Thank you for your question! You’re correct in that oat bran cereal is not considered a whole grain because it doesn't contain all three parts of the grain—the bran, germ, and endosperm—in their original proportions.



However, the term "refined grain" specifically refers to grains that have been processed to remove the bran and germ, leaving mostly the starchy endosperm. This process strips away much of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which is why refined grains are often considered less nutritious.

Examples would be white cake flour or white rice- part of the grain is stripped of the more nutritious layers leaving the white, starchy inner part of the grain.

In the case of oat bran cereal, the bran portion is intentionally isolated and used on its own. While it's missing the germ and endosperm (so it’s not whole), it hasn’t been refined in the typical sense to produce a lighter, lower-fiber product. In fact, oat bran on its own is a great source of fiber.

So, oat bran is best thought of as a concentrated part of the whole grain, but not “refined” to remove nutritional value like white flour or white rice.

Yes, you can use oat bran instead of oats for overnight oats, but oat bran absorbs more liquid than rolled oats, so you may need to add less liquid depending on the texture you want. A good starting point may be 1/4 cup oat bran to 1/2 cup liquid (milk or yogurt for example). If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can increase the liquid slightly. Since oat bran has a finer texture, it will create a creamier, porridge-like consistency rather than the chewy texture of traditional overnight oats. We hope you love using Oat Bran if you try it!

Hi Larry, for more detailed information around our oats please email customer service at customerservice@bobsredmill.com. Thank you!

Raw oats require the hulls to be removed in order to be edible. They also contain an enzyme that makes them go rancid very quickly so for many, rolling their own oats may not be practical because of a short shelf life and equipment needed to do so. All of our oatmeal products have been stabilized with heat, so they are not considered raw and can be eaten uncooked. Below is further information below about the drying and milling process and how the different oatmeal products are made.
<ul>
<li>The oat groat (de-hulled oat) is placed in a dry kiln and brought up to 200°F for 4 to 5 hours to stabilize the enzyme action. The oats are then cooled and stored. This is the only process for Whole Oat Groats used to make the Steel Cut Oat, Scottish Oats, Oat Bran and Oat Flour.</li>
<li>For Rolled Oats: The stabilized groat is put through a large free-flowing stainless bin where steam is injected to bring up the temperature to 212°F and the moisture to 14°. The groat flows into a roller mill, where it is flattened to various thicknesses. It is then air-dried and cooled for bagging and shipping.</li>
</ul>
Below are some links to our website about the different oatmeal versions we carry:

https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/the-many-forms-of-oatmeal/

https://www.bobsredmill.com/all-about-oats.html

Hi Vince! The links are working for me--can you please email customerservice@bobsredmill.com for troubleshooting?

Hi Flavia! You can explore our oat bran products here.

Hi Jane! It would definitely result in a different outcome, and it would depend on what type of recipe/what quantity, etc. Please email customerservice@bobsredmill.com for assistance!

Ha, thank you! We'll fix that. :)

Try our Honey Oatmeal Bread!

Oat bran is only the outer hull of the oat groat while oatmeal is the whole grain (and also a very different texture), so we wouldn't recommend that.

Luke’s question is a good one. The nutritional differences between oatmeal and oat bran really should have been covered in this article.

Hi Luke- Our Customer Service team would be happy to help you with this. Reach them at customerservice@bobsredmill.com