If you have a sensitivity to gluten you may be able to tolerate oats, provided they're uncontaminated with wheat flour or husks. Oats don't contain the same form of gluten found in wheat, rye and and barley. It's those types of gluten that cause the condition known as celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. Growing evidence suggests that oats are safe for celiacs in small doses. However, always check with your doctor before eating oats as a celiac.
Oats
Oats are a form of grain usually eaten as rolled oat cereal or as oatmeal. The oats contain a gluten substance called avenin. However, this differs from the gluten in wheat, barley and rye which contain gliadin, hordein and secalin, respectively. In most celiacs, avenin doesn't cause the same type of symptoms as other glutens, such as problems with bowel healing or damage to the mucus membrane in the small intestine.
Contamination
The problem with oats for celiacs, as with many other grains, is that processing can cause contamination. Sometimes, the same machines are used to mill wheat and oat grains, or they're both processed in the same environment. Buying 100 percent pure or uncontaminated oats is the only way to be sure about the lack of wheat husk in the oat packet. Even small amounts of wheat trigger gluten intolerance symptoms in some celiacs.
Evidence
The University of Virginia Medical Center and Coeliac UK report several different studies show oats appear safe for the gluten intolerant. A 2006 systematic review of available evidence published in the "Postgraduate Medical Journal" identifies six well-designed studies. None of these concluded that oats trigger the same types of symptoms as wheat gluten. However, the review authors also point out that the long-term effects are unclear as oats do cause some change in the intestinal lining of celiacs, even if they don't cause clear outward symptoms.
Negative Evidence
A 2004 paper published in the "Scandinavian Journal of Gastroentorology" describes a study of oats and people with gluten sensitivity. Scientists measured the effects of eating oats in 23 celiacs for a year compared to 16 celiacs on an oat- and wheat-free diet. The group eating oats did display some symptoms, such as increased diarrhea over the course of the year. As many other studies used pure oats, the negative factor in this study may be the use of potentially gluten-contaminated oats.
Recommendations
Eating uncontaminated oats helps you avoid wheat gluten. Organizations such as the Canadian Celiac Association also suggest limits on your daily intake of oats if you're gluten intolerant. For example, they recommend eating no more than 1/2 to 1/3 a cup of oat per day as an adult, or 1/4 cup of oats per day for children. In both cases, the oats should be pure. If you're introducing oats into your diet for the first time, do so a little at a time. If you notice symptoms, speak to your doctor.
References
- University of Virginia School of Medicine; The Gluten-Free Diet: An Update for Health Professionals; Carol Rees Parrish, R.D., M.S.; September 2006
- "Scandinavian Journal of Gastroentoroloy"; Effect Of An Oats-containing Gluten-free Diet on Symptoms and Quality of Life in Coeliac Disease. A Randomized Study; M. Peraaho, et al.; January 2004
- Celiac: Oats in the Gluten-free Diet
- Texas Tech University: Gluten-Free Diets - Help For The Gluten Intolerant
- Canadian Journal of Gastroentorology; Consumption of Pure Oats by Individuals With Celiac Disease: A position Statement by the Canadian Celiac Association; Mohsin Rashid, et al.; 2007
- "Postgraduate Medical Journal"; Coeliac Disease and Oats: A Systematic Review; N. Y. Haboubi, at el.; 2006
