Do you enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal on a cold day? If so – you're in good company. We buy more oats in January than any other month in the year, which is why it makes perfect sense that January is National Oatmeal Month.

The sweet flavor of oats makes them a favorite grain for breakfast cereals. And they have a unique trait in the grain world: Oats very rarely have their bran and germ removed in processing. So, if you see the word “oats” or “oat flour” on a nutrition label, you are pretty much guaranteed to be eating a whole grain.

Here in the U.S., most oats are steamed and flattened to produce rolled oats, sold as regular oats, quick oats, instant oats or “old-fashioned” oats. The more oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook – and the softer they become. If you prefer a chewier, nuttier texture of oatmeal, try steel-cut oats, also called Irish oats. No matter how you like your oatmeal, you will enjoy an entire list of health benefits when you eat it. Here are just a few:

• Oats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Oats help control your weight by helping you feel fuller longer.
• Oatmeal may help lower blood pressure. Oats may also help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, since their soluble fiber helps control blood sugar.
• Oats are high in beta-glucans, a kind of starch that stimulates the immune system and inhibits tumors. This may help reduce your risk of some cancers.
• Introducing oats into a child’s diet early may help reduce their risk of asthma.
• Oats are higher in protein and healthy fats, and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains.

And, just for fun – here are some more interesting oat facts:

• Oatmeal, Texas, is about 56 miles northwest of Austin – but you’ll have to stop in the nearby city of Bertram for the annual Oatmeal Festival.
• Oats are used in the food industry as a stabilizer in foods like ice cream.
• Because of their natural anti-itching properties, oats are used in the cosmetic industry for a variety of products.
• Oats were originally considered a nuisance weed, to be pulled up and burned when they appeared in fields of wheat and barley.
• Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they may be contaminated with gluten during growing and processing. If you are sensitive to gluten, be sure to look for oats that are certified gluten-free.
• An 18-ounce package of old-fashioned oats contains about 26,000 rolled oats.
• Only five percent of oats grown worldwide are consumed by humans today.

Source: https://wholegrainscouncil.org