Gluten is found in wheat, barely, and rye, right?
Yes and no.
Oats are Gluten Free Right? Yes and No
The current research states that oats are gluten free, although only certified gluten free oats are safe for anyone following a gluten free lifestyle. Confusing? Yes. Will you understand why by the end of this article? Double yes.
“If a patient appears likely to use oats, they should be advised to consume only those products tested and found to be free of contamination.” – pubmed, Tricia Thompson
Why Do Some Oats Contain Gluten?
Oats and Wheat Can Be Grown on The Same Land
This is an actual email that I received from a farmers daughter who grew up near a wheat/oat field.
”Actually, I think alot of the gluten problem with oats is that it is grown after wheat on the same land in a succession, and “volunteer” wheat from the previous year can grow in the current crop of oats, contaminating it. I mention it as I am a farmer’s daughter, live on a farm, and know the rotation that is done on our land here.” – Candee
Oats Can Become Contaminated During the Milling Process
Most commercial mills which grind grains do not have dedicated milling machines, facilities, and storage areas, which means it is not uncommon to grind wheat, then quickly blow out the milling apparatus to remove obvious debris, and then grind something else – oats, barley, etc. There’s no real attempt made to clean the mill, as this would take too much time and you know time is money.
Oats on the Road
The vehicles used to transport oats also transport other grains like wheat, barely, and rye which means cross contamination during the transportation of oats is inevitable.
Are Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Gluten Free?
By now you should know the answer to this question without even thinking about it. Obviously Quaker oats are not certified gluten free which means the chance of gluten in these oats is sky high.
So I do not recommend anyone consume Quaker oats.
Watch Out! Certified Gluten Free Oats Can Be Problematic
Oats are one of the top four cross reactive foods to gluten which means your body could be reacting to oats the same way it reacts to gluten. This cross reactivity happens because the protein structure found in oats is very similar to the protein structure of wheat, barely, and rye.
So Which Oats are Gluten Free?
There are a few companies that go out of their way to make sure that we have a safe and reliable source of truly gluten free oats.
Recommended gluten free oat companies:
Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Oats
