Oats and the gluten free diet (2024)

Internationally, there are different approaches to allowing oats in the gluten-free diet. In places that do allow oats, only those free of gluten contamination (‘pure’ oats) are recommended for people with coeliac disease, as standard commercial brands of oats are often highly contaminated with wheat gluten. Australian and New Zealand food law does not currently allow oats to be labelled ‘gluten free’; this remains unchanged. 

Coeliac Australia acknowledges that oats provide a range of nutritional benefits which may outweigh the potential risk of including them in a gluten-free diet. We recommend an individual approach in collaboration with your medical specialist and dietitian.  

Oats are a nutritious grain that offer a range of nutritional benefits. 

The addition of pure oats to a gluten-free diet can help boost fibre intake, enhance food choices and provide a range of beneficial nutrients including quality protein, soluble and insoluble fibres, vitamins and minerals. Oats have been associated with a range of positive health effects on metabolism and cardiovascular disease risk markers such as cholesterol, body weight, and blood sugar control in diabetes. 

Including pure oats can help to improve the quality and variety of your gluten-free diet and may even enhance your quality of life. 

Pure oats are safe and well tolerated by the vast majority of people with coeliac disease.

The term ‘gluten’ is used to describe the grain storage proteins from wheat, rye and barley that are toxic to people with coeliac disease. There is a similar protein in oats called avenin. However, oats are less toxic to people with coeliac disease because there is not much avenin in oats, and the avenin present is less likely to trigger harmful immune responses compared to wheat, rye and barley.

A very small number of people with coeliac disease do react to pure oats. 

Studies show that most people with coeliac disease can safely tolerate pure oats and do not develop adverse symptoms or intestinal damage. Adverse effects, such as unpleasant symptoms or intestinal damage, are estimated to occur in less than 5-10% of people with coeliac disease.  

Introducing Pure Oats.

If you are considering introducing pure oats to your gluten-free diet, it is important you discuss this with your medical specialist and dietitian. There is currently no way to predict which people with coeliac disease will tolerate or react to pure oats so individual medical advice and follow-up is recommended.  

Which oats? 

Only oats specially-produced to be free of wheat, rye and barley contamination can be suitable for those with coeliac disease. There is currently no legislation in Australia mandating what these uncontaminated oats should be called. This can make it difficult to confidently identify oats that are suitable.  

In Europe, the UK and North America, oats can be marketed as ‘gluten free’, if there is no measurable contamination with wheat, rye or barley.  

Because oats cannot be labelled as gluten free in Australia, some producers use terminology such as ‘wheat free’, ‘low gluten’, ‘uncontaminated’ or ‘pure’. These claims are not regulated and do not necessarily mean the product is suitable for someone with coeliac disease wanting to trial oats. For example, ‘wheat free’ may be used on a product where rye and/or barley contamination may still be an issue. 

Coeliac Australia is currently seeking information from relevant oat producers about the suitability of their product for those with coeliac disease and measures taken to manage cross contact. These statements will be available on our website as they become available. If you wish to trial oats, we encourage you to use this information to help you select a suitable oat.   

Health Advocacy Officer

Please read our oats frequently asked questions for more information

Revised: September 2023

Oats and the gluten free diet (2024)

FAQs

Oats and the gluten free diet? ›

Investigators concluded that the consumption of oats was safe for adults with celiac disease. Since 1995, several additional studies have been pub- lished. Without exception, these investigations found no adverse effects associated with the regular consumption of moderate amounts of oats.

Can patients on a gluten-free diet tolerate oats? ›

Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.

Can you eat gluten-free oats on elimination diet? ›

gluten free)*

Eliminate gluten, avoiding any foods that contain wheat, spelt, kamut, oats, rye, barley, or malt. This is the most important part of the diet. Substitute with brown rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, gluten-free flour products, or potatoes, tapioca and arrowroot products.

What percentage of celiacs react to oats? ›

Symptoms related to eating oats

Not surprising, 55% developed symptoms when they ate regular oats; however, 14% also reported symptoms when consuming gluten-free oats. It should be noted that there are many different “gluten-free” oat products on the market.

Why am I reacting to gluten-free oats? ›

Oats contain a protein called avenin, which can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Symptoms of oat allergy can range from mild to moderate and affect the skin, gut, and airways. A person who has eaten oats can sometimes feel unwell and experience the symptoms of an oat allergy.

Why does my stomach hurt when I eat oats? ›

You may also experience gastric discomfort when eating oats if you are overly sensitive to high-fiber foods. Keeping a food diary may help you to determine if what you have is an allergy to avenin or a different condition.

Can people with celiac eat Quaker oats? ›

Oats are naturally gluten-free however, during farming, transportation and storage, gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye and barley may be unintentionally introduced. Quaker gluten-free oat products are clearly labeled on packages and available in stores under the Quaker Select Starts line.

How do you remove gluten from oats? ›

To eliminate those gluten-containing seeds, producers either have to sort them out or grow the oats in their own separate field, and in both cases, the rest of the oat processing has to be done on dedicated machines in buildings that never see any glutinous grains.

What are the symptoms of oat intolerance? ›

Oat Allergy Symptoms
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Irritation of the mouth and throat.
  • Hives and oat allergy rash.
  • Nasal congestion.
  • Eye irritation.
  • Difficulty breathing.

What happens if you keep eating food you are intolerant to? ›

An intolerance causes digestive distress, not an allergic-like reaction. You may experience nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloating. These symptoms aren't typically life-threatening, but they sure can be unpleasant and keep you from enjoying everyday life.

Can oatmeal cause joint inflammation? ›

While the proteins in refined grains can trigger the body's inflammatory response, whole grains may help counteract it. Grains recommended for reduced inflammation and joint pain includes whole oats, rye, barley, and whole wheat.

Why is oatmeal not gluten-free? ›

Oats are often contaminated with gluten

The same equipment is typically used to harvest crops in neighboring fields, which leads to cross-contamination if one of those crops contains gluten. The sowing seed may also be impure, harboring a small amount of wheat, rye, or barley seeds.

Is banana good for celiac disease? ›

If you have Celiac disease, you can eat bananas. But it's following a gluten-free diet that's going to protect your health and prevent gastrointestinal issues and potentially serious health problems.

Do oats cause gut inflammation? ›

Their results have outlined that oats are a valuable source of nutrients without gut inflammation, but other aspects, such as noninflammatory associated symptoms and the benefits of modulating the gut microbiome, have not been studied.

Can I eat oats if I'm gluten intolerant? ›

Oats are a hot button topic within the celiac and gluten-free communities. Oats are not considered a top allergen, and in their pure form, oats are safe for the majority of people with celiac disease. Unlike wheat, barley, and rye, oats are not considered a source of gluten in many countries.

Why does gluten-free oatmeal make me bloated? ›

There can be several reasons for your GI symptoms with oats. A small number of celiac patients react to the protein called avenin in oats. Another issue can be the high levels of soluble fiber in oats. Soluble fiber can cause gas and bloating in some individuals depending on the amount they are consuming.

Can an individual that is intolerant to gluten be served oats? ›

Pure oats are safe and well tolerated by the vast majority of people with coeliac disease. The term 'gluten' is used to describe the grain storage proteins from wheat, rye and barley that are toxic to people with coeliac disease. There is a similar protein in oats called avenin.

Are oats cross reactive to gluten? ›

It is long-established that oats are at substantial risk for cross contact with gluten-containing grain (2). At the farm level, this risk may be due to crop rotation with wheat, barley, or rye, proximity to fields growing gluten-containing grain, and/or shared harvesting equipment, among other things (3).

What kind of oats are best for gluten intolerance? ›

Which Oats Brands are Gluten-Free? To summarize, the best gluten-free oatmeal brands are Quaker Oats, Nature's Path Organic, Earnest Eats, Bakery on Main, KIND, GF Harvest, and Bob's Red Mill.

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