Bob's Red Mill Quick Cooking Rolled Oats are completely natural and not pre-cooked like instant oats. They're freshly milled from the highest quality oats available anywhere. These oats are rolled thinner than regular oats to shorten the cooking time. Oats as we know them today originate from the wild red oat, a plant with origins in Asia. Originally cultivated for medicinal purposes, they were used as animal feed for a long time before humans deemed them fit for consumption. Oats helped fuel the civil wars in Scotland and have deep roots in Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavia. Today oats are widely accepted as nutritional powerhouses for dietary fiber and protein. Oats contain a special type of fiber that is especially good for the reduction of cholesterol called beta-glucan. Beta-glucans also aid in the support of the immune system and can help regulate blood sugar. They are also wonderful for soothing irritated skin when used in baths. Our Quick Cooking Oats make a delicious and healthy instant oatmeal alternative to the little packets other brands offer (those being loaded with preservatives and sugar). Get yourself a container, measure out enough quick oats for the week and add in extras like chia seeds, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, nuts, seeds - whatever dry ingredients you love in your oatmeal! When you're ready for breakfast, scoop out a servings worth, add in some steaming hot water and let sit for about 5 minutes or zap it for 20 seconds in the microwave and you've got a healthy and easy breakfast ready to go.