What are Scottish oats?

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Scottish oats are recognized as the true oatmeal in the United Kingdom. However, the exact same dish is referred to as porridge in the United States. But what are Scottish Oats and how are they made? Lets discuss this in further detail.

Scottish oats are whole oat groats that have been ground. The oat groats are not steam, rolled or cut like other types of oats, but rather ground.

The texture of the grind is fairly fine, however, it’s coarser than flour. To make Scottish oats, the oat groats are ground into a coarsely ground meal that is similar in size to cornmeal.

Porridge-style oats with a creamy texture have been consumed for centuries. Oatmeal variations like steel cut, rolled and quick oats are the result of modern day roller mills.

The cooking time is about 10 minutes for the ground oats to turn into a thick and creamy gruel. In addition, Scottish oats are wonderful for baking because the grind is slightly larger than flour, but a step below farina.

Are Scottish oats the same as rolled oats?

The process of making rolled oats and Scottish oats is dissimilar. Therefore, Scottish oats are different from rolled oats in taste, texture and consistency.

Scottish oats are not rolled oats. Rolled oats are oat groats that have been steamed so that they don’t crack when put through the rolling mills.

The rolling process flattens the oat groats to give more surface area, which helps reduce cooking time. Furthermore, rolled oats have a tender chewiness with a nutty taste.

Scottish oats are oat groats that are ground into a meal. The grind size is slightly larger than flour but still relatively fine.

As a result, cooked Scottish oats make a delicious porridge-style cereal that tastes both rich and creamy. This preparation is what people in UK refer to as oatmeal. However in the US, this resembles porridge.

What is the difference between oatmeal and porridge oats?

Porridge commonly refers to a breakfast cereal dish that is made of boiled, crushed or chopped starchy vegetables, mostly grains, served in water or milk. A porridge is often sweetened with sugar, honey, fruit or syrup.

Oatmeal is the most common type of porridge, but not all porridge is made from oats. Other grains used to make porridge include rice, wheat, barley, corn, etc.

Even though the two terms are often used interchangeably, many other types of porridge have their own names like polenta, grits and kasha.

Is Scottish oatmeal healthy?

Scottish oatmeal goes beyond the abundant source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals naturally found in oats. The balance of insoluble and soluble fiber prevents constipations, maintains a full feeling long periods of time, and also may help to lower LDL cholesterol.

The fine grind of Scottish oatmeal helps to ease digestion because the intestines don’t have to work as hard to breakdown the meal. The nutrition is absorbed into the body faster giving you the energy necessary to be active.

However, it is noteworthy to mention that some people that eat oatmeal have experienced symptoms similar to gluten intolerance. Oat side effects have been documented, so if you have comparable reactions then explore the possibilities of having an allergy to oats.

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