Oats

Oats Glossary: Oats are a cereal used as a source of carbohydrate and fibre in some dog and cat foods, supplying starch, a modest amount of plant protein and fibre that includes beta-glucans, a soluble fraction. These beta-glucans are studied for a possible role in transit and satiety, though without a strong proven health claim in animals (NRC, 2006). Oats are often perceived as gentle on digestion and appear in recipes positioned on digestive tolerance; they can suit animals reactive to other cereals, without being guaranteed hypoallergenic. Their fibre content makes them slightly more filling than highly refined starches, and cooked oats are well digested. Like any cereal, oats supply little essential amino acid compared with an animal protein, so their role is mainly energetic and functional rather than a major protein contribution. A point that reassures cautious buyers: unlike some legumes such as [peas](/glossary/peas) and [lentils](/glossary/lentils), oats are not among the ingredients in the FDA investigation into [dilated cardiomyopathy](/glossary/dcm-dilated-cardiomyopathy-grain-free-debate) (FDA, Dec 2022 update). On a label, oats signal a digestible carbohydrate with useful soluble fibre. Judge them as a source of energy and fibre, not protein, and compare with [barley](/glossary/barley) and [rice](/glossary/rice) when assessing the cereal base of a recipe in the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary).

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