Whole Grain Oats

Oats are harvested as a grain crop and milled for food and feed. Milling removes the tough outer hull. The remaining kernel, called a groat, keeps its bran and germ and reaches kibble makers whole, rolled or ground.^6,7

1. 01 // Source Harvested oats Mature kernels arrive at the mill with a tough outer hull around the edible grain.
2. 02 // Process Hull removed The mill separates the fibrous hull, leaving a groat with its bran and germ.
3. 03 // Process Rolled or ground Groats may be flattened or ground without removing the parts that make them whole grain.
4. 04 // Output Whole grain oats Dehulled groats or their rolled or ground forms arrive as a grain ingredient for kibble.

1. 01

   Supplies kibble starch

   Oat starch supplies digestible energy. Starch also helps dry food expand and hold its shape during extrusion.^2,3,5

2. 02

   Adds fermentable fiber

   Some oat fiber reaches the colon. In a dog trial, the oat groat diet raised fecal fermentation products compared with a rice diet.²

3. 03

   Uses grain at scale

   Oats are grown at commodity scale for food and livestock feed. That grain supply gives kibble makers a bulk starch ingredient.⁶

How much Dog trials tested complete diets containing 25% ground rolled oats or 40% oat groats.^1,2

1. Brands say

   Oats supply usable energy in kibble

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A trial in 12 huskies measured digestible energy from cooked oat groats. A separate 10-dog trial fed kibble containing 40% groats with acceptable digestibility and stool scores. Oats work as a grain ingredient.^2,3

2. Brands say

   Oats feed good gut bacteria

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In a 10-dog crossover trial, the oat groat diet raised fecal short chain fatty acids and shifted some bacterial groups compared with rice. The trial measured fermentation, not better digestion or lasting health.²

3. Brands say

   Whole oats lower a dog's cholesterol

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A 14-dog trial found lower cholesterol with 1% isolated oat beta glucan extract. That was not whole oats. In an 18-dog trial using 25% oats, fasting cholesterol did not differ between grain diets.^1,4

4. Brands say

   Oats give dogs slow, steady blood sugar

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In the 18-dog whole grain trial, the oat diet produced a higher post-meal glucose response than the wheat diet. A separate 10-dog groat trial found no significant glucose difference among diets. The promised advantage is unsupported.^1,2

5. Critics say

   Oats are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Dehulled oats average about 61% starch on a dry matter basis. In a 12-husky trial, cooked groats supplied digestible energy and protein. An ingredient that supplies usable nutrients has a job in the recipe.^3,5