Are Oats and Oatmeal Gluten-Free?

Written by Resurchify | Updated on: April 20, 2022

Many people have started taking oats as a part of their breakfast; adding oats to your diet shows that you are health conscious. Have you ever thought about what will happen if you start eating oats every day for breakfast? But are these grains gluten-free and safe to consume? This article will take you through what are oats, how they are grown, and the health benefits of oats. We will also put some light on what gluten is and how oats are associated with gluten? Read along to understand better.

What Are Oats?

Scientifically called Avena sativa, oats belong to the Poaceae grass family. These cereal grains are edible and are high in nutrition, serving greatly to the health. They are commonly consumed as rolled oats or made into oatmeal or oats flour. They are famously used to make porridge in the United Kingdom, but now, as more and more people are getting to know the health benefits of these cereal grains, it is getting famous in biscuits, granola bars, and multi-grain flours. Oat milk is also considered a cow milk substitute. They are wholesome, tasty good and keep you full for a long time. A bowl full of oats and fruits will keep you going until lunch with energy intact.

History Of Oats

Did you know that people have been eating porridge for thousands of years and that it is one of the oldest know food? The early humans started farming for the first time in the Neolithic period, which began almost 10,000 years ago, and the grains they had started with were oats and barley. Much before they learned to turn these cereal grains into bread, they mixed it with water and cooked it with fire to get a thick paste-like thing, which was none other than porridge. Earlier, these farmers cultivated the wild variety of oats, one of which is consumed today by us- Avena sativa; the others are used as cattle feed.

Oats became popular when the Romans introduced them to the British Isles during the Bronze Age, especially in Scotland, where they slowly expanded. During the 17th century, they came to North and South America, where they were used as animal feed, and now Europe is the major producer of oats.

Health Benefits Of Oats

Good quality oats are highly helpful to health. Many nutritionists and doctors are recommending having oats, especially in breakfast, as it makes the consumer better from the inside out.

Radiant SkinOatmeal is an excellent way to treat inflammatory conditions like eczema, dermatitis and skin rashes; it also promotes healthy skin from within from the number of vitamins and minerals it contains. Oats are rich in zinc, which helps to cleanse the skin and remove toxins and other harmful compounds. Zinc also decreases the enlarged pores and rejuvenates the skin from the inside. Another mineral is iron, which is highly essential for nutrition and saturation of moisture in the skin cell. Magnesium promotes blood circulation and significant skin cell renewal. Manganese present in oats reduces swelling and inflammations and promotes rapid healing of the skin.

Good Source Of Protein For The Muscles

Oats are loaded with protein, which can help to build up your muscles. Apart from that, muscles need good quality carbohydrates and fats as well, and oatmeal supplies you with all of these. Have you ever thought about how your body finds energy? Its carbohydrates! For an effective workout session, carbohydrates are extremely vital for energy. Other minerals like vitamin E, glutamate and antioxidants help muscle fibers to regenerate faster.

Rich In Antioxidants

A phenolic compound, avenanthramides, is a group of antioxidants present in oatmeal. Avenanthramides have various health benefits, and one of them is to manage the blood pressure, generate nitric oxide, and dilate the muscle cells in blood vessels. The beta-glucan present in oats reduces blood cholesterol and promotes good gut bacteria growth.

Reduces Blood Sugar And Improves Insulin Response

Insulin is the hormone our pancreas makes, which is responsible for controlling the blood sugar level and metabolizing it. A disturbance in the insulin level may trigger diabetes. People with type-2 diabetes may find oats to be very beneficial for them, which have soluble fibers called beta-glucan that are very helpful to increase the immune response and balance the blood sugar level. However, it is essential not to add any extra sugar to make it healthy.

It is proven that people with type-2 diabetes have seen effective health results. More research is going on in this field, but oats are a good breakfast option.

Reduces Cholesterol Level

We keep hearing about cholesterol every day from someone or the other. But what is cholesterol; Is it good or bad? It is very important to keep cholesterol in control.

It is a fat-like substance made by the liver and also enters the body from the food we intake, which is then packaged into particles called lipoproteins. The body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D and bile. There are two types of lipoprotein that carry cholesterol- Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), also called the bad cholesterol and high-density Lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol. Now, what do these two lipoproteins do? LDL delivers cholesterol to the cells that need it. If the body has too much LDL, it starts to build up in the walls of your arteries. These form a fatty deposit called plaque. With the passage of time, plaque buildup can narrow the bloodstream and reduce blood flow, which makes Low-Density Lipoprotein or LDL the bad cholesterol. It commonly builds up around coronary arteries, the blood vessels that feed the heart. This causes coronary arteries disease and increases the risk of a heart attack.

The liver also makes high-density Lipoprotein (HDL), or the good cholesterol, which helps to remove the bad cholesterol from cells and tissues. It also removes plaque from the blood vessels. HDL returns the extra fats to the liver, which removes them from the body.

Oats have beta-glucan, which helps lower the LDL level and increase the HDL level. A bowl full of oats can lower the risk of many heart-related diseases and brain strokes as well.

Helps With Constipation

People of any age can face constipation issues at some point in time. It is a gastrointestinal issue, causing difficulty to pass stool. Oats have a good amount of fiber that helps to improve bowel movement and improves constipation symptoms.

What Is Gluten And What Is Wrong With Gluten?

Gluten is a protein type present in many grains like wheat, rye and barley. It gives them a stretchy texture, acts as a binding element, and holds the food made out of these grains. Imagine dough without gluten. It would simply break and rip into pieces. Gluten is also used to fortify low protein products. For this reason, gluten is found in varieties of processed food as well. Many people are sensitive to gluten and face gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, and celiac disease issues as it becomes challenging for them to digest this protein. Such gluten intolerant and celiac disease cause serious digestion issues and diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and gas, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and constipation. Hence such people avoid gluten-rich grain sand food products with gluten content in them. As there is no cure for such health conditions, it is necessary for them to avoid gluten completely, as even a small amount of gluten can trigger serious health issues.

So Do Oats Have Gluten Too?

Oats are naturally gluten-free, as it does not belong to the group of grains that contain gluten. People with gluten intolerant, gluten allergy and celiac disease prefer them. Oats are rather rich in fiber, calcium, vitamins, and other nutrition that greatly benefit the body. However, there are chances for oats to be contaminated by gluten while getting processed, and those with celiac disease must be extremely careful while getting oats from the grocery store. Gluten grains can get into oats before they get to you. There can be cross-contact in the way they are grown, harvested, transported and processed as well.

There are many products available in the grocery store. Some of them are safe for gluten sensitive people, and some are not. People with such conditions must be careful while going for oats.

How Are Oats Kept Away From Gluten?

People suffering from gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, and celiac disease are very conscious of what they get from the store. Eating as a single thing unnoticed puts them and their health into trouble. You will be astonished to know that gluten can contaminate oats by wind or animals as well. It may be possible that gluten-rich crops are grown beside oats. Basically, there are two main ways oats are grown and processed to avoid or remove gluten grains and both the way can be good to keep oats away from gluten.

Purity Protocol

This is a process designed to avoid any gluten grains during the growing, harvesting, transport, storage and processing of oats. In 2017, GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization) worked with many oats processors to come up with industry for purity protocols. It helps to create conditions early in the oats process to avoid gluten.

Mechanical Sorting

This is another way to keep oats away from gluten. It is a complex sorting process using machines that can be calibrated to remove gluten grains and other unwanted particles. This technology is applied later in the processing of oats and can be very effective in removing gluten grains.

People who have problems with gluten must look for gluten-free certifications and ensure that the product they are getting for themselves is safe for their consumption. In many processing industries, both the processes are combined and use a combination of these methods. However, the processes need to be performed properly in order to ensure the gluten-free quality of oats. Hence, visual inspections are a way to evaluate the effectiveness of oats processing. GFCO certificate requires visual inspection of oats.

How Much Of Oats Is Too Much?

As we have read in the above section, oats have loads of benefits. But, too much of anything can do bad to the body. Experts say that having too many oats can also have certain side effects. Let’s look into to topic-

Risk Of Sugar Intake Increase

You can’t really have your oatmeal without sugar. Many people tend to like their oatmeal to be sweeter than normal. Some add chocolate chips, which increase the calorie count, fats and extra sugar. This can increase blood sugar levels.

No Balanced Diet

Although oats are good for health and energy, having only oats is just not enough. You will end up being deprived of all the other nutrients, which are essential. In addition, having only oats all the time will not make your plate a good one.

You May Lose Muscle Mass

Oatmeal is known to reduce weight as it makes you feel less hungry due to its high fiber content. But, too many oats can cause malnutrition as you won’t feel like eating anything for longer hours, and hence you may miss out on other nutrition your body needs. This can also reduce cognitive abilities due to your plate’s lack of essential foods.

It May Cause Bloating In Some Cases

Oats are really high in glucose, fiber and starch, which might be difficult for some people to digest and cause serious bloating. Consuming too many oats can cause gastric issues; hence it is suggested to start with small portions to avoid such conditions.

Toppings Can Cause Weight Gain

People tend to add delicious toppings to make the oatmeal yummy and sweet; most of them include sugary treats, which will only backfire on your weight loss targets. So watch out on that!

Gluten-Free Recipes

Oats can be made in distinct ways. To make them gluten-free, you need to ensure to purchase oats with a gluten-free tag. Let’s see some of the easy and healthy ways to make oats.

Overnight Oats

Add rolled oats, milk at room temperature and honey in a container or bowl and keep it in the fridge overnight. Next morning add your favorite toppings and enjoy the healthy and quick morning meal. It’s a great way to kick-start your morning. You can also add different toppings and make them interesting and different every day.

Masala Oats

This old-fashioned way of having oats is another way you can make your day’s first meal interesting. You can add your veggies and make them more healthy.

In a pan, add some ghee or butter, roast the oats for some time, and keep them aside. Now add some oil and allow it to heat; add mustard seed, and let then crackle. Toss some cashew nuts till golden brown. Now add finely minced ginger, chilies, and onion and sauté them all. Next, add vegetables like carrots, potatoes, peas, sweet corns, beans or any vegetable of your choice and toss them well. Add some salt, so the vegetables cook sooner.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder and garam masala to mix everything together. Now add the oats mix everything, and add boiled water. Add some more salt to taste and allow it to cook properly. Once the oats are cooked, the cooks turn off the gas, add finely chopped fresh coriander, and serve hot.

Refreshing Oats Lassi

Lassi is yet another delicious way to have oats. Roast some oats and after they cool, make them into fine powder. Now add curd, sugar and little salt and blend them all. Add little water if you want the consistency to be thin. Remember, for 100 grams of curd, 15 grams of oats powder is enough. Rest sugar and salt can be added as per taste. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and enjoy in a hot summer afternoon.

Oats Porridge

Wash and chop carrots, beans, potatoes and peas or any vegetable you like. Take a saucepan and slightly dry roast the oats. Now add vegetables, salt, and pepper and cover it with a lid to allow all the vegetables to cook. Add some butter and mixed herbs to stir. Serve and enjoy the vegetable porridge.

Oats And Curd Baby Food

Oats are safe and healthy for babies as well. Take powdered oats and mix them with water. Cook this mixture over low flame and allow it to cook until it turns into a thick consistency. Then let it cool down completely and add plain curd and mix well. Add a bit of sugar or jaggery and feed your baby healthy oats food.

Oats Mixture

Apart from being a good way to start your day and healthy lunch, oats can be made into snacks as well. Kids love it, and it’s a fun way to feed fussy kids as well. Just add some oil or ghee and curry leaves, mustard seeds, chili and hing. Let it turn aromatic. Then add oats and chivda and roast them all together till they turn crispy. Add salt at last and let it cool down. Fill your child’s lunch with this mixture and let them enjoy the healthy snack.

Oats chilla

Breakfast can be fun with oats chilla. You might have tasted other types of chilla, but this one will surely win your heart. Grind oats into a coarse powder and add it to a bowl. Add semolina, curd, water, turmeric, finely chopped chili, ginger, salt to taste and onion. Make sure to make a batter like consistency. Heat the pan and grease it with a little oil or ghee. Pour the batter onto the heated pan and cover it. Let the chilla cook over low flame. After 2 min, remove the cover and add some more ghee to the top of the chilla. Once you notice the sides are golden and crispy, flip it and let the other side cook until golden brown. Serve hot with ketchup or curd, and enjoy a healthy breakfast!

Conclusion

In the above article, we saw many facts about oats and the benefits of having them as well. This domesticated cereal was once a wild variety and has been consumed for a long time by the human race. Not only us; they a greatly used as animal feed too, too, as it provides good quality hay, which is well and good for the grazing animals. As human civilization grew and many technologies developed, we understood the importance and benefits of having oats. Slowly, people are shifting towards healthy diets, and oats are on the top list of healthy diets. Moreover, oats stand out efficiently in areas that have a limited water supply. They are naturally gluten-free and can be taken by people with gluten issues. However, it is important to look for the gluten-free tag on the oats packet if you have such a medical condition. As a whole, oats are wonder grains and must be consumed by all.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am diabetic, so will oats cause any harm to me?

No, oats will not cause any harm if anyone is suffering from diabetes. Oats have a low glycemic index as compared to other cereal grains. It is proven that oats help patients with type-3 diabetes. Keep in mind to avoid added sugars in your oatmeal to make it more effective.

I want to lose weight; someone told me that oats would make me fat. Is this true?

No, oats will not make you fat! Oats are rich in soluble fats, which soak water and swell in your stomach, because of which you will not feel like eating anything for a long time. Oats take time to digest due it’s the high fiber content, which will reduce your craving to have tit-bits. Oats also reduce the bad cholesterol level in the body, which proves it to be beneficial during your weight loss journey. However, it is important to make a point clear that the toppings you add to your oatmeal must not contribute to weight gain. Limit the extra sugars in your diet as a whole.

Why should I eat overnight oats?

Healthy overnight oatmeal is prepared by soaking oats, chia seeds, and other dry fruits with milk. By doing so, the oats and dry fruits absorb the milk, are hydrated and become soft. It is a brilliant and quick breakfast option. You can make it healthier with other toppings like fruits and nuts, and to make it sweet and yummy, go with honey.

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