2 Questions: Oats And Rice?

[Metoo]

How long after being gluten-free can you try gluten-free oats again safely? I know they were a problem for me when going gluten-free, but I do miss oatmeal, I was hoping I could try them again in the near future. I am at 2 months gluten free, with 2 glutened incidents.

Also, do I need to buy rice thats gluten free, or is it 'safe' to assume all rice is gluten free? I have gone with the safety of only buying gluten free labeled rice, but I am wondering if I am being overly cautious.

[Chalula88]

I always get sick when I eat oats, no matter what. So I don't eat them at all. Try cream of rice, it's good.

Personally, I wouldn't risk oats so soon.

I don't buy gluten free rice, but I buy it in bulk at an Asian market and it comes from a rice only facility and is unprocessed. I don't know if there's a risk ordinarily. It might be good to look at what other things were made in the same facility.

[Skylark]

Most of the medical articles I've read say to introduce oats only when you are fully recovered and antibodies gone, or after six months gluten-free, whichever is longer. They also say that you should have followup blood testing after six months eating oats (assuming you had a positive blood test to begin with).

I don't worry about rice, other than to give it a good rinse. I never buy from bulk bins, but I do buy normal grocery store or oriental market rice. Lundburg grows really nice organic, certified gluten-free rice if you are really concerned.

[Gemini]

  On 1/10/2012 at 4:05 PM, Metoo said:

How long after being gluten-free can you try gluten-free oats again safely? I know they were a problem for me when going gluten-free, but I do miss oatmeal, I was hoping I could try them again in the near future. I am at 2 months gluten free, with 2 glutened incidents.

Also, do I need to buy rice thats gluten free, or is it 'safe' to assume all rice is gluten free? I have gone with the safety of only buying gluten free labeled rice, but I am wondering if I am being overly cautious.

To be honest with you, I was diagnosed with Celiac and then went home to get well. I did not involve doctors after the diagnosis because I don't like or trust them. They did such a crappy job diagnosing me, I wasn't going to trust them with getting me well.

I did not read anything about oatmeal and waiting to heal before trying it. I always ate a lot of oatmeal because I am a hiker and it's good fuel and keeps you full. I bought some certified gluten-free oats and started eating them about 2 months after I was diagnosed. Never had a single problem and felt great after eating them. I should add I was deathly ill at time of diagnosis and couldn't eat much of anything. It may be because I was used to the amount of fiber in them and they didn't bother me that way or I didn't expect a reaction. Sometimes when you re-introduce foods, that can create a lot of anxiety in some people and that can upset your stomach. People are different but if you like oats and ate a lot of them before diagnosis, then there is no reason to wait so long. If you feel well then try a small amount and if you have a problem, put them back on the shelf and wait longer. 2 months may be long enough for you to tolerate them well but you will never know until you give it a shot. The advice you see that says wait a year is an average and some people can re-introduce oats much sooner, while others cannot. I use Gifts of Nature certified gluten-free oats and they are delicious!

I do not require a company to label their product gluten-free with regards to rice but check to see if they manufacture other heavily gluteny things. I wouldn't eat packaged rice mixes unless they are clearly labeled gluten-free but many people use Asian markets as a source for their rice without any issues. Many companies will not mark their rice as gluten free, even when it is, because rice is naturally gluten free.

[mommida]

If you are going to try gluten free oats add it back in slowly. It is suggested serving sizes on some of the gluten free bags of oats. About 3 Tablespoons (or under)

[Reba32]

I didn't try gluten free oats until more than a year after going gluten free. Two reasons, I couldn't find any certified gluten-free oats anywhere, and they're way too high in net carbs for my liking! Now I eat them only on occasion, and usually only when I'm baking something for Grove feasts, when I can't use nut flours due to other members who have severe allergies.

I avoid rice also, due to net carb content. It's just filler, with no real nutritive value IMO.

[Gemini]

  On 1/10/2012 at 6:12 PM, Reba32 said:

I didn't try gluten free oats until more than a year after going gluten free. Two reasons, I couldn't find any certified gluten-free oats anywhere, and they're way too high in net carbs for my liking! Now I eat them only on occasion, and usually only when I'm baking something for Grove feasts, when I can't use nut flours due to other members who have severe allergies.

I avoid rice also, due to net carb content. It's just filler, with no real nutritive value IMO.

Oatmeal and brown rice are a good source of fiber and nutrients and are not the type of carbs to worry about, unless you are a diabetic. I can see your point about white rice being a filler with no nutritive value but not the case with the others. They are a good addition to most people's diets, unless you have a medical problem which would prohibit consumption. All carbs are not created equal and there is just too much fear of them out there.

[Chalula88]

One important thing to note about oats is that just because you feel okay when you eat them doesn't mean it is definitely not harming your intestines. I think it would be a good idea to get your villi and/or blood checked after eating oats to make sure everything is doing okay.

[Gemini]

  On 1/10/2012 at 10:03 PM, Chalula88 said:

One important thing to note about oats is that just because you feel okay when you eat them doesn't mean it is definitely not harming your intestines. I think it would be a good idea to get your villi and/or blood checked after eating oats to make sure everything is doing okay.

That is a good point, without doubt, but I have my blood work regularly checked and it's always fantastic. Plus, if oats were damaging your intestines, over time you would start to notice symptoms or just be "off". Since going gluten-free 7 years ago, I have had zero stomach issues, except for the rare glutening.

Gastro symptoms were the number one symptom for me and the pain was excruciating.

Oats really are safe for many Celiacs. I know quite a few who eat oats without any problems but they were oat eaters long before diagnosis. The medical profession likes to scare people without making the actual facts readily available. Not everyone can tolerate them but many can and they shouldn't be scared into omitting them from their diet. It should always be certified oats but they are easy to find nowadays. Expensive, but easy to find.

[Skylark]

  On 1/10/2012 at 10:45 PM, Gemini said:

Oats really are safe for many Celiacs. I know quite a few who eat oats without any problems but they were oat eaters long before diagnosis. The medical profession likes to scare people without making the actual facts readily available. Not everyone can tolerate them but many can and they shouldn't be scared into omitting them from their diet. It should always be certified oats but they are easy to find nowadays. Expensive, but easy to find.

The facts are readily available. Most celiacs tolerate oats, but a few celiacs have gotten villous atrophy in studies with very clean oats. The oat reaction is common enough that it's been documented in studies, and common enough that we have folks on the board who can't eat them. It makes sense to try because oats are a lovely grain, but also to use reasonable care.

[Gemini]

  On 1/11/2012 at 1:15 AM, Skylark said:

The facts are readily available. Most celiacs tolerate oats, but a few celiacs have gotten villous atrophy in studies with very clean oats. The oat reaction is common enough that it's been documented in studies, and common enough that we have folks on the board who can't eat them. It makes sense to try because oats are a lovely grain, but also to use reasonable care.

I'm sure a few Celiacs have had villous atrophy from eating oats but I am pretty sure it is in the minority, otherwise oats would be excluded from the diet by most Celiac organizations. I think I made a point of saying you should include this grain in your diet but go slowly and stop if you have any problems with it. If I am feeling well after many times of ingesting oats, I call that a success and don't worry about any ill effects. I just can't be that paranoid about it.

[Skylark]

  On 1/11/2012 at 4:57 PM, Gemini said:

I'm sure a few Celiacs have had villous atrophy from eating oats but I am pretty sure it is in the minority, otherwise oats would be excluded from the diet by most Celiac organizations. I think I made a point of saying you should include this grain in your diet but go slowly and stop if you have any problems with it. If I am feeling well after many times of ingesting oats, I call that a success and don't worry about any ill effects. I just can't be that paranoid about it.

Why do you keep using words like "scare" and "paranoid"? I don't understand why you are attacking me. The facts are very straightforward, that oats act as gluten in some celiacs.

Since you apparently haven't read it, here's the CSA recommendation (which is very close to my original answer since both are based on the biomedical literature).

Open Original Shared Link

"Oats appear to be suitable for some people with celiac disease, but not all. Thus oats are not yet a risk free choice for all people with celiac disease. If choosing to include oats, limit risk by choosing specially handled, uncontaminated oats and consuming no more than 50 g/day. Most physicians advise people, newly diagnosed with celiac disease, to wait until their health is restored before ingesting oats. Waiting one year to introduce uncontaminated oats in the diet is commonly suggested to increase a successful introduction.

The appropriateness of oats in the gluten-free diet has been pondered for over 20 years. Studies continue with mixed results on this subject. Some studies have conclusions that do not match the data collected for that study. Today, there is no way to predict ahead of time, which celiacs will or will not be able to successfully consume oats.

Until there is clarity in the research, oats is not a risk free choice for those on a gluten-free diet. As always, each individual is responsible for managing the inevitable risks related to living gluten-free. Each person develops a personal criteria for making decisions that will achieve their optimum health and well-being. For some people that means oats and others are oats free."

[Roda]

You've got good advice on how to reintroduce oats. I am very envious of those who can eat them and wish I could. Good luck on reintroducing them..

[Reba32]

  On 1/10/2012 at 8:00 PM, Gemini said:

Oatmeal and brown rice are a good source of fiber and nutrients and are not the type of carbs to worry about, unless you are a diabetic. I can see your point about white rice being a filler with no nutritive value but not the case with the others. They are a good addition to most people's diets, unless you have a medical problem which would prohibit consumption. All carbs are not created equal and there is just too much fear of them out there.

absolutely, not all carbs are created equal. However, grains, whether oats or rice, are still going to raise your blood glucose levels considerably, and whether or not you're diabetic, this is NOT a good thing. One serving of oats 103.38 grams of carbohydrates with only 16.5 grams of fiber for a net carb impact of 86.88 (or if you prefer the Glycemic Index rating, it's 54, compare it with Betty Crocker vanilla cake at only 42! (source - Harvard medical school))

I prefer to get my carbs and fiber from vegetables that are not also going to give me blood glucose spikes and crashes. And no, I am not diabetic, and I plan to keep it that way! I firmly believe that everybody could benefit from less grains, more veggies.