Who doesn’t about Oats? Almost everyone in the world has come across this white grain at least once in their life. Oats are generally classified as a cereal grain and are consumed by children, adults and animals alike. Yes, there exists a variety of oats branded as livestock oats, used to feed cows, pigs and horses.
Oats are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and beta-glucan, which is a type of glucose found in the cell walls. Beta-glucan, in particular, is a good supplement to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad for health) and increase HDL cholesterol (Good for Health). By consuming oats every day, you could lose weight, increase muscle mass and regulate the health of your heart.
Their usage varies between being a primary staple food and a secondary ingredient. People in the Barbados use it as an ingredient for Jug-Jug, Zhurek, while others use it as a constituent for soup. No matter what you use oats in, the final product is bound to be delicious.
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Why Should You Soak Oats?
Oats like the rest of the grains have a fairly high concentration of phytic acid. For all of the people who don’t know what phytic acid is, we have a simple explanation for you. Phytic acid is a compound found in most grains, legumes and other ground greens.
Why is phytic acid so bad for you? What’s the big deal with phytic acid? Phytic acid is an indigestible compound that often leads to gas and heaviness after consumption. Phytic acid also reduces the nutritional benefits of your oats by making the absorption of some nutrients harder.
By soaking your oats, you reduce the amount of phytic acid. Another positive effect of soaking oats is that they become easier to cook. According to some chefs, depending on the recipe, you can cut down your cooking time between 30 minutes and 2 hours if you soak your oats.
How to Soak Oats
You soak oats the same way you soak any of the other major grains. You start by washing your oats carefully and then by placing them all in a bowl. After that, you fill the bowl with enough soaking medium to submerge your oats.
Remember to pour in enough of the medium because oats take in a lot of water. The final step includes waiting for your oats to fully soak, which is when they reach the consistency that you desire. After that, you drain the soaking medium and put your oats in whatever you want to make.
Soaking Oats in Water
The most common medium for soaking oats in water. People usually soak their oaks in water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Some people use whey, lemon juice as a substitute for apple cider vinegar.
After soaking your oats in water, you have to remove them and put them in the pot or whatever dish you are making.
How Long To Soak Oats
Again, we would like to make it clear that the soaking time depends on the softness you desire or the recipe you are following. If you are soaking your oats purely for health benefits, then soak them for a long time. The standard soaking period is between an hour and four hours.
If you want to get the best texture and health, then go for an overnight soak. The length of an overnight soak should be between 8 and 12 hours. The longer you soak your oats, the better it will be.
Can You Soak Oats Overnight?
Yes, oats can be soaked overnight. To be more precise, oats should be soaked overnight to make them as healthy as possible. As previously stated, the longer they are soaked, the healthier they become because they lose the phytic acid concentration.
You’ll also have to keep an eye on the water’s temperature. To keep the oats and water cool, you have to put them in a cool place, ideally a refrigerator. If the oats are stored in a warm environment, they will become too soggy and most probably lose their taste.
How to Soak Oats Fast
There are always people out there who want to experience the taste of oats without any additional effort. You are in luck because we have just the thing for you. You can get some Erin Baker’s Homestyle Granola Peanut Butter Vegan Cereal.
You could also get some of the Three Wishes Plant-Based Vegan Cereal Snack to get the full nutritional benefits of oats in a single breakfast. These snacks will give you the benefits of oats but also a lot of other nutrients.
Sources
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