Oat Bran

Oat bran is the soft, fibre-rich outer fraction of the oat kernel (Avena sativa) — the bran layers together with the aleurone lying just beneath — milled and separated as a distinct porridge and baking ingredient in its own right. Unlike the coarse, papery bran of wheat, oat bran is fine, floury and cream-beige, and its fibre is dominated by beta-glucan, a soluble, gel-forming fibre that has made oat bran a byword for heart-healthy eating. It cooks into a creamy, thick porridge faster and smoother than rolled oats, and cooks fold it into muffins, breads, pancakes and quick breads for a nutty, oaty depth and a moist, tender crumb. Because the oat plant is naturally free of gluten, oat bran suits gluten-free diets when milled on dedicated equipment, though ordinary oat bran is often cross-contaminated with wheat.