Porridge Oats

[IBSyndrome]

I am still very confused about whether porridge oats are gf. Morrison's basic bag for 98p says 100% oats but no allergen info. Tesco similar range states contains gluten. I bought a small bag of gf oats but it cost me £3! I am not coeliac but gluten intolerant. Is it a contamination issue or do they actually contain gluten?

[Mia1057]

This is a very complicated area. Here is an article that might help.

glutenfreeworks.com/blog/20...

[Hidden]

Packets labelled 100% oats will contain only oats as an intentional ingredient. The problem is that oats and wheat and barley grow next to each other and there will be wheat in the oats and it is impossible for them to remove it. Only bags labelled certified gluten free will be wheat/gluten free.

The protein in oats is called avenin, and in about 10% of coeliacs it produces the same reaction as the gluten protein in wheat. The proteins in rye and barley have different names too but it is easier to refer to them as gluten as they tend to produce the same reaction.

I can't tolerate oats so avoid the whole issue. I sugest you try normal oats and watch your body. If you can tolerate that low level of contamination it will make your life simpler and cheaper - you would be able to eat flapjack, porridge, oatcakes, cranach etc and it will make eating out a lot easier. If you react to these oats try the gf ones, if you react to those give them up too.

[IBSyndrome in reply to Hidden]

I am reacting to Gliaden so I will monitor the oats reaction/symptoms - I am trying to eliminate though for 3 months so that at some point I can re-introduce gluten. Having said that, I am learning so much about it - I'm not sure I want to eat it anymore anyway!

[Hidden]

When the debate over ''pure'' oats started in the 1990's it was suggested that uncontaminated oats could be safe for coeliac because they are naturally low in oat gluten avenins. And if coeliac could tolerate codex wheat they should be all right with pure oats was the reasoning.

I also thought that oats were a cross between wheat and barley. And there are different strains of oats and some seem to be more toxic than others so it is quite complicated. I personally avoid all oats.

An excellent and informative link posted by Mia well worth reading so thanks for posting it Mia. And we have discussed this on here before so if any members want to search the archives just type ''oats'' in the search box at the top right hand side of the GFG home page just under your user name and a list of previous relevant blogs appear.

[Lynxcat]

Both Lois and Jerry have expressed my concerns as well regarding oats.

Here is a study and it concludes that oats cause induced villous atrophy in coeliac disease it also goes on to refer to developing subtotal villous atrophy and dramatic dermatitis in one patient that appeared to be able to tolerate oats:

gut.bmj.com/content/52/11/1...

Added to this a further study concluded that coeliac patients wishing to carry on consuming oats after diagnosis - even if no symptoms were apparent should be regularly followed up including regular bowel biopsies:

pmj.bmj.com/content/82/972/...

[Hidden in reply to Lynxcat]

My tummy/abdomen real burning now after new prescribed porridge not oats but Rice flakes and millet. Have been ok on propper oats. Asked for oat prescription. Didnt expect reaction from this, wonder why.

[gemlen]

I reintroduced normal oats in my diet about a month ago -the first day I was fine, the second day I felt ok but the third day I was having diarrhea and pain so I stopped. It's put me off trying them again!

[salzado]

was told by the Dr that some coeliacs may be able to tolorate oats, its besy to try, I did try gf oats, and they made me feel really ill, think you have to be careful with them.

[zoombie]

Hi there - the only oats I know that are gf are Nairns! However I have been told by my dietician not to eat oats and was also taken off soya milk. I now use rice milk on my cereal! Good Luck!

[Hidden in reply to zoombie]

Hi zoombie, what was wrong with soya milk, was it the soya or other ingredients I have only been on soya a few weeks.

[zoombie in reply to Hidden]

My dietician gave me a list of food I couldn't eat and a VERY short list of food I could and soya milk and anything made from soya was off the list! My biopsy results were severe as I have been a coeliac all my life and not been diagnosed. Mostly me and the docs thought I had IBS and I did avoid a lot of things because of that. My CD was only found as I overnight developed DH 6 months ago and everything went downhill from there - I now have a very restricted diet and a trip to the supermarket now takes about 2 hours!

[Hidden in reply to zoombie]

Sorry but have no idea what DH6 is. I had bad so called IBS. But recently went on soya and lactose free and have improved lots. Doctor doesnt agree to lactose intollerance and wants me on antidepressants which I refused. Said if lctose problem I would have had it since being a baby and I wasnt a baby.. Oh dear he was pretty annoyed.

[zoombie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Osborne - DH is dermatitis herpetiformis a very itchy blistering skin rash not pleasent! And as for your doctor, methinks I would be looking for another one as there is obviously something wrong if you are happy on soya milk! Why don't you look for an allergy testing lab and get tested as you may have an intolerance to other products?

[Hidden in reply to zoombie]

If changed gps, his remarks would follow and therefore I would be labbled neurotic or trouble. His aim is to presc., antidepressants as a cure he is determined. He did upset me and his attitude set me back emotionally, not to worry as am strong and will be ok. Said several times I wasnt a baby I was 76. I sat there and just let him rant on about I couldnt have lactose probs as I would have been born with it. He can stuff his antidepressants. He didnt see me disturbed I kept silent but did manage to ask about porridge presc., Will stck to soya and keep away from surgery. Your condition must be hard going rekon I am lucky really. in many ways.Never tried rice milk. Hope you improve. Thanks for reply and info.

[zoombie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Osborne - thanks for your reply! I agree with you about the antidepressants - you don't want those. I use the Provamel Organic rice milk I find it very calming on my tum! Keep Smiling! Zoombie

[Hidden in reply to zoombie]

Hi zoombie, It has just come to mind. Up to being 18ish I used to get lots of blisters on maybe arms, legs, back which was awful as couldnt reach. Treated with loads calomine lotion and sulpher tabs. Always had calomine dish at bedside to dab on at night. Had another attack at 23 then ok. Wonder if any connection. Gosh I am lucky didnt continue. Sure do feel for you.

[zoombie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Osborne - yep your rash sounds 100% DH! You are very lucky you didn't continue with it! Not all coeliacs get the DH. An urgent appointment to see a dermatologist in my area is 6 weeks! I could be in a straightjacket by then despite being on a strict gf diet, I still itch, it can take up to 12 months to go apparently!

[Lexy]

Tilquhillie gf porridge oats are grown by a coeliac. You can find them online at Tiquhillie Fine foods. If you are still keen to try oats I would suggest perhaps trying these.They are the only porridge oats I use, but I only use them very sparingly. I have a small bowl of porridge perhaps once every 2-3 weeks (I really really miss porridge as it was my staple breakfast and IDEAL for setting up my exercise regime...). My husband who is not coeliac really really likes them and also has their gf oat muesli. He swears by it. Just for your information But everyone reacts individually to oats and I'm still not sure about eating them regularly myself, although I'd dearly love to.

[Lynxcat in reply to Lexy]

Hi Lexy, Oats are oats and there are more and more coeliacs avoiding them along with Codex wheat. When I was first diagnosed with coeliacs disease, I looked on the website of CUK and oats were deemed to be okay so I carried on eating porridge. I have since read a tremendous amount about gluten and which foodstuffs stall the repair of the gut and which will continue to damage the gut even in small amounts.

I gave up oats and noticed within two months how much better I felt .. I would say to anyone with any kind of gluten sensitivity that oats are really worth avoiding all together.

glutenfreesociety.org/glute...

This little post is also worth taking a look at:

glutenfreesociety.org/glute...

[Lexy in reply to Lynxcat]

Fair enough Lynxcat, I accept that that is your particular view on this issue. I think it's only fair that you accept that other people may have a different standpoint. It seems that you did not pick up on what I actually said in my post "But everyone reacts individually to oats and I'm still not sure about eating them regularly myself" which I think is pretty clear! I'm NOT saying everyone should rush out and eat oats, far from it, and I'm sorry you seem to have picked that up.

I worded my post VERY carefully as I KNOW that oats are a sensitive subject. The reason I thought I liked this forum is that we all could have our say without being almost scolded for having an opinion that doesn't necessarily agree with some of the Volunteers on this site.

I think it's important to remember, as I said originally that "everyone reacts individually" to different foodstuffs. I know INSTANTLY when something disagrees with me as I get the itch, I get the blisters, I get psychological/emotional reactions and also all the lovely physiological issues.

Please, please don't make me feel like I can't say things like "If you are still keen to try oats I would suggest perhaps trying these". I very carefully worded it with "if", and with "suggest perhaps" for precisely the reason that this is a decision each individual must make. I do hope I have now made my position on this clear.

[Lynxcat in reply to Lexy]

Hi Lexy, I think on this particular subject we shall have to agree to disagree. I wasn't meaning to put yourself or others off from eating oats. Around six months ago, I would have probably posted something similar to what you have posted as I had oats (usually in the form or porridge or oat cakes) virtually every morning at that time and I was convinced that they were doing me good and certainly not even contemplating that they could be causing me harm, I wasn't being constantly sick and so told myself that they really must be safe. I had read several articles about their relationship to wheat and barley and it left me wondering - I was eating pure oats that were labelled 'gluten free' .. out of curiosity and through various posts I had read, I decided to give them up for a month or two and I was surprised at how much better I felt. At the time I thought 'it could be just coincidence' so I began to include them once more and this time around my mouth became awash with blood blisters .. so here I am ..

Let us hope that some time soon someone somewhere will be able to offer us all some kind of a cure so we won't have to worry about what goes into our mouths all of the time.

[violetkathy in reply to Lynxcat]

I have not had any oats for ages,. I thought I would try Tesco GF Oats this is the second day I have eaten them and I am itching like mad. I will not be eating oats anymore.

I do try and avoid Codex wheat as well. Generally GF products make me ill.

[Hidden]

I read that Nairn s gf oats arevgrown in a special area away from wheat and barley. I have requested them from gp, he said only if on his updated system. didnt seem at all pleased.

[angellight1642]

Juvela have recently brought out Pure Oats and they are available on prescription, they also do corn flakes and fibre flakes on prescription too. Ive been using the oats for nearly 2 months now and had no problems at all.

[Hidden in reply to angellight1642]

Hi angelights, I requested porridge oats, but gp said their computer was up to date and I could only have what was on it. Turned out when I went to chemist BARKAT porridge flakes ( no oats ) Rice flakes and millet. YUK Ok maybe if wanting a type of pud but come on not like oat porridge. Not sure now if he will prescribe proper oat porridge, maybe he doesnt understand what british porridge is or not clued up on coeliacs. He wasnt pleased about request for Nairns oats. This stuff is YUK.

[angellight1642 in reply to Hidden]

Hi just go to your GP and give him the following PIP codes for the items you want to get on prescription, this is from juvelas own website and its the code i gave my GP.

Juvela Special Flakes: 371-1652

Juvela Fibre Flakes: 371-1660

Juvela Pure Oats: 371-1678

[Hidden in reply to angellight1642]

Thanks for reply. Surgery have a different computer system so makes it difficult to sort out, does not accept PIP codes apparently.

[angellight1642 in reply to Hidden]

only thing i could suggest is take the pip code to your pharmacist and ask them for the right definition that the Drs surgery do accept. Or send an email to Juvela themselves and ask them is there anything they could do.

[Hidden in reply to angellight1642]

Thanks, Was at chemist with another presc., mentioned it to her and seems pharmasist did sort it out, will keep that in mind. Nairns oats next week. Takes me long enough to do this, e mailing too complicated, for me. no one to explain.

[Hidden]

Still having oats and soya milk, almost OK now it feels great after all that pain. Hardly have any meds now fantastic.

[Hidden]

my laptop not accepting e mails gone out of action unable to sort out. At grandsons and he let me use his laptop, so Im lost now. Doing ok on oats seemingly makes a big differance, handy at breakfast, It was maybe the milk I was reacting to at times, seem much better now on Nairns porridge. Hardly have any discomfort now.