Do You ‘Know Your Oats’?

Friday 26 March 2010

Rolled oats and jumbo oats, pinhead and oatmeal, they were all on the menu at the 'Know Your Oats' summit on Wednesday March 24, which was held to highlight the versatility and nutritional benefits of oats. The summit was organised by HGCA (1) in collaboration with The Scottish Oat Group (2) and supported by Scotland Food & Drink (3).

The summit was hosted by Scottish Celebrity Chef Nick Nairn, who demonstrated that oats can be used for so much more than porridge! Nick prepared some deliciously easy recipes for breakfast through to supper, including Baked Peppers with Oaty Nut Stuffing and Oatmeal-Crusted Salmon with Kale and Mustard Sauce, as well as a really moreish Oaty Baked Cheesecake.

Nick clearly loves cooking with all types of oats, as he explained: "How many other foods can be used to make a healthy breakfast, provide a topping for fish and be used in baking?  I like using a fine or medium oatmeal for porridge, pinhead for savoury stuffing and rolled oats toasted with sugar for the traditional Scottish dessert Cranachan - but these are only a few of the ways to enjoy oats."

There were also presentations from registered dietician Dr Sarah Schenker and registered nutritionist Therese Coleman, who explained the benefits of including oats as part of a healthy balanced diet. Therese Coleman, consultant nutritionist for HGCA's 'All About Oats' campaign, opened the event by outlining the nutritional content of oats. Therese commented: "Many people simply don't appreciate the extensive range of health benefits that oats can provide. For example, as a slow release energy food, oats can help with weight management by keeping you feeling fuller for longer and as a wholegrain, provides many nutrients including fibre, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals." 

Dr Schenker went on to explain how oats can help maintain normal cholesterol levels. Sarah said: "A high level of bad (LDL) cholesterol in the blood can build up in the walls of your blood vessels causing them to narrow. Oats contain beta-glucans, a soluble fibre that can help to lower cholesterol when enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced diet low in saturated fat. This is just one more reason why we should make more of oats."

A video of the summit will be uploaded to www.allaboutoats.com in early April and will also be available for use free of charge.  To find out more, or for further information, recipes and images please visit www.allaboutoats.com or contact:

Ends

David Gough                                                   Donna Neary
Ceres                                                              HGCA
Tel: 0118 947 5956                                         Tel: 024 7647 8734    
E : david.gough@ceres-pr.co.uk                    E : donna.neary@hgca.com

Editor's Notes:

• The 'All About Oats' campaign is run by HGCA (1) in collaboration with The Scottish Oat Group (2) and is supported by Scotland Food & Drink (3).

(1) HGCA (formerly Home Grown Cereals Authority) is the UK-wide cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB); a non-departmental public body.  HGCA is committed to improving the production and marketing of cereals and oilseeds, providing cost effective, quality services that take account of both consumer and environmental requirements.  Amongst other things, it provides market information to UK cereal farmers and producers, assists cereal product development, promotes exports, funds research and development, and executes consumer marketing campaigns. www.hgca.com

(2) The Scottish Oat Group is a group of organisations with an interest in the Scottish oat sector.  Its members include: Grampian Oat Products, John Hogarth, Paterson Arran, Nairn's Oatcakes, Spoff, Oatmeal of Alford, Cordon Farm, Tilquhillie Puddings, SCRI, SAOS and Scottish Enterprise.

(3) Scotland Food & Drink is an industry-led organisation that aims to grow the value of Scotland's food and drink sector, make it more profitable and deliver greater global success in a fiercely competitive market.  Its mission is to grow the industry from £7.5bn to £12.5bn by 2017 and its vision is to build Scotland's international reputation as 'A Land of Food and Drink'.

• Oats were among one of the few foods that received health claim approval in October 2009 by The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) - responsible for verifying the scientific substantiation of submitted health and nutrition claims. EFSA approved the claim that: 'Regular consumption of beta-glucans contributes to maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations.' In order to bear the claim, oat products should provide at least 0.75g per serving (1/4 suggested daily intake) of beta-glucans. For more information visit:

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/1254.htm

• Oats are a wholegrain food and the UK Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI) approved the following statement: "People with a healthy heart tend to eat more wholegrain foods as part of a healthy lifestyle". JHCI was the UK predecessor to the role of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), who has now assumed responsibility for assessment of health claims as part of the new EU Claims Regulation on Foods. JHCI offered pre-market advice and a Code of Practice for the food industry, enforcers and consumers and ensured that health claims on foods were both scientifically truthful and legally acceptable.