Oat

Oat (Avena sativa) is an annual grass of the Poaceae, 60–150 cm tall with slender stems growing as a tuft and shallow fibrous roots. Leaves are long, soft and strap-shaped with a small ligule at the collar. The inflorescence is a drooping, branched panicle, each spikelet bearing 2–3 bisexual florets. The grain is a small caryopsis (commonly called an oat groat) enclosed in two husks; after dehulling it is rolled or milled into flour. Oats prefer a cool, moist climate and tolerate cold better than wheat; unlike most cereals, the grain is rich in fat and in the characteristic soluble fibre beta-glucan. The species was domesticated in the Middle East and West Asia and became widely grown in Europe during the Middle Ages.

In cooking, oats are a common healthy-breakfast ingredient: oatmeal porridge, rolled oats with milk and fruit, granola, energy bars, biscuits and oat flour for baking. Oat milk is a popular plant-based alternative to dairy. Thanks to its high beta-glucan content, oats help lower LDL cholesterol, steady blood sugar and support heart health; though energy-dense, oats have a low glycaemic index and suit dieters. Oat grain and hay are also important feed for horses, cattle and poultry, and oat oil and extracts are used in soothing cosmetics. Oats are not common in Vietnam but are increasingly imported for diet and nutrition, with trials grown in cool upland areas.