Are Fermented Oats Finally Having their Moment?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Key Takeaways
  • Fermented oats offer numerous health benefits, including improved digestion and nutrient absorption.
  • The fermentation process enhances bioavailability of B vitamins and minerals by breaking down phytate.
  • Keystone Postbiotic uses specific lactic acid bacteria to ferment oats, creating gut-supporting health benefits.
  • This postbiotic is shelf-stable and can be added to various functional foods and supplements.
The Growing Interest in Oats

In recent years, the popularity of fermented foods and drinks has surged, and for good reason. While we too can appreciate fermented foods for the taste alone, our enthusiasm lies in the ongoing exploration of the health benefits associated with fermented products. During the process of fermentation, complex molecules undergo microbial or enzymatic transformations. This results in simpler molecules that promote easier digestion.1 On top of smoother digestion, fermenting foods includes a multitude of benefits. These include nutrient enhancement and the formation of probiotics. While familiar choices like kimchi and kombucha may be top-of-mind when thinking about fermented foods, we believe that one food has the potential to emerge as a fermented powerhouse: oats.

Oats, known by their scientific name as Avena Sativa L., are rich in health benefits. With high levels of prebiotic compounds, such as beta-glucan, oats have are linked to slower digestion and higher levels of satiety.2 The fermenting of oats can be directed by the inclusion of specific microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria. The addition of these bacteria helps to release bound compounds in the food matrix. This creates smaller molecules and facilitates greater digestibility.3 This can help to alleviate Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms upon consumption, such as gas and bloating.

The fermentation of oats can also increase the bioavailability of certain components, including various B vitamins, minerals, and non-nutritive phytochemicals. This is, in part, due to the fermentation process contributing to the hydrolysis of phytate. Phytate is a substance found in plant seeds that can hinder the absorption of some nutrients. When hydrolyzed, phytate is degraded, allowing for enhanced bioavailability of vitamins and minerals. This makes the oats more nutrient dense.4

Keystone Postbiotic: An Overview

Fermented oats offer big benefits, yet few products on the market take advantage of them. At Verb, we’re tapping into this overlooked opportunity. Our first microbiome ingredient solution, Keystone Postbiotic, relies on carefully selected lactic acid bacteria chosen for their ability to ferment oats and generate meaningful biotic health effects. When these gut-supporting microbes meet immune-health enhancing oats, they work in sync. Through a targeted fermentation process, they create our Keystone Postbiotic.

Keystone Postbiotic supports a healthy gut microbiome and promotes optimal digestive function. Its grains and strains operate together to nurture and regulate Keystone bacteria in the gut. They reinforce intestinal epithelial health and help drive a strong immune response. And, because postbiotics are naturally shelf-stable, Keystone Postbiotic fits easily into a wide range of functional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements, even those stored at room temperature. Its low water content also lets brands blend it with other ingredients, including probiotics, for layered health benefits.

Curious to learn more about how our Keystone Postbiotic uses fermented oats to deliver health-enhancing metabolites to the gut? Visit our solutions page: https://verbbiotics.com/solutions/keystone-postbiotic/.

Sources:
  1. Sharma, Ranjana, et al. “Microbial Fermentation and Its Role in Quality Improvement of Fermented Foods.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 6 Nov. 2020, www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/6/4/106. LINK
  2. “Oats.” The Nutrition Source, 2 Mar. 2022, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/. LINK
  3. Djorgbenoo R, Hu J, Hu C, Sang S. Fermented Oats as a Novel Functional Food. Nutrients. 2023; 15(16):3521. LINK
  4. Sandberg, A S. “The effect of food processing on phytate hydrolysis and availability of iron and zinc.” Advances in experimental medicine and biology vol. 289 (1991): 499-508. doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-2626-5_33 LINK