Overview
- For optimal texture and nutrient availability, soak fine oats for about 30 minutes and thicker flakes for at least 60 minutes or overnight.
- Cooking softens oats but can lower some water‑soluble nutrients, while soaking better preserves them and heat alone does not fully reduce phytic acid.
- Combine oats with vitamin C sources to enhance non‑heme iron uptake, add nuts or seeds to aid fat‑soluble vitamin absorption, and use milk or yogurt to support calcium intake.
- Avoid pairing oat meals with coffee and wait 30–60 minutes after eating to limit tannin‑related inhibition of iron absorption.
- Spelt flakes offer a nuttier, firmer alternative with more fiber and selenium, though they contain gluten and are often pricier and less widely available.