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Oats are a highly nutritious grain with many health benefits. They’re a popular breakfast porridge and are also found in granola, muesli, and other foods and snacks. However, you may wonder whether oats and oatmeal contain gluten. This article explores whether you can include oats in a gluten-free diet. United States try to avoid gluten for one reason or another. Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. Most people can eat gluten without any side effects, but these proteins can cause serious health problems for some individuals.
SUMMARY Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Most people can tolerate it, but it can harm some individuals. Pure oats are gluten-free and safe for most people with gluten intolerance. However, oats are often contaminated with gluten because they may be processed in the same facilities as gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye, and barley. Additionally, some countries recommend including oats in a gluten-free diet.
Pure, uncontaminated oats are also safe for people who have a wheat allergy. SUMMARY Most people who are intolerant to gluten, including those with celiac disease, can safely eat pure oats. Although oats themselves don’t contain gluten, they’re often grown alongside other crops. The same equipment is typically used to harvest crops in neighboring fields, which leads to cross-contamination if one of those crops contains gluten.
The sowing seed may also be impure, harboring a small amount of wheat, rye, or barley seeds. Additionally, products made with oats are usually processed, prepared, and packaged in the same facilities as gluten-containing products. This high risk of contamination means that it’s unsafe to include conventionally grown oats in a strict gluten-free diet. Notably, a number of companies have begun to process oats with clean equipment and grow them in fields designated gluten-free. Still, even gluten-free labels may not be completely reliable. SUMMARY Oats are often contaminated with gluten during harvesting or processing, but many companies now sell uncontaminated products. Pure oats contain avenin, a protein that may cause problems because it has a similar amino-acid structure as gluten.