Everyone deserves a Healthy Kitchen

This information is excerpted from The Nutriflex Eating Better Program GuideCompiled by Teresa Ann Dorian, Ph.D. The guide is out of print. Oats HISTORY: In ancient times, oats grew wild in the Near East and North Africa. The first written record of their cultivation dates back to the beginning of the Christian era. They have become one of the most familiar and widely used cereal crops in the Western world. CHARACTERISTICS: At 14% protein, oats have the highest protein content of all common grains, second only to the newly revived "super grains," amaranth and quinoa, and the man-made hybrid triticale. Oats contain seven B vitamins, vitamin E, and are mineral-rich. They supply a significant amount of iron and a good amount of calcium and phosphorus. Oats have gained popularity in recent times because they are credited with the ability to reduce cholesterol in the blood. For the maximum benefit in human nutrition, oats should be freshly flaked for use in cereal or baking.