Irish-grown oats have untapped nutritional potential that could boost consumer health, study finds

A new Teagasc study found some Irish-grown oats could provide more protein and cholesterol-lowering fibre that has been previously untapped

An oat trial field at Teagasc, Oak Park, Co Carlow, where diverse varieties were cultivated for the NutriOats project by Atikur Rahman and Ewen Mullins. Picture: André Brodkorb.

A new study has revealed significant nutritional differences and untapped health benefits between Irish-grown oat varieties.

New findings from the NutriOats project, funded by Research Ireland, reveal how varietal choice at farm level can directly influence the nutritional value of everyday foods.

Traditionally, oat varieties grown in Ireland have been selected based primarily on agronomic performance. The research combines agricultural and nutritional science to investigate the natural differences among oat varieties that can deliver improved health outcomes while maintaining field performance.

The study compared the characteristics and nutritional composition of 95 Irish-grown oat cultivars, and compared field and greenhouse-grown samples.

The first set of results shows substantial variation in protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and β-glucan content, offering new opportunities to align crop selection with both consumer health needs and industry requirements.

Project leader and RI research fellow at Teagasc Dr Daniela Freitas said: “By mapping the nutritional profiles of almost 100 oat varieties, we have seen remarkable diversity.” 

Ms Freitas highlighted protein levels ranged form 11.5% to 22.9%, and the cholesterol-lowering β-glucan ranged from 2.8% to 6.6% between cultivars.

“This shows that oats hold untapped nutritional potential and that selecting the right variety can help consumers better meet their nutritional needs,” Ms Freitas said.

PhD researcher Nefeli Lampoglou, who carried out the study, added: “Our findings show that some oat varieties can deliver a considerable amount of protein, eg, a standard portion of porridge cooked with milk contains more protein than two eggs.

Some varieties provide nearly twice the β-glucan of commercially available porridge oats, which could help to meet the daily intake targets for cholesterol-lowering benefits.” 

Aside from potential nutritional benefits, the findings have clear implications for the food industry. The ability to select oat varieties with targeted nutritional profiles opens new opportunities for product innovation, health-focused claims, and the development of differentiated high-value food products using Irish-grown ingredients.

The findings could reshape how oats are grown and sold, encouraging farmers, breeders, and processors to prioritise nutritional performance alongside yield.

Principal research officer with Teagasc Dr André Brodkorb said: “This research highlights how Teagasc brings together plant breeding, food science and nutrition to develop high-quality, Irish-grown foods with real health benefits, while also supporting innovation across the food industry.”

Ongoing work is now examining how these compositional differences influence digestion and metabolic responses, such as effects on blood glucose, bringing this research closer to real-world dietary applications.