Oats are January’s Grain of the Month

The Whole Grains Council has declared OATS to be the grain of the month of January.

Wild oats were eaten by prehistoric humans before they became a domestic crop. In fact, oats did not become a crop grain until after wheat and barley were already domesticated. The Romans brought oats as a crop to the British Isles. Oats being better adapted to cool wet climates than other grains, they became an important crop.

However, they were now well respected initially. Samuel Johnson defined oats in his famous 1755 dictionary as “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people.” The Scottish rebuttal explained, “That’s why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such fine men!”

Europe has been the major producer of oats for human consumption, but climate change has severely impacted production in the past couple of years. Although oats are still mainly used as animal feed, their popularity as a breakfast food has grown.

Oat seeds are prepared in various ways for cooking. Old-fashioned (regular) oats have been steamed and flattened or rolled. Instant oats are precooked, dried, and flattened to make them quicker to cook. Most oats sold for human consumption are a whole grain, maintaining all their nutritional value.

Eating oatmeal can help with appetite control, as they keep you feeling fuller longer. They help with blood pressure control and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Oats are also good for your skin, applied externally! It’s an exfoliant, anti-inflammatory, and a popular home remedy for itchy dry skin.

Oats are tasty, with a sweet, almost nutty flavor. Why not cook some up and enjoy them today?