Oats: benefits, how much to eat and ways to include them

What are the benefits of oats?

A practical serving is 40 g of dry oats, before adding milk, yoghurt or fruit. The BEDCA database lists 66.3 g of carbohydrates, 10.6 g of fibre and 16.9 g of protein per 100 g of raw oats [1].

So 40 g provide approximately 26.5 g of carbohydrates, 4.2 g of fibre and 6.8 g of protein [1].

Beta-glucans are one part of this fibre. BEDCA does not break down their amount; 4.2 g of total fibre is not the same as 4.2 g of beta-glucans. The amount varies by product and should appear in its information when a health claim is used [2].

Oats provide carbohydrates, like other cereals. To compare servings, see our guide to foods highest in carbohydrates.

Do oats lower cholesterol?

They may help if you consume 3 g of oat beta-glucans a day. The European assessment found a cause-and-effect relationship with LDL cholesterol when enough is consumed [3]. High cholesterol is a coronary risk factor, but eating oats alone does not prove that it prevents heart attacks [2].

The authorised reduction claim in the European Union requires stating that the effect is obtained with 3 g of oat beta-glucans daily. In addition, a food using the claim must provide at least 1 g per stated serving [2]. This does not mean that every 40 g bowl contains that amount.

There is a separate claim for maintaining normal cholesterol levels. It allows oat or barley beta-glucans, with 1 g per serving and 3 g per day [4]. Neither claim replaces an assessment of your cardiovascular risk.

Rolled oats, oat bran, flour and other forms

Rolled oats are made by flattening the grain and are convenient to cook or soak. Bran concentrates the outer layers; flour is useful in baking. Fibre and beta-glucan proportions are not identical across forms. If you are looking for the amount of beta-glucan, check the specific claim on the package [2].

Oat drink contains water and a variable proportion of cereal. To choose one and understand its label, see our plant-based drinks guide.

A commercial mix containing oats is not necessarily the same as plain rolled oats. If you buy a breakfast mix, see our guide to breakfast cereals.

How much oats should you eat?

As a starting point, try about 40 g dry in one meal. Adjust the amount to your appetite, activity and the rest of the meal. This is a practical cooking measure and you can adjust it from day to day.

If you do not usually eat much fibre and notice gas, start with less and increase gradually. In our consultations, we find that having several options is often more useful than always repeating the same breakfast.

If you have high cholesterol, review your blood test results and treatment with your doctor. Oats can be part of your eating plan alongside other agreed changes.

Does the oat diet help you lose seven kilos in one week?

No. The promise of losing seven kilos in one week is a fad diet, not a reasonable goal or a property of oats. Eating almost nothing but oats limits variety and may leave out foods you need.

If a promise like this appeals to you, read how to recognise fad diets and their risks. We can help you build a weight-loss eating plan suited to your situation, without promising a weekly number.

What about oats and gluten?

Oats contain avenin, a protein similar to gluten that some people with coeliac disease do not tolerate [5]. In addition, conventional oats are often contaminated with wheat, rye or barley during growing or milling [5].

If you have coeliac disease, choose only certified “gluten-free” oats and eat them if you tolerate them. Discuss introducing them with your healthcare team. European rules require contamination controls and limit gluten to 20 mg/kg [6]. A small minority of people may react even to gluten-free oats [5].

For diagnosis and food choices, see coeliac disease and the gluten-free eating plan.

When can babies eat oats?

Complementary feeding usually begins around six months, alongside breast milk or infant formula [7]. From then on, you can offer well-cooked oats, with a texture suited to what your baby can manage. Start with small amounts and observe how they tolerate them.

There is no need to sweeten the porridge. Oat drink does not replace breast milk or infant formula. If coeliac disease is suspected, coordinate the choice of oats with your paediatrician.

Complementary feeding from 6 to 12 months explains how to introduce foods and adapt textures.

Ways to use oats without having the same breakfast every day

To make porridge, cook rolled oats with milk and add fruit when serving. To save time, soak them overnight and keep them in the fridge. In the morning, you can add plain yoghurt and fruit.

In a dough, replace some of the usual flour with oat flour and check the texture before baking. Blended rolled oats can also coat vegetables, fish or chicken for oven cooking. For a savoury dish, serve cooked oat groats with vegetables and pulses.

What we see in consultations

A common question is whether more oats mean more benefit. The cholesterol effect studied depends on the grams of beta-glucan you consume each day [2]. Another common question is confusing oat drink with the grain. Checking which product you are buying and adjusting the serving answers both questions without banning foods.