mueslis, and manufactured breakfast cereals There are several reasons for the relatively minor status of oats Like barley, oats have no gluten-producing proteins, which means that they can’t be made into light raised breads The kernel has adherent husks that make it difficult to process Oats contain from two to five times the fat that wheat does, mainly in the bran and endosperm rather than the germ, and also carry large amounts of a fat-digesting enzyme The combination means that oats have a tendency to become rancid They require a heat treatment that inactivates the enzyme in order to prevent rapid deterioration during storage On the other hand, oats do have several virtues They’re rich in indigestible carbohydrates called beta-glucans, which absorb and hold water, give hot oatmeal its smooth, thick consistency, have a tenderizing, moistening effect in baked goods, and help lower our blood cholesterol levels The glucans are found mainly in the outer layers of the endosperm under the aleurone layer, and so are especially concentrated in oat bran Oats also contain a number of phenolic compounds that have antioxidant activity Oat Processing Oats are generally used as whole grains, also called groats, because they’re much softer than wheat or corn and don’t break cleanly into endosperm, germ, and bran The first stage in their processing is a low-temperature “roasting,” which gives the grain much of its characteristic flavor and inactivates the fat-splitting enzyme (This step also denatures the storage proteins and makes them less soluble, giving the grain greater integrity during cooking.) The whole groats are then processed into various shapes, all of which have the same nutritional value Steelcut oats are simply whole groats cut into two to four pieces for faster cooking Rolled oats are whole kernels that are steamed to make ...glucans are found mainly in the outer layers of the endosperm under the aleurone layer, and so are especially concentrated in oat bran Oats also contain a number of phenolic compounds that have antioxidant activity... they’re much softer than wheat or corn and don’t break cleanly into endosperm, germ, and bran The first stage in their processing is a low-temperature “roasting,” which gives the grain much of. .. and inactivates the fat-splitting enzyme (This step also denatures the storage proteins and makes them less soluble, giving the grain greater integrity during cooking.) The whole groats are then