Quick History of Oats

• Oats have been around for thousands of years, but for most of that time, they've been thought of as a weed that invades fields of more valuable grains, such as wheat and rye. However, oats tolerate cold and damp better than most grains and became an important crop in their own right in northern Europe. Oats are a difficult grain on many levels.Their husks don't mill off as easily as those of wheat and rye, and its high levels of natural oils -- combined with an oil-digesting enzyme -- make them prone to rancidity.

The Fiber Thing

• Despite certain shortcomings, oats are potent from the nutritional standpoint. They're high in vitamins, minerals, protein and especially fiber. There are two kinds of fiber in plant foods -- indigestible or insoluble fiber that aids the digestive process and soluble fiber that's digested and enters your bloodstream. That soluble fiber accounts for much of oatmeal's popularity with health-conscious diners, because it's been shown to reduce levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol. It also gives oatmeal its characteristic texture.

Through Thick and Thin

• The soluble portion of the fiber consists of beta-glucans, a special form of non-starchy carbohydrates. They're found throughout the oat but are especially concentrated in the inner layer of the oat bran. When the oats are cooked, the beta-glucans swell and absorb water. They form an invisible mesh throughout the liquid, immobilizing it into a thick gel. It's very similar to the way pectin, a comparable hemicellulose found in fruit and vegetables, thickens jams and jellies.

In Baking

• That ability to bind liquids shows to best advantage in your breakfast bowl, but it's also significant to bakers. When a dough or batter contains oat flour or oats, the beta-glucans from the oats gel a portion of the moisture in the dough as it bakes. This helps give the finished baked goods a smooth, tender texture, and it also helps retain moisture within the crumb. Many of the artificial additives used in commercial bakeries are gums and thickeners that act in a very similar manner, but oats provide a simpler and more healthful alternative for the home baker.