Oats Controversy

Remember in school when you learned the vowels. A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. I never got that. Does anyone even know when Y counts as vowel and when it doesn't?

I have found similar things with the gluten-free diet. If you hear anything about the gluten-free diet you will hear that you can't have wheat, barely, rye, and sometimes oats. This is a little bit of a different principle than the whole vowel thing though. I actually have knowledge about when and why the 'sometimes' exists. And for those who care, I am going to share it with you.

All grains have a protein. However it is the protein (gluten) in wheat, barely, and rye that are an issue. Wheat, barely, and rye are related on the same ancestry line, which is why they all contain the same genetic protein gluten. Oats were an early branch off that line, thus being closely related. The protein in oats is called avenin. Research has found that in some people with Celiac Disease this protein can cause a reaction similar to gluten, including the intestinal enteropathy (damage).

Some people believe that all people with Celiac Disease should not eat oats. Some people think that it's fine for those who can tolerate oats. I have personally taken the position of no oats. There is still a lot of research to be done on this particular issue and on Celiac Disease in general. I take the position of 'if there is any question, I'm just not going to eat it'. So no oats for me.

However, if you choose to eat oats there are a few things you should know. First off most oats are grown in a rotation crop with wheat, or in a field next to wheat. Shockingly enough this is actually sufficient to cross-contaminate the oats with gluten. Even if it weren't most farms process oats on the same equipment they process their wheat, thus cross-contaminating it further. So, if you eat oats make sure that you get Certified Gluten-Free Oats!!! This means that they were grow in a dedicated gluten-free field and processed on gluten-free equipment. I have seen that Bob's Red Mill have some Gluten-Free Oats you can try if you wish.

The other point to be aware of if you decide to eat oats is that you shouldn't eat more than about 1/2 a cup (50-70g) a day. This is a studied and know fact. People have found that if they eat more than that they have negative effects. Also, make sure to be retested about six months after you start eating oats to make sure you aren't having any negative effects from the avenin.