What About Oats?

[1974girl]

What do you guys do? I have read such mixed opinions about it. I just ate the best Nature's Valley Granola Bar and realized it was gluten free if she could have the oats. Do you guys eat them? My nutricionist told me that we could eat them if they were organic. Is there really that much cross contamination? I have read here that some of you can eat Quaker with no reaction. My DD doesn't react to gluten so I won't know if it bothers her or not. Do you steer clear of oats?

[Mom23boys]

I ate them until I found out I was allergic to them. My wheat free little guy just followed me since that is just easier in this house and his rash cleared up.

[Takala]

Your "nutritionist" is wrong.

There is nothing safer about "organic" oats than with regular oats, for a celiac. Organic doesn't mean diddly squat other than it may have not been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides or had certain fertilizers used.

Oats must be grown, harvested, processed, tested and stored in a carefully gluten free manner at all points, to be "gluten free." Regular oats are cross contaminated with wheat and barley, from the fields, combines, storage bins, and milling lines.

Some celiacs can eat certified, gluten free, uncontaminated oats. Other celiacs and gluten intolerants can not.

[mamaw]

Just because a product is organic does not mean it is safe for celiac people.. The only oats that are safe are the certified gluten free oats... ie: Laura's gluten-free oats,Bob's Red MIll. Pure gluten-free oats & so on..

Plus if a person is just starting out on the gluten-free lifestyle it is not good to use oats until the intestinal tract has time to heal... Oats are hard to digest esp. when one is trying to heal intestinal damage ..Many cannot do oats even after being gluten-free for a long period of time....just to hard on the system....

I eat oats, been gluten-free for a LONG TIME -- I eat only gluten-free certified & can only eat 1/2 cup maybe twice a week...

Your nutritionist is wrong by telling you because they are organic they are okay for celiac use...this person is not giving out correct info...you are paying them for wrong info...

[1974girl]

Ya know...I may have misunderstood her. I was in a different city for the scoping. The doctor came out and immediatly told me to see the nutritionist down the hall before I drove back the 4 hours to home. This nutritionist had celiac so he wanted us to see her specifically. My daughter was still asleep when they set up the appointment. I was sitting in the nutritionist office when my husband called me and said "COME TO THE CAFETERIA, SHE IS THROWING UP!" (Normally, he is the one who handles that better but it had been a stressful day) So I had to leave and come back. (We also found out she had eosinophilic esophagitus and ulcers) We were both stunned and all of this and I may have misunderstood on the oats. In fact, I am pretty sure I did if she had celiac herself. SHe'd know what was safe. I haven't given them to my dd anyway so I haven't messed up! Thanks for clearing that up! Glad I have you guys!

[deb445]

I wonder if perhaps it depends on how sensitive you are.

From what I have come to understand, the chemical makeup

of oats includes gluten. Avena sativa.

So, even if you buy/use oats from a dedicated mill, who

sources their oats from a dedicated field, etc., etc., you

may still react.

If my memory serves me correctly, The Australian celiac

website recommends avoiding oats.

From experience with pure oats - guaranteed to be gluten

free - I reacted, my son started vomiting and couldn't

hold down food for days while his stomach healed, and my

sister reacts severely too.

Good luck. I sure miss good old fashioned date squares!

[PadmeMaster]

I learned the hard way. Someone had told me that some are sensitive to the protein in oats that is similar to wheat gluten, so I was steering clear.. My little brother picked up a box of cookies that said "Gluten Free" and they had oats.. I had a reaction.

I'd say just steer clear!

[Gemini]

What do you guys do? I have read such mixed opinions about it. I just ate the best Nature's Valley Granola Bar and realized it was gluten free if she could have the oats. Do you guys eat them? My nutricionist told me that we could eat them if they were organic. Is there really that much cross contamination? I have read here that some of you can eat Quaker with no reaction. My DD doesn't react to gluten so I won't know if it bothers her or not. Do you steer clear of oats?

You will never know if you react to oats until you try them. Many Celiacs can tolerate oats just fine, including myself, and I am a diagnosed, extremely sensitive Celiac. I use Gifts of Nature oats, which I buy on-line.

Oats are also a big source of fiber and many people have trouble with fiber. It can cause the same reaction as a gluten reaction. Gas, bloating, etc. Were oats in your diet before diagnosis?

I always tell people to give it a try because you won't know until you do. Make sure they are certified gluten-free and do not use Quaker. The notion that all Celiacs should steer clear of oats is out dated.

[dilettantesteph]

If you decide to try oats, try a small amount the first time. I am sensitive to oats and I found out by having half a bowl the first time. I got very sick and didn't feel right again for 2 months.