Versatile oats go beyond breakfast at Natural Products Expo West

Though the popularity of grain-free foods is growing, we also spotted a plethora of whole-grain products at Natural Products Expo West this year. While we loved seeing some innovative uses for ancient grains, including Kamut and amaranth, there was one hard-working, well-known whole grain that seemed to be popping up more than others. Manufacturers, it seems, have tapped into the versatility of oats.

Here is a sampling of the range of delicious oat products we spotted and tasted on the show floor. Even though oats are a gluten-free grain by nature, they’re often lumped in with lists of gluten-containing grains for those with celiac or gluten intolerance to avoid due to the way they’re often harvested or processed with other grains. Most of these oat products are gluten free, meaning their oats were processed in a facility (or part of a facility) that is free from contamination with gluten-containing grains.