IO Genix Neutral Oat Flour

What is IO Genix Neutral Oat Flour?

It is a finely milled oat flour with a single ingredient: oats (Avena sativa), and nothing else. No flavouring, no sweetener, no preservative, no additives. On this type of product, an ingredient list that fits in three words is exactly what you are looking for.

The difference from supermarket oat flakes is not nutritional, it is mechanical. A flour dissolves in a shaker, blends into pancake batter without lumps and cooks into porridge in two minutes. Flakes do not: they need longer cooking and keep their texture. If you have ever tried shaking flakes in 300 ml of water, you know why this flour exists.

The word "neutral" in the name is to be taken literally: the taste is that of oats, subtle and slightly cereal-like, with no sweetening or perfume. That is a drawback if you drink it on its own with water, and an advantage if you cook. The product joins our carbohydrate sources, alongside cream of rice, and the manufacturer's full range can be found in the IO Genix section.

What does a 40 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared per 100 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a per-serving column. The net weight of the pack does not appear in the data passed on to us: divide the weight shown on the packaging by 40 g to find the number of servings.

Three figures define this product, and all three can be used in regulatory terms.

66 g of carbohydrate for only 1.1 g of sugars. In other words, virtually all of the carbohydrate content is starch. The threshold for the "low sugars" claim is 5 g per 100 g: the product is five times below it. That is what sets it squarely apart from shop-bought cereals, often at 20 or 25 g of sugars per 100 g.

10 g of fibre per 100 g, or 4 g in a 40 g serving. The threshold for the "high fibre" claim is 6 g per 100 g: it is comfortably cleared. That is what gives oats their satiety — a morning bowl that holds until midday, where sugary cereals let you down at ten o'clock.

13 g of protein per 100 g. It supplies around 14% of the product's energy, which permits the "source of protein" claim. This is not a protein and it should not be counted as one, but it is clearly better than a maltodextrin or a cream of rice, and it counts when you add up a whole day.

One honest clarification to finish. The manufacturer mentions the presence of beta-glucans, vitamins B1 and B5 and biotin, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese, without publishing the amounts. That is a particular shame for the beta-glucans: there is an authorised health claim for oat beta-glucans, but it requires a minimum content per serving. Without a figure, that threshold cannot be verified, and we will therefore make no claim for these nutrients. The manufacturer also states a glycaemic index of around 55; we report it as manufacturer data.

How do you use oat flour?

Dose: 30 to 50 g depending on the moment. Liquid: 250 to 300 ml for 30 to 40 g in a shaker. Timing: at breakfast, 1 to 2 h before training, after the session, or as a snack. Frequency: 1 to 3 servings a day. Duration: none, it is a food.

The manufacturer's guidelines, by situation: 40 to 50 g at breakfast; 30 to 40 g one to two hours before training; 30 to 40 g after the session, with a protein; 25 to 30 g as a snack between two meals. Allow one to two hours before training, not twenty minutes: with 4 g of fibre per serving, digestion takes its time.

Four preparations that work. In a shaker: 30 to 40 g in 250 to 300 ml of water or plant-based milk. As porridge: 40 g in 200 ml of milk, heated for two to three minutes. As pancakes: 40 g, two eggs and 100 ml of plant-based milk, the simplest and most reliable recipe there is. In baking: replace 25 to 50% of the ordinary flour in your recipe.

The most common pairing remains the one with a protein powder, in a ratio of roughly 40 g of flour to 25 to 30 g of powder: that gives you a complete breakfast in thirty seconds. If you cook it hot, add the protein at the end of preparation, since whey poured into a boiling liquid coagulates. Finally, reseal the bag tightly and use it within six months of opening — a flour takes up moisture and goes rancid.

Who is this flour for, and who is it not for?

It suits those who struggle to eat enough carbohydrate, those who want a filling breakfast with no added sugar, and those who cook and are looking for a neutral base. It contains no ingredient of animal origin and is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

It contains OATS, and the manufacturer flags possible traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, NUTS and SOYA linked to production conditions. In cases of coeliac disease, this product is not indicated. Oats do not contain gluten in the sense that wheat does, but they are very frequently contaminated upstream of processing, and the manufacturer makes no "gluten free" claim here. Do not take any risk on this basis.

Nor does it suit you if you are looking for a fast-absorbing carbohydrate during exercise: the 4 g of fibre per serving, which make it worthwhile in the morning, become a handicap on a bike. That is the role of a maltodextrin. And if you have a sensitive gut, introduce it gradually rather than starting at 50 g.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a weight-loss product. 150 kcal in a 40 g serving is energy, and energy that is easy to swallow in liquid form — the opposite of what you are looking for in a strict deficit. Nor is it a protein source in the sense of a shake, or a vitamin supplement: the micronutrients present are not quantified and will not be sold as a selling point.

Oat flour or sweet potato flour?

Both are complex carbohydrates in powder form, high in fibre, and they often end up in the same cupboard. The choice comes down to three very concrete differences.

Sugars. 1.1 g per 100 g here, against almost 12 g for a sweet potato flour. That is the sharpest gap, and it is decisive if you are watching your simple sugars or if you are stacking up large amounts of carbohydrate to gain weight: oats win by a distance.

Protein. 13 g per 100 g against around 4.5 g. Oats provide three times as much, which does not make them a protein source but does improve the overall profile of a breakfast.

Taste and texture. This is where sweet potato takes the advantage back: it has a natural sweetness that almost does away with the need to sweeten, whereas oats stay frankly neutral and a little dull when taken on their own with water. On pancakes or in a cake, many prefer sweet potato; in a quick shake or as porridge, oats remain the benchmark.

In short: oats for volume, neutrality and the nutritional profile; sweet potato for taste and baked preparations. The two combine very well in the same recipe, and nothing obliges you to choose once and for all.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference from ordinary oat flakes?

The particle size, essentially, and therefore the use. A flour dissolves in a shaker, blends into a batter without lumps and cooks in two minutes; flakes need longer cooking and keep their texture. Nutritionally, oats are still oats — it is the convenience you are buying.

Can it be eaten raw, without cooking?

Yes, in a shake or in fromage blanc: the flour is finely milled and mixes without any trouble when cold. The taste stays subtle and a little floury — that is the main criticism made of it. Cooked as porridge or pancakes, it develops considerably more flavour.

Is it suitable for people with coeliac disease?

No, not on the basis of the information available. Oats do not contain gluten in the sense that wheat does, but the manufacturer flags possible traces of gluten linked to production conditions and makes no "gluten free" claim. In cases of coeliac disease, rule this product out.

How much fibre and sugar exactly?

10 g of fibre and 1.1 g of sugars per 100 g, that is 4 g of fibre and 0.4 g of sugars in a 40 g serving. This ratio is what sets oats apart from shop-bought cereals, many of which exceed 20 g of sugars per 100 g for half as much fibre.

Can it be mixed with whey?

Yes, it is the most widespread use: allow around 40 g of flour to 25 to 30 g of protein. Prepare it in a shaker with a ball if possible, as the flour is thicker than a cream of rice. In a hot preparation, add the protein at the end of cooking, off the heat.

Does it contain beta-glucans in a useful amount?

The manufacturer flags their presence but does not publish the content. Yet the authorised health claim for oat beta-glucans is based on a minimum amount per serving. Without a figure, we cannot state anything, and we will not do so. If this matters to you, ask the manufacturer for it.

How long does the bag keep once opened?

Six months, provided you reseal it tightly and keep it dry, cool and away from light. An oat flour contains 6.5 g of fat per 100 g: badly stored, it goes rancid and takes on a recognisable cardboard taste.

Where can you buy IO Genix Oat Flour?

It can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe.

It is the least spectacular product in the range and one of the most useful: nobody walks into our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, asking for oat flour. Plenty of people leave with it, though, because it is the simplest answer to "I haven't got time for breakfast". The rest of the carbohydrate sources can be compared in our sports nutrition section.