I’m often asked about oats and whether or not they are celiac-safe. It’s a confusing and controversial topic, and I have tried to tackle it with common sense over the years.
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but most oats in the U.S. are grown on shared wheat fields and harvested and manufactured in shared facilities with shared equipment. Therefore, most oat products in the U.S. contain detectable amounts of gluten and should be avoided by anyone on a gluten-free diet.
However, there seems to be confusion about what oats you can and cannot consume while remaining true to your gluten-free diet.
Below, I will try to clear up this confusion related to a few issues that have popped up in my inbox of late:
(1) Ingredient Labels Do NOT Have to Say “Gluten-Free Oats“
A product containing oats is safe to consume by people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance if labeled “gluten-free” or “certified gluten-free.”
When a product is labeled gluten-free, it means the company has verified that it meets the FDA’s gluten-free labeling guidelines and contains less than 20 ppm of gluten. When a product is certified gluten-free, it means a third party, like the GFCO or Beyond Celiac, has verified the claim.
However, there is a lot of misinformation surrounding oats and how they should be explicitly listed on an ingredient label.
Some say the ingredient label should say “certified gluten-free oats” or “gluten-free oats.” I like it when brands do this. However, it is unnecessary, and the FDA might consider ingredient descriptors to be “intervening materials.”
Words like “certified gluten-free oats” could even be considered marketing language and thereby not allowed on an ingredient list. While valid, many certifications are often used for marketing purposes, and marketing claims do not belong on an ingredient label. However, such claims can be used elsewhere on the packaging.
I get well-meaning emails and messages from community members who often question my decisions. I guess I’m fair game for criticism, and I try to do my best, although sometimes I come up short.
Recently, one of my readers questioned why I shared (in this innocuous Instagram post) BelliWelli’s soft-baked chocolate chip cookie squares. Honestly, I was excited to see this new product at Walmart, and it is clearly labeled “gluten-free.” The packaging is gorgeous, by the way.
The ingredient label lists “oats” vs. “gluten-free oats,” and this reader asked why I would share this product with our celiac community if it didn’t say “gluten-free oats” on the ingredient label.
I told her the gluten-free claim is made throughout the packaging, so the product is safe. I also explained that using the words “gluten-free oats” on the ingredient list is not required and may even be frowned upon by the FDA.
As for BelliWelli, I contacted the company to verify their gluten-free claim. Here’s what they said:
“Hi Jennifer – Confirming our bars are produced in a certified gluten-free facility. All of our ingredients are certified gluten-free, including our oats, which are purity protocol oats – which is the gold standard for celiac.”
(2) Oats Don’t Have to Be Purity Protocol to be Safe
While consuming purity protocol oats is preferred, it’s not always possible, practical, or available. Truth be told, conventionally grown oats that have been properly sorted and washed are found in hundreds of certified gluten-free products nationwide and are perfectly fine to consume in most cases.
Purity protocol oats are grown on dedicated gluten-free oat fields and harvested with dedicated gluten-free equipment. However, because they’re an agricultural product, even purity protocol oats must be tested to ensure they’re safe. If the wind blows a little wheat dust into the gluten-free oat field, the oat field will suddenly become contaminated.
Conventionally grown oats are grown on shared fields with wheat. However, the oats are mechanically or optically sorted and then washed to ensure they’re free from gluten and safe to consume. Such oats also undergo testing to ensure they meet the FDA’s gluten-free labeling guidelines.
Again, purity protocol oats are the gold standard; you should buy them if you can. However, many products that contain oats are not able to reliably source purity protocol oats, so they use conventionally grown gluten-free oats instead.
Pictured: Zego purity protocol oats. Zego is a premium brand of gluten-free oats.
(3) Oats Remain Controversial
Over the last few years, The Gluten Free Watchdog found gluten in a few gluten-free and certified gluten-free products. Her findings have scared many people in the gluten-free community, and rightfully so.
But we must weigh the fear with the reality. It could happen, but it’s unlikely. I mean, you could get glutened at your favorite restaurant that you’ve eaten at 100 times. Is it likely to happen? No. Could it happen? Yes.
As a community, I beg you to be vigilant but not hypervigilant. Allow yourself a little breathing room, and don’t restrict yourself beyond what is necessary to stay 100% gluten-free while still living your life.
I personally eat conventionally grown oats from trusted brands. However, the decision is yours and yours alone. I cannot tell you what you should do, nor can you tell me what I should do. It’s a tricky balance that most of us, myself included, haven’t quite mastered … and that’s okay.
Additional Reading
The Gluten-Free Watchdog spoke with the FDA and offers more insights into how oats should be listed on an ingredient label.
Can You Be Too Gluten-Free? How to Balance Dietary Vigilance Without Losing Your Mind helps you find that balance between a strict gluten-free diet and living your life.
The Gluten-Free Watchdog Takes Extreme Stance Against Gluten-Free Oats discusses the unfortunate finding of gluten in a few gluten-free products.
Are Oats Gluten-Free? Unpacking Confusing and Contradictory Information gives you a good overview of oats and their gluten-free status.
Disclosure: I’m not a doctor; I’m a knowledgeable and concerned individual with celiac disease. All opinions are my own. Please see my disclosures.
I understand that some coeliacs react to the avenin in oats the exact same way they do gluten in other foods as they are scarily similar. I avoid oats as it definitely affects me.