Do oats contain gluten? Should I eliminate oats from my gluten-free diet?
Gluten-free or gluten-free oats? The subject has been debated for a long time, and it is sometimes difficult to understand whether or not oats contain gluten.
But the answer is quite simple: the storage proteins in oats are very low in gluten. In other words, oats contain gluten, but very little of it, and the type of gluten is very specific to oats. In fact, the gluten components in oats are different from those found in wheat.
A 2003 study by Lundin K showed that only 1 celiac patient in 20 is sensitive to oats. This raises the question of whether oats contain gluten, because if they did, 20 out of 20 coeliac sufferers would be unable to tolerate them.
According to several studies, oats can be eaten in small quantities by coeliac patients because, as explained above, the storage proteins in oats are different from those in wheat or barley.
When there is an inflammatory reaction in the digestive system, it is the storage protein in oats, called avenin, that triggers these disorders. Some stomachs tolerate it, others much less so.
This is also highlighted by a number of case studies, which often produce contradictory results.
Here’s a recipe you’ll love where I use gluten-free oats: gluten-free spinach wraps.
You can also take advantage of a 10% discount on purchases of 30 euros or more on the Smartfooding website with the code SMARTGL . This is where I buy most of my gluten-free products.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in certain cereals, such as wheat, rye, barley and spelt, that is not easily digestible for many of us.
In some cases, such as celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it is impossible for sufferers to eat gluten-based products.
So it’s important to keep a close eye on the composition of flours, industrial foods and dishes prepared in restaurants.
Among other things, the gluten contained in flour enables pasta to rise. It also gives the dough its elasticity.
What are oats?
Oats are a cereal often found in products such as cereal bars, breakfast cereals, industrial cakes and pastry desserts. Of all cereals, oats are the richest in fat.
Do oats contain gluten?
As mentioned above, gluten is found mainly in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, malt and sometimes in oats.
More technically, a low proline content may explain why the avenins in oats (the prolamins/storage proteins in oats) are less immunogenic than the prolamins in wheat. Nevertheless, oats should be eaten in very small quantities by people with coeliac disease.
As a reminder, generally speaking, ‘only 1 coeliac patient in 20 is sensitive to oats’. (Lundin K, et al, 2003).
In short, oats contain gluten in small quantities, but the gluten is different from that of wheat or barley, for example, because it is made up of specific proteins.
Specificity of oat milk.
People with coeliac disease can consume oat milk. Oat milk is gluten-free!
Oat milk completely replaces cow’s milk, both nutritionally and in terms of taste. As it is lactose-free, oat milk is also recommended for people with lactose allergies.
My advice on eating oats for intolerants and coeliacs
My advice for people with intolerances is always: test and see if eating oats makes your stomach upset or creates other symptoms. If not, go straight to certified gluten-free oats.
For coeliacs, I advise you not to take too many risks and to go straight for certified gluten-free oats. Maybe you’re the only one in 20 who’s sensitive! The problem is that some coeliac sufferers don’t feel any pain when they eat gluten or oats, so they don’t realise the impact on their bodies.
10 gluten-free cereals: Chloé’s selection
Don’t worry, many cereals are gluten-free. Here are 10 of my picks.
- Rice
- Millet
- Buckwheat
- Maize
- Quinoa (good quality 🙂 and eco-friendly)
- Sorghum
- Teff
- Fonio
- Amaranth
- Soya (but in limited quantities, to be eco-responsible too)
I hope you’ve now understood whether oats contain gluten or not… In any case, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me here or on the networks!
See you soon!
Chloé