Of course, neither eating oats nor taking vitamin pills can undo all the damaging effects of high-fat meals. The differences among these products relate to the size or shape of the grain, whether they have been precooked, and thus how long it takes to cook them. Oat bran is sold separately and contains more fiber than oatmeal. You can sprinkle it on cold cereals or add it to recipes for waffles, pancakes, quick breads, and muffins. The raw grain is sliced, steamed, rolled into those familiar little flakes, and dried.
Oats lose only a little of their nutritional value in the process.
They have a coarse texture and nutty flavor when made into porridge. Usually more expensive, they may require 30 minutes or more to cook. To make oat flour, just pulverize oatmeal in a blender. Use it like oat bran, above. Oats are well worth including in a low-fat diet.