Finnish oats. They're the new superfoods

Finnish oats, that's Oats from Finland, are the latest, in-demand superfood. With over half a million adults in the UK now vegan, consumers are increasingly turning to oats for plant-based and diary free alternatives. 

Oat milk overtook almond as the world’s plant-based milk of choice in 2021 and the global oat milk market is expected to expand rapidly to a CAGR of around 7% by 2030.

Research from the University of Freiburg, Germany, shows oats have a unique anti-inflammatory antioxidant so they keep cholesterol under control. The EU food safety body the EFSA has also highlighted the benefits of the beta-glucan fibre within oats to prevent sharp rises in blood sugar.

Finnish oats in particular are very high in quality, thanks to the high latitude, midnight suns and arctic cold that they are grown in. 

What does this mean for the oats? They are lighter, lower in shell and large-grained reducing the amount of gluten and increasing their fibre potential. 

Finnish oat production also focuses very heavily on traceability, so the end user can trace back ingredients and packaging materials of a product to the mills or the producers.

Below, we highlight five innovative ready-to-eat or ready-to-prepare Finnish oat-based products, beyond milks, that food retailers should stock to meet rising demand for the health benefits of oats:

1.  The oat-based meatball: When you think of oats, meat might not be the first food that crosses your mind. But oat fibres can be turned into a protein-rich vegan meat alternative. Boltsi oatballs made by the Helsinki-based HKScan, provide a meaty textured product that absorbs flavours and seasonings well and is high in protein, iron and fibre.

2.  Low GI oat rice: Calorie dense white rice has a high glycaemic index which causes the blood sugar level to spike and fall, causing hunger pangs. Made from organic Nordic oat kernels, Fazer Willja’s oat rice is a good meal accompaniment and source of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, without the GI concerns.

3.  Oat’gurt: Oat yogurt contains healthy gut bacteria that helps nourish gut flora and aid digestion. Friendly Viking’s O’gurt is a plant-based alternative to regular yogurt. Made from pure Nordic oats, it is vegan-friendly and 100% gluten-free and comes in family packs and individual portions.

4.  No-potato crisps: Move over potatoes, the next addition to the crisp aisle will be made from oats. The gluten-free, vegan Oikia Oatis are crunchy nibbles made from organic oats are high in fibre and have 40% less fat than potato chips. The classic flavour is gently seasoned oats, but they also have flavours ranging from Jalapeno Ranch to cheesy Italian Vusto.

5.  The ultimate overnight oats: An Instagram, and breakfast sensation, overnight oats are a high protein, no cook approach to morning oatmeal. Helsinki Mills’ dedicated ‘Nordic Oatventure Overnight Oats’ brand is created especially for long soaking and no heating from locally grown Finnish grain with no added sugar. All products are manufactured in a CO2 neutral plant in Helsinki.

Other Finnish ready-to-eat products from oats include dairy alternatives such as fermented oat snacks, oat drinks, coffee creamers and smoothies, oat ice-cream, oat crisps and chips, oat bran and powders, oat-based baby-foods and breads containing up to 100% oats.

To learn more about Finnish oats and the Finnish Oats Association please visit http://www.finnish-oats.fi.

Oats can make a great contribution to the Christmas period as part of main meals, home made mince pies, Christmas cakes, puddings, etc. Oat-based milk and cream are also available and oat based cream is a delicious alternative to dairy or soya cream for use with Christmas pudding or warm mince pies.