Are Oats the New Favourite Carb?
As the weather gets cooler and we move into the Winter months, consumers are always interested in hearty ingredients. Not only are Oats good for their fibre content, but they are also a great source of protein and carbohydrates.
With 1.5 million tonnes of Oats produced each year in Australia, the climate and geography plays an important role in the high quality product that Australia is known for. The growing popularity of oat based products like oat milk, and the continued rise of health conscious consumers, has stimulated a steady increase in demand.
Oats become creamier as they cook, and are often an ideal substitute for rice. Oat fried rice, oat mushroom risotto, and savoury oatmeal bowls with kimchi & eggs are just a few creations seen in the past months.
Interestingly, Australian Oat Farmers may be seen entering the billion dollar Bubble Tea industry in the coming years. Scientists from the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) have successfully blended beta-glucan derived from oats, with tapioca. This new tapioca bubble ball technique, significantly reduces the drink's sugar content. The new creation has been successfully produced in Perth laboratories, but has not been taken to market as yet. But if released to market, the Australian Bubble Tea market is expected to increase by 10% in the next 6 years. AEGIC has also previously developed rice and noodles made from oats, as a healthier option to rice and wheat.
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Rolled Oats
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Oatbran
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