Gluten oats or oats that contain gluten, is it safe to eat or not? Whether to include oats in your gluten free diet is a controversial question.
The true answer is yes it can be eaten but be very cautious.
Many oats are not gluten free due to crop rotation, most farmers will grow oats one season then wheat or rye the next.
There are varieties of oats grown specially to be gluten free, but even these grains are suspect as they are still believed to contain AVENIN (a protein close in molecular structure to gluten) which can still affect celiac sufferers.
Studies are mixed regarding people with celiac disease and their ability to eat oats.
Some celiac's can tolerate oats that are free from contamination but finding 100% uncontaminated oats is almost impossible.
There is new research revealing a molecular basis for oat intolerance in sufferers with celiac's disease.
Celiac sufferers who have the DQ8 gene seem to be able to tolerate oats better then people with the DQ2 gene.
Experts in the field of celiac's disease tend to have a zero tolerance for oats, recommending that oats should be excluded from your gluten free diet completely, to avoid any reaction at all.
I have to agree with this sentiment as removing oats from your diet isn't such a big deal, compared to the obvious pain and suffering should you have a reaction.
Upon starting a gluten free diet, it is recommended that everyone exclude oats from their diet for 3 to 6 months so that the body can heal completely.
If after this time you would like to incorporate oats into your diet you must use certified gluten free oats and pay close attention to your symptoms.
If you react in any way to the oats you should exclude them completely from your diet.
There are many alternatives to oats that can be used and are safe for the celiac patient.