Gluten free baking would not quite be the same without oat flour being involved. So what is oat flour and how is it used? Let’s cover these basic and more in the following post.
Oat flour is finely ground from whole oat groats. Groats are the kernels that have been removed from the inedible hull of the oat grain.
Because the process begins with the whole grain, oat flour contains all the available fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. The overall benefits of oats have been proven by a number of scientific resources, and therefore oat flour can be a vital part of a healthy diet.
Oat flour is full of flavor and contains a balanced array of wholesome nutrition. Although it’s not the only naturally gluten-free ingredient, oat flour has found its way into many wheat-free recipes. Try these Fluffy Oat Flour Waffles or these Oat Flour Cookies!
Does oat flour have carbs?
There are a many different types of oats available in the market. Manufactured oat flour is ground from whole oat groats, which do contain carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
Whole grain oats are a fiber-rich food that has both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, the low glycemic index of oats helps to slow the time it takes to absorb into the blood stream.
Whole grain oats are a fiber-rich food that has both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, the low glycemic index of oats helps to slow the time it takes to absorb into the blood stream.
Substitutes
In the past oat flour may have been hard to find, but nowadays many specialty products are available in the local markets. However, sometimes it may not be necessary to purchase a store an ingredient if you’re only going to use it one time.
Make oat flour at home by simply grinding old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or a high-speed blender. Rolled oats are a perfectly good substitute for manufactured oat flour.
Substitutes for oat flour
How do I substitute regular flour for oat flour? Regular wheat flour should produce similar results when added to most baking recipes. Substitute slightly less wheat flour than the amount of oat flour in a recipe.
- Make your own oat flour from rolled oats by grinding 1¼ regular oats to yield about 1 cup of oat flour.
- Gluten-free alternatives are rice flour, coconut flour, potato flour, quinoa flour and chickpea flour, substitute equal parts for many recipes.
Oats
have less carbohydrates, and also a higher fat and protein content than most
other grains. The main concerns to be aware of are the gluten being added and
also the overall hydration level of the mixture.
The final results will change when altering a recipe this much, however the inherent structure should remain the same. Its best to make smaller adjustments to the recipe and gradually increase each time you make a new batch.
Are oatmeal and oat flour the same?
Oat groats undergo methods like cutting, steaming, milling and grinding to achieve various forms. Both oatmeal and oat flour originate from the same whole grain, however, they are a result of different processing techniques.
Although each product makes oatmeal, there are distinct differences between steel cut, rolled and quick oats. On the other hand, simply grinding oat groats into a fine powder makes manufactured oat flour.
Oatmeal is not the same as oat flour, even though they come from the identical whole grain. Oat flour is much finer than any other oats product.
Substituting for All Purpose Flour
Oat flour can be partially substituted for all-purpose flour in a recipe. Because oats vary from other grains in carbs, fat and protein, its important to consider their effects on the final product.
It’s safe to say that about 25% of the all-purpose
flour content can be substituted for oat flour. Reduce the all-purpose flour
content by 25%, and then replace it with equal parts oat flour.
How do I substitute oat flour for white flour? If you intend to experiment with exchanging all of the white flour for oat flour, than the recipe will require slightly more oat flour. Substitute 1 cup of regular white flour for 1⅓ cup oat flour.
Note the stiffness of the mixture and consider the fact that volume and weight measurements vary drastically. For more precise recipe adjustments, stick to weight measures.
Oats have a higher amount of protein and fat, in addition to being lower in carbohydrates than most grains. This will play a part in affecting the final result of the product.
Test recipes in smaller batches. Make slight adjustments to the recipes at first, and then scale up based on successful results.
Can You Eat Oat Flour Raw?
Manufactured oat flour is made for whole oat groats
that are ground into a fine powder. They are not cooked prior to grinding.
We discussed how to make oat flour from rolled oats by using a food processor or blender. Rolled oats have been steamed, so homemade oat flour is partially cooked.
There
are a few major concerns about eating raw oat flour. Raw oat flour may be
contaminated with E. coli or a number of other bacteria.
If you have concern about the treatment of the raw oats, then stick to cooked preparations. However, you should feel fine when digesting a small amount of raw oat flour.
It’s noteworthy to mention that some people experience oats side effects that are similar to the symptoms of gluten-intolerance. Research has concluded the possibility of an allergic reaction or oats sensitivity.
If a comparable occurrence happens to you, consult a medical professional for further advise.
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