Types of oats

Types of oats 

Raw oats

Wholegrain raw oats are harvested when the grain is fully-grown and dry. They consist of the grain kernel (or groat), surrounded by a hard outer hull and plant stalk.

Whole oat (groat)

Groats are what's left when the inedible hard outer hull of the oat grain is removed. They look like brown rice; long and thin, with a smooth surface and the outer bran layer intact. You can buy whole oats to cook into porridge, but they take longer to prepare than other types of oats.

Steel cut oats

Steel cut oats are oat kernels that have been cut into two or three pieces by a metal blade. This makes them quicker to cook than uncut oats, however they still take longer than our traditional rolled Oats

Rolled oats

Rolled oats, also called ‘old-fashioned’ oats, are made by steaming oat kernels and then rolling them into flakes. This process keeps the oats fresher for longer, while helping them cook faster in dishes like porridge.

Quick oats or instant oats

Prepared in a similar way to rolled oats, quick oats (or instant oats) are cut smaller and rolled thinner. They're still a wholegrain with all the nutritional goodness of the oat kernel, but longer steaming and a thinner flake means they cook faster so you can enjoy your favourite porridge sooner.

Oat flour

Similarly to wheat flour, oat flour is made by milling the wholegrain into a fine flour for use in baking and cooking.

Oat flakes

Oat flakes are the same as rolled oats. They're made by steaming oat kernels and then rolling them into flakes.