This I think is very interesting because they say about different strains of oats being more toxic. And what really interests me is that the majority of coeliac seem to want to eat oats.
The things that worry me are that the research groups only had around 30+ coeliac and the most worrying is the bit around 2004 research that all coeliac seem to have higher levels of gut inflamation on the oats trial whereas there was no difference in their IGA levels. And significantly more children coeliac withdrew from the trial.
CONCLUSION
The oats-containing gluten-free diet caused more intestinal symptoms than the traditional diet. Mucosal integrity was not disturbed, but more inflammation was evident in the oats group. Oats provide an alternative in the gluten-free diet, but coeliac patients should be aware of the possible increase in intestinal symptoms.
Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial
Scand J Gastroenterol. 2004 Jan;39(1):27-31.
I don't make the rules and I am not saying that coeliac should not eat oats, I do worry about oats and oat flour being classed as gf and the effect oats seem to have on coeliac children. And I do agree with what they say on here that coeliac should be aware of how oats may be affecting them.
Interesting Jerry. I have always avoided oats since diagnosis as the protein Avenin within them is so similar to gliadin (gluten in wheat), even within 'gf uncontaminated oats'. I do miss them lots in the winter as a lovely porridge breakie is much more filling than gf bread. At my last coeliac clinic apt the nurse said she'd recommended another coeliac eat less than 50g of oats and then the patient reported that she'd felt awful so now the nurse says she doesn't recommend oats. I guess what this demonstrates is that yet again more research is needed in this area especially if eating oats doesn't produce any obvious problems in blood tests yet can still harm the gut.
I avoid oats as well Fiona, for many reasons and when coeliac first started eating pure oats I asked my gut specialist and he said 'I strongly urge you not to' and that confirmed it for me. Oats are after all a cross between wheat and barley.
Now porridge is only a gruel and any grain can be made into a gruel by using the same quantities ie 2oz to a pint of liquid and I have made a porridge/gruel with rice flakes and the secret is to let them simmer for around 20mins so if you want it quick for breakfast you can cook them the night before and re heat in a microwave. I have made porridge with quinoa flakes, coarse cornmeal but I really like it made with rice flakes and a little ground rice to really thicken it. For a really quick and easy gruel I use ground rice and that cooks in a microwave in a couple of mins and I add dried fruit, this is really warming and reminds me of semolina pudding, and is something I often make for supper in the winter.
Well worth considering experimenting with. And rice flakes only cost around £1.00 a Kg in Asian shops. I pay 99p for 500g of ground rice so again that hardly breaks the bank.
Hi All
In Australia the coeliac society DO NOT recommened oats as being part of the gluten free diet.
As Fiona states the protein Avenin within them is so similar to gliadin (gluten in wheat) that many coeliacs react to them.
I agree that anyone with Gluten Sensitivity Syndrome or any illness related to wheat/gluten should be very cautious. I rarely eat grains of any type and when I do it's on a rotational basis. Having said that, I must go along with Dr. Rodney Ford's suggestion of respecting what my body tells me in terms of GF grains. I can eat oats that are certified as free of cross contamination much more easily than I can eat anything made with rice or corn. I use oats as a treat food in a cheese cake base and other dessert bars. I think it's important that people listen to what their body has to say. It's important to make broad sweeping statements for the protection and safety of the public at large, but I think each individual must always take responsibility for their own health and what they eat.
I started eating pure oats again a couple of months ago. I like porridge at the weekends when I've got time to eat breakfast. Bran Flakes were my choice of breakfast before diagnosis.
I had to push my GP and get a dietician to write to him before I managed to get a blood test, which I did about a month ago.
I have to return for a second blood test in the next fortnight. Apparently this is the procedure as laid down by Coeliac UK.
The posts I read here are worrying. Am I feeling any effects from the 'Avenin' in the oats? I get headaches. I feel tired early in the evening, and I ache a lot. I don't feel bloated and I don't get the horrific 'IBS' that I got before going gluten free.
I guess now I have to continue eating oats until I've been for the second blood test, but from what I read here even if the tests are okay the oats could still be harming me.
All I can do is stop eating them again after the blood tests to see if I feel less tired, less achey, and get less headaches.
I will certainly ask the dietician about this when I see her in November.
Hi Phil, I am sorry if my blog has worried you, that was not my intention. It's just that I have been readig about oats and Fiona made a blog about having a biopsy after eating oats.
When the oats debate first started the research from Finland showed that pure oats were naturally low in avenin's (oat gluten) and this was similar to the 200ppm codex wheat we had at the time so it was suggested that if coeliac could tolerate codex then they should be able to tolerate pure oats. And with the 50g maximum daily allowance of oats, I have always seen oats as naturally low in gluten and not gluten free.
If you are saying that your head aches started after eating oats then by cutting them out for a little while, you should notice the difference. Dieticians are not necessarily coeliac so they only have the 'experts' advice to go on and they do their best with the info' they are given. I say this because the link I posted says that eating oats caused more gut inflamamtion in coeliac but did not affect the IGA blood test, so to me a blood test is not conclusive and its your body so you should be able to percieve any differences.
On returning to the uk after having lived abroad for a few years,I was delighted to see widely talked about "coeliacs can eat oats"!
I love oats!
-And,varies the diet,and good for the cholesterol,yippee!
However,knowing how sensitive to everything I am,I decided to "go carefully"
-and thank goodness I did!
Day one=less than1 level teaspooon "safe" oats,
Day two=less than 1 level teaspooon "safe" oats,
Result?
Day 2 pain and etc,followed by 7 weeks feeling absolutely dreadful,and not being able to go far from a loo!*
aaaargh!
Havent really felt myself since,either....
(*-and we were supposed to be house-hunting!)
And to my horror,now everything with oats in seems to be labelled gluten free (which of course,always used to be safe to go for)
so now I feel as if I am living in even more of a mine-field,when food hunting.
I suggest no coeliac ever trys oats-just not worth the risk,as far as I am concerned!
I have discovered Tescos gluton free mueseli . Its really nice and it contains oats. Surely this will be ok . I have tried others but i have never liked them. I am pleased because i love oaty cereals .
Hi Jacksnana, oats are not tolerated by all coeliac. But at the end of the day we all know our own bodies and if you are happy eating Tesco's muesli and have no adverse reactions then it's your choice.
The conclusion that I have made is that coeliac who can tolerate codex wheat appear to have no reaction to 'pure oats' So I'm sorry if this blog has worried you.
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