Are Oats Gluten Free?
Seeking Gluten Free Foods
If you are on the gluten free diet there are a lot of foods that you cannot eat any longer. There are many things that you may feel that you are missing out on. And, there are also many things that you will feel confused about. Are oats gluten free, you might wonder. They aren’t a gluten filled grain, so you may assume that they are; but, assuming isn’t good when you are trying to eat gluten free. It will only get you into trouble and possibly make you sick.
So, you need to do more than assume. You need to find the answer to the question. Are oats gluten free? The answer is complicated. Some oats are gluten free and some are not. The oats that are not gluten free are cross contaminated. That means that they are processed in the same facility, or on the same equipment, as gluten containing ingredients. You will not want to eat those kinds of oats when you are trying to live gluten free. They will mess with your diet. You should go nowhere near gluten containing oats. But, there is another option for you.
Although some oats contain gluten, there are some oats that are gluten free. You will have to look at each label carefully when buying oats, but you should be able to find a brand or two that sells gluten free oats. There are more and more brands that sell gluten free oats out there, nowadays. So, it’s not always easy to know what contains gluten and what does not, and knowing whether oats are gluten free or not can be tricky, especially when someone has made something containing oats.
If you go to a party and there is a dessert made with oatmeal, will it be safe? That is hard to say. More than likely it will not be safe, but that depends on whether your friend is on the gluten free diet or not. If so, the dessert may be safe. But it would be a good idea to ask before you consume it. You can never be too careful when eating gluten free. Eating on this type of diet can be challenging at times. There is no doubt about that. It can get very frustrating knowing the long lists of foods that you cannot eat.
You may be about ready to give it up on it all together. But you can take comfort in the fact that some familiar foods are now made gluten free. Some oats are cross contaminated, but there are some that are not. If you have loved oats all of your life, and if you have been wondering, are oats gluten free, then you can feel good about this fact and avoid the one that has gluten. The gluten free option is available, you don’t have to give up oats if you now gluten free diet. Just check the label, and target makers of gluten free food including oats.