Oats are a cereal grain grown in cool, moist climates where wheat and barley struggle. The plant, Avena sativa, was domesticated in Europe several thousand years ago, probably as a weed that followed wheat and barley before farmers recognised its value.

Russia, Canada, Poland, and Finland lead production. In the United States, oats were once a major feed crop for horses, and their decline tracks the decline of horse-powered farming. Today most oats go to livestock feed, with a smaller share to human food as rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and oat flour.

Why growers still plant them

• Tolerate acidic, poorly drained soils
• Useful as a cover crop and nurse crop for legumes
• High in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre linked to heart health
• Provide good straw for bedding and fodder

Oats are also gluten-free in the strict sense, though they are often processed alongside wheat and can be cross-contaminated. Certified gluten-free oats are grown and milled under strict separation.