Oats

66.3% carbohydrate · 10.6% fibre

Per 100 g

389 kcal Energy

16.89 g Protein

66.27 g Carbs

6.9 g Fat

10.6 g Fibre

Trace risk GLUTEN Year round · stored for winter GI 58

Let’s cook with it → Invent something with it

What it is for

They build structure. Starch granules swell in hot water, burst, and weave a net that traps the liquid — most of what you call body comes from here. Wheat does one extra job on top: gluten.

Where it catches you out

Starch does nothing before 62 °C, and acid cuts the chains during a long boil. Think about your thickener after the heat and before the acid.

The knack

Oats and cross-contact in shared mills are separate issues; for coeliac diets, consider only products labelled gluten-free.

Storage and health

How to keep it, and who it suits.

Keeping it

Keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark cupboard for 12 months.

Cross-contamination risk

Oats are often cross-contacted by wheat, barley or rye; a gluten-free label is required for coeliac use.

Allergen: GLUTEN

Glycaemic index

58 — glucose is taken as 100. Below 55 is low, 56–69 medium, 70 and above high. The number says nothing about portion: at the same index, twice the amount is twice the load.

Row in the table: Porridge made from rolled oats, mean of eight foods

Atkinson et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2021