Great Britain.

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Genetic evidence shows the ancestral forms of Avena sterilis grew in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East. Domesticated oats appear relatively late, and far from the Near East, in Bronze Age Europe.  As these cereals spread westwards into cooler, wetter areas, this may have favored the oat weed component, leading to its eventual domestication.


The overall history of oats is somewhat clouded as there are so many different species and subspecies, making identification of old remains very difficult. The chief modern center of greatest variety of forms is in the Anatolian peninsula where almost all subspecies are in contact with each other. Many feel that the area with the greatest diversity of types is most likely where a particular plant originated.

2. It comes sliced, chopped and flattened.  
Here’s the low-down on three major types:

• Old-Fashioned Oats: These oats are the ones that
  
  probably pop into your mind when you hear the word “oatmeal” and are most often the least expensive variety. They are made by flattening the grain into a flake. The thickness of the flake determines the texture of your oatmeal-the thinner the flake, the softer the oatmeal. This is why a bowl of quick-cooking oats may seem even softer and creamier than regular old-fashion oats. For quick-cooking oats, old-fashioned oats are rolled even thinner and cut into small pieces so that the oats will indeed cook more quickly.

• Steel-Cut Oats: In this case, the oats have been chopped into tiny pieces and not rolled out. They have a harder texture, so they take longer to cook. They do tend to be more expensive than old-fashion oats, but some people may prefer the chewier texture of steel-cut oats. Steel cut oats are also known as Irish Oatmeal.

• Instant Oatmeal: This is an even thinner, more finely chopped version of the old-fashion oats that is individually packaged for convenience and quick-cooking. They can easily be microwaved.

3. It’s great for your gut

In a new supplement published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers concluded that the beta-glucan, resistant starch, and the unique polyphenols, avenanthramides, present in oats may boost the beneficial bacteria, Bifidobacteria, in the lower GI tract.A review of 29 studies concluded that oats and oat bran might provide benefits in some cases of bowel disease and constipation.

4. Keeping cholesterol in check 

Compelling studies on a recent review on oat and oat bran and cardiovascular disease risk factors concluded that oats and oat bran lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) by respectively 2-19 percent and 4-23 percent; the effects are particularly prominent among people with high cholesterol levels.

5.It’s the easiest natural beauty product

An oatmeal bath, which is created by adding 1 cup of finely ground oatmeal to bathwater, has longed been used to soothe inflamed skin from conditions such as chickenpox, eczema, and sunburn.

6. They Keep the Bad Bugs Away

Oats’ beneficial fibers come specifically from a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucans, which have been found to improve immune function and keep harmful bacteria away that leads to illness. Beta-glucans in oats have also been linked to even preventing cancer, especially breast and colon cancer. This is pure proof that consuming oatmeal as part of a healthy, balanced diet is a wonderful way to take care of your immune system naturally. Try topping your oats with high-antioxidant berries to protect your body even further.

7.It’s been the root of a long-running dispute in the U.K

Samuel Johnson’s 1755 dictionary defined oats as “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people.” The Scotsman’s retort to this was, “That’s why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such fine men!”

8.The portrait of the Quaker man on the Quaker® Oats package has been updated just three times since its creation in 1877, once in 1946, again in 1957 and, most recently, in 1972.

9.A bowl for breakfast can keep you full till lunch 

The beta-glucan in oatmeal is famous for stabilizing blood sugar. And because it helps you avoid those blood sugar highs and lows, having a bowl first thing in the morning can keep cravings at bay. Plus, oatmeal may enhance your workout. A UK study found that eating oatmeal about three hours before exercise helped boost endurance.