Oat flour is a great option for gluten-free baking. Oats are nutritious and packed with fiber, protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals. I love the quality texture that oat flour provides to baked goods, whereas some other gluten-free flours result in a grainy, dry or gummy consistency. Oat flour is easy to make at home and today I’ll share with you how to make oat flour!

Health Benefits of Oats

Oats are a naturally gluten-free whole grain that contain fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Oats contains a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan. Beta-glucan creates a gel-like consistency in your gut which provides a variety of health benefits from:

Supporting the growth of good bacteria in the gut

Helping to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol

Helping to reduce blood sugar levels

Increase the feeling of satiety and fullness

Helping to manage energy levels

Nutritional Highlights of 1/2 cup of Dry Oats

The following nutrition facts are based on one 1/2 cup serving of dry rolled oats:

Calories: 180

Protein: 5 grams

Fiber: 3 grams

Zinc: 13.4% of your Daily Value

Manganese: 63.9% of your Daily Value

Folate: 3.2% of your Daily Value

Vitamin B1: 15.5% of your Daily Value

Iron: 9.4% of your Daily Value (DV)

As well copper, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and other B vitamins.

Different Types of Oats

There are 3 main types of oats you’ll see at the grocery store and that includes quick oats, rolled oats and steel cut oats.

Rolled Oats: Rolled oats are also known as “old fashion oats”. This type of oats start out whole, then the husk is removed leaving what is called an oat groat. The oat groats are steamed and flattened between heavy rollers to yield a thin rolled oat. Rolled oats are the most popular type of oats in the world.

Quick Oats: Quick oats are the most processed form of oats and have been steamed and rolled very thin. This process allows the oats to absorb water and cook in a very quick amount of time! The difference between rolled oats and quick oats is that quick oats are steamed for a longer period of time before they are rolled.

Steel Cut Oats: Steel cut oats begin as a whole oat, with the husk removed creating an oat groat. Then the oat groats are chopped into several pieces, instead of being rolled. This process results in steel cut oats taking longer to cook / prepare than rolled or quick oats.

How To Buy Gluten-Free Oats

For anyone with Celiac Disease or a gluten-sensitivity it’s best to buy oats that have the Certified Gluten-Free Seal which ensures that the oats truly are gluten-free. While oats are naturally gluten-free, depending on where and how they are processed they may be exposed to cross contamination of other grains that contain gluten.