Which oat flakes should I use for my porridge?

From tender oat flakes to oat groats or oat bran – the regional cereal comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. It is often not so easy to keep track of them all. To ensure that nothing stands in the way of a delicious breakfast, this article tells you everything you need to know about the different types of oat flakes and how to choose the right oat product for your porridge.

What types of oat flakes are there?

It is a long way from the oat grain to breakfast porridge, on which the regional grain passes through various production steps and ends up in our kitchen as oat flakes, oat groats and co.

Depending on your taste preferences, some oat products are better than others for the perfect porridge. To help you find the right flakes for your needs, we have summarised the most important properties of the individual varieties:

Oat flakes – the classic for porridge

We all know and love them. However, oat flakes are not all the same, because a distinction is actually made between two types: seeded and tender. In the production of oat flakes, the oat grain is rolled out, which creates its flat shape. While in the case of kernel oat flakes, also called large-sheet oat flakes, the grain remains whole, for tender oat flakes it is first cut into small pieces. Since no nutrients are lost during the cutting process, the two varieties differ only in their shape and structure.

Because of their kernel-like quality, large-sheet oat flakes are popular for muesli and muesli bars, pastries and bread. On the other hand, tender oat flakes are particularly suitable for porridge, casseroles, baby food and warm desserts.

Nutty and aromatic ground oats

In contrast to oat flakes, the grain is not pressed flat for the production of ground oats, but simply coarsely ground in a mill. The end product is much harder than the rolled flakes, which means ground oats need to be soaked longer. However, connoisseurs claim that it is worth the wait. Because what is particularly characteristic of ground oats is their unmistakable nutty taste.

Fibre high flyer: oat bran

Oat bran consists almost exclusively of the outer layers and the germ of the oat grain. This makes it even more valuable as a food than classic oat flakes, as the nutrient concentration is highest in the outer layers. Oat bran, for example, is extraordinarily rich in dietary fibre. Therefore, it is especially suitable for your porridge if you want to eat something particularly rich in nutrients.

Particularly creamy with processed yield oat flakes

If you grind oat grains into fine flour and then press it into flake form, you get so-called melt flakes. They are characterised by the fact that they dissolve immediately when mixed with liquid. This property also makes them drinkable, which is why they are ideal for shakes or baby food. If you use yield oat flakes for your porridge, it becomes a particularly fine porridge.

Are oat flakes gluten-free?

Anyone who is familiar with the various oat products will sooner or later ask themselves whether oat flakes are gluten-free. Especially for people who suffer from coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, this is important to know.

By nature, oats are low in gluten. However, the regional grain often grows in fields with other types of grain and also comes into contact with them during further processing. Therefore, oat flakes are not automatically gluten-free. They are only gluten-free if strict care is taken during cultivation and processing to avoid contamination with cereals containing gluten. Thus, oat products are only considered gluten-free if this is explicitly stated on the packaging.

Which oat flakes are suitable for porridge?

Now that you know all about the different oat products, the most important question remains to be answered: Which oat flakes should I use for my porridge?

Well, there is no clear answer to this question. Which product is best for you depends primarily on your taste preferences. If you prefer a crunchy porridge with texture, crunchy oat flakes or ground oats are particularly good for you. If you prefer creamy porridge, go for tender oat flakes or even melted oat flakes. To increase the nutritional value of your breakfast, add fibre-rich oat bran to your porridge.

Still can’t quite decide which oat flakes are right for you or want to try your hand at different porridge variations? Then VERIVAL’s delicious porridges are just the thing for you.

Because tastes and needs are so different, variety is particularly important to us in our VERIVAL organic breakfast. So oat flake fans get their money’s worth just as much as oat bran or ground oats enthusiasts. And even if you follow a strict gluten-free diet, you’ll find what you’re looking for here, because there are plenty of gluten-free porridges to discover in the VERIVAL breakfast range.

Print Recipe

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Basic recipe: Oatmeal

A simple basic recipe for the popular porridge that has become an integral part of most breakfast tables.

Prep Time2 mins

Let porridge steep3 mins

Total Time5 mins

Calories: 320kcal

Ingredients

• 250 ml milk or a plant-based alternative
• 50 g oat flakes
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp honey or agave syrup
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon 

Instructions

• Heat up the oat flakes with a pinch of salt and the sweetener of your choice (honey or agave syrup) in the milk or plant-based drink (do not forget to stir well).
• Let the porridge steep for 3 minutes.
• Put the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle it with cinnamon.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal

Nadine Palmetshofer

Content Creator

Als begeisterte Foodie liebe ich es, neue Gerichte zu entdecken und die besten Frühstückslokale ausfindig zu machen. Meine großteils gesunde und vegane Ernährung ist dabei der optimale Treibstoff, um bei meinen Workouts Bestleistungen zu erbringen, und mich rundum wohlzufühlen.

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