Oats

OATS (Avena sativa L.), a plant of the Gramineae family, a cereal grain belonging to the number of oldest food plants. Of countries where consumption of O. is widespread among the population, one can name Scotland, Sweden, and Westphalia. In other places, for example in southern Europe, oats are cultivated mainly for animal feed, and only when wheat and rye are expensive or unavailable does the population switch to oat bread. Varieties of oats are usually divided by the color of the husks into white, yellow, and black; of these, white varieties are the richest in nitrogenous substances (up to 16%). From grain of O., deprived of husks, the so-called oat groats or oat kernel*, soups and drinking decoctions are prepared; oat flour is used for porridges and for baking bread. Researchers give unfavorable opinions about the appearance and taste of oat bread: the bread is dark, almost black, coarse-grained, crumbly, contains small prickles from the husks, is dry, poorly moistened by saliva and is difficult to swallow; it also has an unpleasant characteristic taste, which, according to Bibra, depends on the essential oil contained in oats and products of its decomposition. According to Vogel, O. yields 66% flour and 34% bran; in grain O. dried at 100°, 65% starch, 6.6% fat, 2.25% sugar, 2.25% gum, 19% protein substances, and 1.75% alkaline salts were found. Norton obtained from O. a water-soluble protein substance-avenin, which does not coagulate when heated. Journet found in oat husks a fragrant substance resembling vanilla in odor. Serullas indicated a special component of O., named by him avenin, which is probably identical with Norton's avenin; avenin has a vanilla odor; Limpert discovered in oats a diastatic enzyme and a substance acting as a laxative. Oat groats deprived of husks (avena excorticata) is considered an easily digestible dietary remedy. A decoction of oat groats with the addition of salt and sugar is a good nutritious¹ product and 7 v