All About Oats

Oats are the edible tan cereal grain produced by the cereal grass of the same name. Oats are light tan in color. They have a nutty flavor and a chewy texture. They are high in vitamin B1, and also contain vitamin B2 and E. Oats must be hulled before they can be eaten. 

They come in several forms at the market.
1) ROLLED/REGULAR: Oat groats that have been steamed then flattened by steel rollers into flakes. They are also known as "old-fashioned" cut.
2) QUICK-COOKING: Oat groats that are cut into several pieces before rolling to shorten the cooking time. They are interchangeable  with rolled/regular oats in recipes!
3) INSTANT OATMEAL: Oat groats that are cut into very small pieces and specially processed so that they need no cooking, just the addition of boiling water. Some brands of instant oatmeal are flavored with sugar, spices, fruits, and usually salt.
4) STEEL-CUT: Oat groats that have been sliced by steel blades. Also known as Scottish or Irish oatmeal, steel-cut oats have a firm texture when cooked. Usually found in specialty markets.
5) OAT FLOUR: The finely ground grain. Usually found in health food stores, oat flour sometimes is used in baked goods.
6) OAT BRAN: The ground outer layer of the oat. Used in cooking and as hot cooked breakfast cereal, oat bran is considered a very good source of fiber.

*** Oats can go bad (because they contain a higher fat content than other grains). Follow your "best by" dates or go by the good ole smell method. Seriously though, to store long-term oats need to be packed and sealed with an oxygen absorber packet to eliminate food-borne insects and preserve nutritional quality and taste. If packaged and stored properly (cool and dry) shelf life is 30 years.