Sigh. You know when you really want a relationship to work and you spend so much time trying to get it to work? And then you finally realize, “he’s just not that into you”? That’s me and Oats. I cannot tell you how much I wanted Oats to like me. Truly. It’s been years since I’ve been truly wooing Oats and to no avail. It’s a bummer. I hung out with Oats as a kid (In his guise of Instant Oats packets), I sometimes hung out with Oats as a non-gluten-free adult, and I’ve tried to hang out with gluten-free Oats as a diagnosed gluten-free adult.
And you know what? Oats never worked out for me. It’s been such a long and hard road for me and Oats. Oats is his own man. He likes who he likes. And I jealously watch as he gets along with others of my type (gluten-free folks), and I get sad. We talk, we argue, we make up, we try. But no matter what, we don’t work together. It’s not either of our faults. Oats is just being himself. I am just being myself. And, as it turns out, we just don’t work together, Oats and I.
Oats hangs out with some of my other gluten-free friends. They say he works really well in their recipes. I tried so hard to get him to work for MY recipes. But, it wasn’t meant to be. We don’t work together. I am anguished. Oats still gets invited to gluten-free parties. We meet at some of these. We say an awkward, “hi,” and leave it at that. Friends are confused. ”I thought you guys liked each other?” they say. I say, “it’s awkward.” I tell them, “he and I, well, we just can’t be together. It’s complicated.” My friends don’t understand. So many of my gluten-free friends like Oats. Why can’t I just like Oats? Why am I being so difficult?
If you are gluten-intolerant, oats may be bad for you, too. If you sometimes eat gluten-free oats and you feel bad, and you wonder, “hm, what did I eat that made me feel bad?” it could be oats. It turns out that even though oats (the gluten-free ones) don’t have gluten, they do have proteins that might behave the same way as gluten on the body of sensitive individuals. I spent so much time (years) trying to eat oats, but they always made me sick–and I never understood what was going on. Then I read this article and ones like it, and it all made sense. Read it for yourself and see if it might be you.
It turns out that folks who are sensitive like I am to the prolamine gliadin, which is found in wheat gluten, are also often senstitive to the prolamine in oats called avenin. As it turns out, just as there is gluten-sensitive enteropathy (celiac disease), there is also avenin-sensitive enteropathy, which is a sensitivity to the gluten-like substance in oats. Sigh. What this means is that many of us gluten-intolerant folks are actually intolerant to oats themselves, not to them being cross-contaminated with wheat. This is an area that hasn’t really been studied all that much. But, the toxicity of oats for gluten intolerant individuals is recognized by certain countries, including Australia.
Now, I’m not a medical doctor. And you shouldn’t listen to me without listening to your own body and speaking with your doctor. But, it’s food for thought for those of us who are gluten-intolerant.
Sigh.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Do any of you have the same symptoms when eating corn products? Apparently corn contains avenin too
What the hell am I meant to eat for breakfast if I can’t have oats??????????
Jenna: As far as I know, the prolamin in corn is zein (and not avenin). That said, I would monitor how you feel when you eat corn. It’s one of the top 8 allergens and if it’s not organic, the corn products we have in the US are made from GMO corn (which is bad news). My daughter has tested sensitive to corn, so we have it very rarely. That said, I understand your frustration. It’s really hard to not be able to tolerate such common things. Sigh. You might want to try quinoa flakes in the place of oats and see how you like them.
Ahh…this could explain some things. I recently removed wheat from my diet (for reasons unrelated to wheat sensitivity) and suddenly discovered that my body felt much better without it! I kept it out for a few days and then went out with some friends and had wheat products and within a day or two the gut felt heavy (for lack of a better way to describe it) and my muscles felt bloated. So I’ve been exploring the gluten-free world and seeing what I like and don’t like, and have been making my own granola for breakfast (I can’t stand the taste and texture of oatmeal). But since I’ve been eating it I’ve been noticing the constipation coming back and general heavy feeling in the gut, though the muscles feel ok. Perhaps oats are no good for me as well?…which would be quite sad, because I really like the granola…
Tara: Bleh. I know–I love granola. But it’s nice to know what’s making me feel yucky!
I don’t have celiac or allergies but I’ve noticed when I eat oatmeal I feel hazy. I stopped adding milk and cinnamon a they are natural sedatives when served hot. But still happening with the oats. Hmmm
Michelle: Yeah, that sounds like you’re sensitive to the avenin.
Well, I am glad I found this page. I was recently diagnosed with celiac and doing everything gluten free. Over the last couple of weeks I have tried 3 different brands of gluten free granola cereals, always followed by a tummy ache. Me scratching my head trying to think of what I could’ve eaten that would be contaminated. Today, after a new granola cereal, and another tummy ache, and thinking what the 3 brands have in common, oats were it. So here I am trolling the net to see if I was bonkers, and I guess I am not. How sad, because, oatmeal chocolate chips cookies have been a favorite of mine. Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories, to know I am not alone in this.
(Another) Sharon: I’m glad to be of help–although I know what a drag it is to not be able to eat oats. Hang in there! Also, there is a product that can be substituted for oats–quinoa flakes. I used them years and years ago–I need to find them again and do some experimenting.
many sites and researchers indicate theie belief that many persons may have an intolerance to most all grains as they contain lectins that cause problems in the intestinal tract. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/#axzz29xWUYaBf
this may be more theory than science, but there are many individuals who do seem to be better off avoiding most grains.
easier said than done? for sure!
Sharon: Yes, true about grains in general. But oats are in a particular category by themselves because of the prolamine avenin. The avenin is very close in structure to the prolamine in gluten–which makes is especially tough for many people who are gluten intolerant.
I was sooo excited a few years ago when the market introduced “gluten free oats”. I bought some and baked some cookies. Mmm, they were amazing! …and then I immediately got really sick.
Since then I’ve had a few unfortunate experiences where I’ve had a “gluten free” treat and gotten really sick, and then I’m informed that they had pure oats in them. I have other family members that are Celiac and they also can not have pure oats.
In the city I live in there is a gluten free bakery that uses pure oats in a lot of their baked goods. It really bugs me because I’m obviously not alone—I’m not the only Celiac that can’t have pure oats.
Asia: Yeah, I think many of us get sick on oats–but all of the information out there about “gluten-free” oats makes it hard to pinpoint that it is the oats that are making us sick. Sigh.
I am so glad I found this. Now I know why my bloated abdomen, phlebitis in my lower legs, joint pains, grogginess and sleeplessness reappear when I eat oats and/or buckwheat. My GP thinks I am a hypochondriac internet nut, and that there is nothing wrong with me, but someone forgot to tell my body it is all make-believe. I even run a temperature after I eat that stuff, and the redness and swelling in my legs is not funny. Oh well. There are still so may things I CAN eat, and thoroughly enjoy. I’m off to experiment with sticky rice rolls made of brown rice, palm sugar and cold pressed virgin coconut oil! And those lentil salads are delish – as well as bean curries or homemade Thai pea soup in my favourite mug!
Thank you! Hopefully now I will stop trying them!
I’m one who’s just happy to finally have a formal name for why my Dad and I avoid oats. In my attempts at research I began to wonder if it was unique between us as there was generally no information other than how oats get tainted with gluten in processing plants. I’ve generally been fine with wheat, but that bowl of oatmeal I had in college had me in pain for three days straight (I initially thought appendicitis until I told my dad). I miss them though. Everyone wants to be slightly healthy and they bring in oat stuff, and I run the other direction. Usually I say I’m allergic, or oat intolerant when I have time.
Marcia: It’s such a hassle, isn’t it? Sigh.
Julia,
I can understand what you’re going through. I’ve been through so many tests because the doctors thought I had a gluten-intolerance. However, I have no problem eating wheat but get the same horrible digestive problems when I eat oats. It’s extremely frustrating because all the doctors tell me I’m not gluten-sensitive so I shouldn’t have problems with oats, but alas my body tells me otherwise. I just hope my oat-intolerance doesn’t create a gluten-intolerance in the future.
Jess: I have to say, I don’t know anything about how the two intolerances are connected. But, yes–I agree–it would be great if you didn’t develop a gluten-intolerance!
I am learning quite a bit about my years of difficulty with oats. I have no problem with wheat, but oats always make me react like you guys react to gluten. It is hard to get people to take me seriously because the separate reaction to oats is just now being understood.
Oats don,t deal well with me either
I miss them too…
Sigh.
I, too have the same problems with oats. I’m also intolerant to gluten and oats, as well as buckwheat. Buckwheat also gets invited to gluten-free parties, but we do not get along. It’s sad, really, because I love oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, everything oat. And buckwheat-yummy buckwheat pancakes, and all those gluten-free cookies made with buckwheat, too. Oh, well. Life goes on and you get creative.
Nikki: you know, one of my other readers was talking about not tolerating buckwheat. She and I thought it was because she couldn’t find gf buckwheat (i.e., not potentially cross contaminated). Hm. Now I’m wondering about buckwheat. Although it is a seed and not a grain. Interesting.
I always thought I must be doing something wrong. For years I used to have awful tummy aches and washroom problems, but chalked it off to cross contamination. For the past six months I’ve tried to reintroduce GF oats into my diet, and have failed miserably. Ah, to enjoy a nice bowl of oats in the morning again, alas the pain and suffering is not worth it in the end.
Noor: I know. It’s so sad. Bleh.
Ah, Oats, he is a fickle lover. I have done the same dance with him. Overjoyed to be able to invite him back into my life, I cried with nostalgia and delight the day I made mazurkas again after a dozen years or more without. I reveled in his creamy steel-cut goodness for breakfast. I made the best apple-cranberry crisps ever. And yet, I was betrayed. Guts wrenchedand mind foggy, I had to admit Oats and I are not compatible and again he is banished from my kitchen. I share your disappointment, Jeanne. Sigh.
Becca: Sigh. It’s so sad, isn’t it?
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