Little Thumbs Up: Baking and Cooking event, Theme for Nov is "OATS"

Little Thumbs Up is a monthly event organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen from My Little Favourite D.I.Y. Each month an ingredient is selected and everyone is welcome to take part in this blog-hop. This month I am the host with my selected ingredient “Oats”. Cook or bake with any recipes with Oats as its ingredient. Your post(s) must be in this month (only current posts) and link to this post, thumbnail linky provided at the end of this post. In your post please include the following information:

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY, hosted by Vivian of Vivian Pang’s Kitchen.

The post should also include a picture of a Thumbs Up sign with your own photo or using the Little Thumbs Up badge above. To find out more details on Little Thumbs Up, please click here.

I have chosen oats as the main ingredient because it has lots of health benefits and yet easy to buy and prepare. Allow me share with you what oats is all about.

Pictures source from wholegrainscouncil.org

Oats are whole grains and are made from oat groats. Oats can be found in the form of whole oat groats, take the longest time to cook. If you cut groats into two or three pieces with a sharp metal blade, you get steel cut oats (Irish oatmeal). There are Scottish oatmeal too which are process via stone-grind method.

Pictures source from wholegrainscouncil.org

The common type we used is rolled oats. Basically there is regular (old fashioned) rolled oats and quick or instant rolled oats. Regular (old fashioned) are created when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. This process stabilizes the healthy oils in the oats, so they stay fresh longer, and helps the oats cook faster, by creating a greater surface area.

For quick or instant oats, it is made with cut groats that have been precooked and dried before being rolled. It has thinner oat flakes and/or undergoes longer steaming process. The nutrition stays the same (these are all whole grains) but the texture changes. With the different variety of oats, it gives everyone a choice to choose their preferred texture and taste. To know more about the different kind of oats, do refer here.

Oats contain the most soluble fibre of all grains and have many health benefits (source from here):

~Lowers cholesterol: A study shows that those who eat a bowl of oatmeal every day helps to lower their cholesterol by 20%.

~Stabilises blood sugar levels: Oats keep you fuller for a longer time without sugar highs and crashes.

~Lowers cancer risk: Oats have high levels of fibre, which lower oestrogen levels that prevents cancer.

~Reduces high blood pressure: 1 in 3 adults has hypertension. Oats are high in soluble fibre which helps to reduce hypertension.

~Keeps bowel movements regular: The high fibre content helps speed the passage of the bowel through the body reducing constipation.

~Helps lose weight: Oats help you feel fuller longer which curbs your appetite. Studies have shown that children who eat a bowl of oatmeal a day are 50% less likely to suffer from obesity.

~Oats help to have a longer healthier life: Oat of all the grains, oats has a higher better balance of protein, and a good balance of essential fatty acids. Oats have a great range of vitamins and minerals and beta glucan which helps the body to heal quickly.

Oats have a very neutral taste so they can be added to many different dishes and baking. You can even transform the rolled oats or old-fashioned (not quick) oats into oat flour by blending the oats in a food processor.

For the coming oats recipes I'm going to use regular (old fashioned) rolled oats, quick or instant rolled oats and oat flour. Feel free to link up your recipes with rolled oats and other types of oats like whole oat groats, steel cut oats (Irish oatmeal) and Scottish oatmeal. I’m looking forward to see your recipes. Let us cook, bake and have fun!