Oats and Oatmeal Recipes

Vegan Gluten Free Pancakes

Crack Pie

Are Oats Gluten Free?
This is sort of a trick question.  I’ll explain.
Oats themselves are gluten-free. However, the issue that arises is that in the planting of oat crops, harvesting, milling, and transporting the oats, they are frequently cross-contaminated with wheat, rye, or barley which all are gluten-containing grains.   So yes, oats are gluten-free inherently but they are surface-level contaminated with gluten, sometimes in large amounts, sometimes in trace amounts.  For individuals with true Celiac Disease, gluten should be avoided at all costs.

For individuals like myself who are gluten-sensitive and gluten-intolerant, but it’s not a matter of life-and-death, to each his or her own whether they choose to purchase specifically certified Gluten-Free Oats.  My gluten intolerance is not sensitive enough that I need to do this and I am fine using conventional oats, but I also don’t ever eat more than 1/3 cup per day or I will feel the effects systemically; but..

…”There are several companies who now sell “certified gluten-free oats,” which are oats that are farmed, harvested, processed and packed using special methods to avoid cross-contamination with gluten during every step of the way. Gluten-free oats currently sell for around $4 to $5 a pound.” (source)

If you feel that organic oats, Trader Joe’s or WF’s many varieties of oats, the bulk bins at your food co-op, or even Quaker Oats won’t suffice and need a truly Gluten-Free option, check out Gluten Free Oats or Bob’s Red Mill GF Oats.

So that was a long-winded answer but like I said, it’s tricky and only your own personal detective work will tell you whether you need Certified GF Oats or not.

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