Learn why oats might affect your health although they are not supposed to have gluten in them.
There is a lot of confusion whether people with gluten allergy should be able to eat oats. Strictly speaking, oats should not have any gluten, they belong to a completely different tribe of grains.
But stories of people getting gluten exposure after eating oats are all over the internet. Even those carefully reading the labels and only buying gluten-free products often get symptoms of gluten allergy after eating oats.
Then, are oats really gluten free? Here we explain what is gluten, which grains contain it, and why you should be careful while eating oats. Whenever in doubt, trust the products you or someone you know has tried before. Labels are not always reliable even if they claim to be gluten-free.
Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. They are also found in a hybrid called triticale. When you see a pizza or bread dough become sticky and stretchable, that is due to gluten in the flour.
Gluten is made of two proteins: gliadin and glutenin. It's good to know them because a blood test might sometimes report these proteins instead of gluten.
Gluten allergy is called celiac and is common in US and Europe. Most common symptoms include stomach pain, malnutrition, and diarrhea because gluten damages the small intestine. Celiac is caused by two genes that make antibodies against gluten. A genetic test can help check the genes and blood test can identify the antibodies.
The protein in oats is not gluten but something else called avenin. As the family tree of grains below shows oats do not belong to the same group as wheat, rye, and barley. So the problem is not from oats but how they are processed and packaged.
When oats are packed, the label may not always require the manufacturer to list all the ingredients. The FDA guidance is to list gluten if a product contains more than 20 ppm (parts-per-million).
Labeling requirements are just guidelines and not strictly enforced. Also, many grains are often processed in the same factory or in the same area. Processing times and products often change and monitoring them might be very difficult.
In US stores, very often there is no difference between labeled and unlabeled oats, as many of them contain some amount of gluten. Even those clearly sold as gluten-free might still contain sufficient amount to make someone with gluten sensitivity sick.
A 2010 study found that even regular foods generally considered gluten-free (e.g., millets), almost half of them had gluten above the FDA suggested guidelines.
Oats have a different lineage and are fundamentally different grains than gluten containing grains.
Since oats naturally do not contain gluten, they should not cause any reaction. But several studies show that eating oats in large quantities might still give the symptoms of gluten exposure. It is not clear why.
One hypothesis is that large chunks of proteins might be very difficult to digest, especially when you eat a lot of them.
Therefore, it is recommended to not only check the labels thoroughly, but to also control the portion size to avoid serious symptoms of celiac such as inflammation, diarrhea, or stomach pain.
If you have symptoms of gluten allergy or know someone in the family who has celiac, the best way is to get tested. A blood test can check for antibodies produced by these genes against gluten. But it is advisable to do a blood test after eating gluten otherwise the levels drop over time and might not be detectable.
The simple first step to confirm the symptoms is to check if you have the genes responsible for making antibodies against gluten. Those missing these genes almost never have celiac. This can be done with a simple cheek swab test.
Then a blood test from RxHomeTest can help identify whether you are producing the antibodies on exposure to gluten from oats or any other contaminated foods.
In rare cases, a biopsy might be necessary to confirm damage to the small intestine. Until then, a gluten-free diet and oats from a trusted brand, in small amounts, might be the best way to avoid the symptoms.
Order an At-Home Celiac Genetic Test.
Celiac – FAQs - key facts about gluten intolerance.
How to Read a Celiac Genetic Test Report? - makes it simple, easy to understand your results.
The Differences Between Celiac Genetic and Antibody Tests - key differences while testing for gluten intolerance.
Five Negative Impacts of the Gluten-Free Trend - going gluten-free may not always be the right answer.
Sensitivity to Food – Allergy, Intolerance, and Celiac Disease - a comprehensive review.
Food Allergies vs Food Sensitivities: What’s the Difference? - a few simple steps to differentiate.
The 5 Most Common Types of Food Sensitivities in Adults - a short summary.
Food Allergies in Children - a short summary.
