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Oat fibre is finely ground powder, consisting of high quantities of insoluble fibre, which can be used on a low carbohydrate diet. We all know that eating adequate amounts of fibre is important for gut health, but this can often mean eating high carb foods.
By consuming oat fibre, you can fulfil you dietary fibre requirements, while maintaining a low carb diet. In this guide, I’ll talk about what oat fibre really is, why it’s keto-friendly, as well as how it can be used in baking applications.
Table of contents
What is oat fibre?
Oat fibre is a low carb ingredient derived from the oat plant, which is a type of cereal grain. The oat plant is composed of 2 main layers, the inner groat (or seed) and the outer hull or husk. This inner groat is the high-carbohydrate part of the oat plant, which is most commonly used to produce oatmeal.
The outer hull however, is the insoluble fibre proportion of the plant, which is used in the production oat fibre.
How is oat fibre made?
After harvesting the plant, the collected oats undergo a centrifugal process. This process separates the hull from the groats. Normally, the groats undergo further processing for the production of oatmeal, at which point the hulls are discarded or used for biomass.
The hulls can however be finely ground into a fine powder, which results in a high insoluble fibre product that can be used in low carb baking.
The resulting oat fibre is very high in insoluble fibre, which means it cannot be digested. Instead, it adds bulk to your stool, helping passage through the gastrointestinal tract.
Is oat fibre keto-friendly?
Oat fibre nutrition
| Nutrition | Per 100g |
|---|---|
| Calories | 193 kcal |
| Fat | 0.3g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.3g |
| Fibre | 88g |
| Protein | 3.3g |
Yes! Oat fibre is indeed keto-friendly. That’s because oat fibre is almost entirely insoluble fibre, which means it cannot be digested by the body. As a result, it has no impact on blood sugar or insulin levels, meaning ketosis will not be affected.
Per 100g, oat fibre contains less than 1g of carbohydrates, compared to around 90g of insoluble fibre. As a result, oat fibre can be safely consumed on a keto diet[1].
Oats on the other hand are not keto-friendly. This is because they contain a high amount of digestible carbohydrates, which when consumed, lead to an increase in blood sugar and insulin.
What is oat fibre used for?
Unlike oats, oat fibre is not something you typically eat on its own. When ground into a fine powder, oat fibre can be used as a partial flour substitute in baking applications.
On the keto diet, traditional wheat flour needs to be avoided, due to its high carbohydrate content. As a result, keto-friendly alternatives like almond flour, coconut flour and hazelnut flour, are used as substitutes. However, baked goods made from these flours often lack the texture and structure of their wheat flour equivalents.
Oat fibre helps to address this problem and provides increased structure to baked goods, particularly breads. To get that characteristic outer rough, crispness, try adding 25% oat fibre as a replacement for your main flour. This will increase the fibre content and better mimic traditional bread.
Health benefits of oat fibre
Oat fibre is associated with a number of different health benefits, chief among them being improvements in gut health. Oat fibre is really high in insoluble fibre, which helps to add bulk to stool and helps to prevent constipation. In addition, consuming adequate amounts of insoluble fibre has been shown to improve gut microbiome composition[2].
Oat fibre may also help to improve diabetes, cholesterol and also mediate against some immune-related conditions. It’s important not to get carried away however, as consuming very high volumes of insoluble fibre can cause stomach pain and bloating[2].
Where to buy oat fibre in the UK
Oat fibre is quite challenging to find in supermarkets in the UK, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get it online. There are a number of online stores that ship oat fibre across the UK, in addition to numerous products on Amazon. I’ve taken a look at some of the options available and provided short summaries on some of the best options. (affiliate links)
Groovy Keto Oat Fibre 500g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 180 kcal
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 0g
Fibre: 90.1g
Protein: 0g
Available at: GroovyKeto and Amazon
Description:
Light and fluffy oat fibre. Adds texture to a number of keto-friendly baked goods, like cakes, muffins and more.
YourHealth Store Oat Fibre 500g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 0 kcal
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 0g
Fibre: 96.8g
Protein: 0g
Available at: Amazon
Description:
Finely ground oat fibre, for use in keto baking. High in fibre and non-GMO.
BuyWholeFoods Online Organic Oat Fibre
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 193 kcal
Fat: 0.3g
Carbohydrate: 0.3g
Fibre: 88g
Protein: 3.3g
Available at: BuyWholeFoods Online and Amazon
Description:
Organic oat fibre for use in low carb baking, such as bread and rolls. Available in 250g, 500g and 1kg packages.
Anthony's Organic Oat Fibre 680g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 0 kcal
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 0g
Fibre: ~75g
Protein: 0g
Available at: SNS Health
Description:
Organic oat fibre, great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Great for drinks, cooking and baking applications.
Alternatives/substitutes for oat fibre
Oat fibre is not really suitable as a 1:1 replacement for wheat flour, but can be used as a partial substitute to some other keto-friendly flours. An alternative to oat fibre is psyllium husk powder. Psyllium husk powder also has a very high proportion of fibre, and can complement keto flours to produce more authentic baked goods.
Keto-friendly flours that are suitable for the main flour ingredient include the following;
