Raisins and instant oatmeal prior to preparation. Raisins and instant oatmeal after preparation.

Oatmeal is a product of ground oat groats (i. Oats redirects here It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here or any cultivated or wild species of the Genus Avena. e. oat-meal, cf. cornmeal, peasemeal, etc. Cornmeal is Flour ground from dried corn, and is a common Staple food. Peasemeal (also called pea flour) is a flour produced from yellow field peas that have been roasted ) or a porridge made from this product (also called oatmeal cereal). Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water In the United States and Canada, 'oatmeal' can refer also to other products made from oat groats, such as cut oats, crushed oats, and rolled oats. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Steel-cut Oats are whole grain Groats (the inner portion of the oat Kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers The groats are coarsely ground to make oatmeal, or cut into small pieces to make steel-cut oats, or steamed and rolled to make rolled oats. The quick-cooking rolled oats ("quick oats") are cut into small pieces before being steamed and rolled. "Instant" oatmeal is pre-cooked and dried, usually with sweetener and flavor additives. ^[1] Oatmeal is used to make porridge, as an ingredient as in oatmeal cookies and oat cakes, or as an accent as in the topping on many oat bran breads and the coating on Caboc cheese. An oatcake is a type of cracker or Pancake, made from Oatmeal, and sometimes Flour as well Caboc is a Scottish cream Cheese, made with Double cream or cream-enriched Milk. It is also used as a thickener in some foods such as canned chili con carne. Chili con carne (often known simply as chili) is a spicy Stew made from Chili peppers Meat, Garlic, Onions Oatmeal is also used in some alcoholic drinks, cosmetics, soaps, external medical treatments, and is sometimes added to animal feed products.

Breakfast cereal health benefits

There has been increasing interest in oatmeal in recent years due to its beneficial health effects. Studies have shown that daily consumption of a bowl of oatmeal can lower blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is a Lipid found in the Cell membranes and transported in the Blood plasma of all Animals It is an essential component of mammalian After reports found that oats can help lower cholesterol, an "oat bran craze" swept the U. S. in the late 1980s, peaking in 1989. The food fad was short-lived and faded by the early 1990s. The popularity of oatmeal and other oat products again increased after the January 1997 decision by the Food and Drug Administration that food with a lot of oat bran or rolled oats can carry a label claiming it may reduce the risk of heart disease, when combined with a low-fat diet. Heart disease is an Umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the Heart. This is because of the beta-glucan in the oats. β-Glucans' (or beta- Glucans) are Polysaccharides occurring in the Bran of Cereal grains the cell wall of baker's yeast Rolled oats have also long been a staple of many athletes' diets, especially weight trainers', given oatmeal's high content of complex carbohydrates and water-soluble fiber which encourage slow digestion and stable blood-glucose levels. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Despite these developments, according to the New York Times, Harry Balzar of the NPD Group stated that "the proportion of Americans who eat oatmeal for breakfast has not changed in 20 years;" "one in five Americans eat oatmeal. " Oatmeal porridge also contains more B vitamins and calories than other kinds of porridges. The B vitamins are eight water-soluble Vitamins that play important roles in cell Metabolism. This article is about the unit of energy For its use in Nutrition and Food labelling regulations, see the article on Food energy. Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water ^[2]

Some of the items added to oatmeal porridge to enhance its flavour include: salt, white sugar, brown sugar, stevia, cinnamon, honey, jam, molasses, maple syrup, butter, chocolate, soy milk, milk, condensed or evaporated milk, and cream. Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Brown sugar is a Sucrose Sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of Molasses. Stevia is a Genus of about 240 Species of herbs and Shrubs in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae) native to Subtropical Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum, synonym C zeylanicum) is a small Evergreen Tree 10–15 metres (32 Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the Molasses or Treacle is a thick Syrup by-product from the processing of the Sugarcane or Sugar beet into Sugar. Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of Maple trees In Canada and the United States it is most often eaten with waffles and pancakes Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Chocolate ( pronounced or /-ˈələt/ comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical Cacao tree Soy milk (also called soya milk, soybean milk, or soy juice) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. Condensed milk, also known as sweetened condensed milk, is cow's milk from which Water has been removed and to which Sugar has been added yielding Evaporated milk, also known as dehydrated milk is a Shelf-stable canned Milk product with about 60% of the water removed from fresh For the 1993 hip-hop single by the Wu-Tang Clan see CREAM CREAM is an acronym for Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method a Various types of fruit and nuts are also often added, including: strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, mangos, bananas, raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, pecans, walnuts, and even peanut butter. Garden strawberries are a common variety of strawberry cultivated worldwide Blueberries are Flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium, sect The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting Trees in the Flowering plant family Anacardiaceae For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Raisins are dried Grapes They are produced in many regions of the world such as the United States, Australia, Chile, This article is about the Cherry berry also classified as fruit for the ornamental tree See Cherry Blossom. The vast population of dried cranberries sold in the world are marketed by the Ocean Spray (cooperative under the trade name Craisins, a Portmanteau of The Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of Hickory, native to south-central North America Walnuts (genus Juglans) are Plants in the family Juglandaceae. Peanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground roasted Peanuts with or without added oil

Cooked oatmeal has a lower GI value than has uncooked, because cooking releases water-soluble fibers from the grain. The Glycemic index (also glycaemic index) or GI is a measure of the effects of Carbohydrates on Blood glucose levels These fibers release glucose very slowly. Glucose (Glc a Monosaccharide (or simple Sugar) also known as grape sugar, is an important Carbohydrate in Biology. ^[3]

Cultural associations

Scotland

In Scotland, oatmeal is created by grinding oats into a coarse powder. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Various grades are available depending on the thoroughness of the grinding, including Coarse, Pin(head) and Fine oatmeal. The main uses are:

• as an ingredient in baking
• in the manufacture of bannocks or oatcakes
• as a stuffing for poultry
• as a coating for Caboc cheese
• as the main ingredient of the Scottish dish, skirlie, or its chip-shop counterpart, the deep-fried thickly-battered mealy pudding
• mixed with sheep's blood, salt, and pepper to make Highland black pudding
• mixed with fat, water, onions and seasoning, and boiled in a sheep's intestine to make "marag geal"' Outer Hebridean white pudding, served sliced with fried eggs at breakfast. Bannock is a flat Quickbread, baked on a griddle and the same thickness as a scone. An oatcake is a type of cracker or Pancake, made from Oatmeal, and sometimes Flour as well Poultry is the category of Domesticated Birds which some humans keep for the purpose of collecting their eggs, or kill for their Meat and/or Caboc is a Scottish cream Cheese, made with Double cream or cream-enriched Milk. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Skirlie is a traditional Scottish dish It is eaten on its own used as a Stuffing for a mock-sausage the Mealie pudding, or used as a stuffing for Chicken White pudding or oatmeal pudding is a Meat dish popular in Scotland, Ireland, Northumberland, Iceland ( Lifrarpylsa
• Traditional porridge (or "porage")
• Brose: a thick mixture made with uncooked oatmeal and butter or cream; eaten like porridge but much more filling. Brose is a Scots word for a dish of Oatmeal mixed with water or milk and eaten with salt and butter Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water
• Rolled oats, crushed oats, and other "instant" variations are often used for this purpose nowadays, since they are quicker to prepare. Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers
• Gruel, made by mixing oatmeal with cold water which is then strained and heated for the benefit of infants and invalids. Gruel is a type of preparation consisting of some type of cereal wheat or rye flour and also rice boiled in water or milk

Oatmeal has a long history in Scottish society because oats are better suited than wheat to the short, wet growing season. Oats redirects here It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here or any cultivated or wild species of the Genus Avena. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Hence it became the staple grain of that country. Ancient Scottish Universities had an holiday called Meal Monday, to permit students to return to their farms and collect more oats for food. Meal Monday (also known as Oatmeal Monday) was a traditional holiday observed by the Ancient universities of Scotland on the second Monday of February

Samuel Johnson referred, disparagingly, to this in his dictionary definition for oats: "A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people. Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson) (18 September Published on 15 April 1755 and written by Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, sometimes published as Johnson's Dictionary, is among " His biographer, James Boswell, noted that Lord Elibank was said by Sir Walter Scott to have retorted, "Yes, and where else will you see such horses and such men?"^[4]

A common alternative method of cooking oatmeal in Scotland is to soak it overnight in salted water and cook on a low heat in the morning for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. James Boswell 9th Laird of Auchinleck ( October 29, 1740 - May 19, 1795) was a lawyer diarist and Author born in Edinburgh Patrick Murray 5th Lord Elibank (1703-1778 Son of Alexander Murray 4th Lord Elibank and Elizabeth Stirling Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

Vermont

In the U. S. state of Vermont oatmeal making has a long tradition originating in farm families. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. While there are variations, most begin with heavy steel cut oats. Steel-cut Oats are whole grain Groats (the inner portion of the oat Kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces The oats are soaked overnight in cold water, salt and maple syrup. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of Maple trees In Canada and the United States it is most often eaten with waffles and pancakes Early the next morning, before beginning farm chores the cook will add ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and sometimes ground ginger. The nutmegs Myristica are a Genus of Evergreen Trees indigenous to tropical southeast Asia and Australasia Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum, synonym C zeylanicum) is a small Evergreen Tree 10–15 metres (32 Ginger is commonly used as a cooking spice throughout the world The pot is placed over heat and cooks for upwards of 90 minutes, being served after the chores with cream, milk, or butter. As most contemporary Vermonters no longer have farm chores, the recipe is simplified to a briefer 10 to 30 minute cooking at a higher heat. Vermont leads the U. S. in per capita consumption of cooked oatmeal cereal. ^[5]

References

External links

• World Porridge Making Championships including recipes for porridge and other oatmeal dishes
• The Cook's Thesaurus (with pictures of variety of oatmeals)