Dangerous gluten: is it in oats?

If previously ordinary oats were used as feed for horses, cattle and poultry, today the share of the product in the human diet is increasing. The popularity of the cereal is due to its high content of protein, amino acids, vitamins, and easy digestibility. Oats are widely used in children's and dietary nutrition; diets with them are recommended for various diseases.

There is only one contraindication for eating oats: gluten intolerance. Therefore, before including cereals and dishes based on them in your diet, make sure you do not suffer from celiac disease. What gluten is, what its benefits and harms are for the body, whether oats contain gluten or not and in what quantity will be discussed in our article.

Chemical composition and beneficial properties of oats

Nature has generously supplied oats with valuable vitamins, minerals and other beneficial elements.

Per 100 g of grain there are:

• proteins - 10 g;
• fat - 6.2 g;
• carbohydrates - 55.1 g;
• dietary fiber - 12 g;
• water - 13.5 g;
• ash - 3.2 g;
• calorie content - 316 kcal.

Carbohydrates are presented as simple ones - glucose, maltose, sucrose and fructose, as well as complex, healthy ones - starch (36.1 g) and dietary fiber (12 g).

The grain contains B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, folates), vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), vitamin PP (nicotinic acid ), vitamin H (biotin).

Oats are of great importance as a source of minerals.They are mainly represented by silicon (3333.3% of the norm in 100 g), manganese (262.5%), cobalt (80%), copper (60%), phosphorus (45.1%), selenium (43.3 %), magnesium (33.8%), zinc and iron (30%). In lower concentrations there is potassium, calcium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, iodine, fluorine, chromium.

Many people have a question about the benefits of oats for the human body. Firstly, it has the highest protein content among all cereals. It has high nutritional value, participates in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and serves as a plastic material for the construction of cells, tissues, and organs.

Oats contain high concentrations of protein: 100 g of cereal satisfies the body's daily need for protein compounds by 18.8%.

For reference. Protein deficiency in the body can cause general malaise, decreased endurance and performance, dry skin, dystrophy of teeth and nails, and swelling of the body.

Secondly, starch is present in grains in large quantities (36.1 g per 100 g of grain). This is a complex carbohydrate that plays an important physiological role for the digestive system and the body as a whole:

• supports intestinal tract immunity;
• protects mucous membranes from the aggressive effects of external and internal factors;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin: moisturizes, nourishes, tones, lightens dark circles under the eyes and age spots;
• accelerates regenerative processes.

Thirdly, the vitamins, micro- and macroelements contained in the cereal support the functions of the nervous and urinary systems, gastrointestinal tract, ensure proper functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

B vitamins together with ascorbic acid have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system: they activate hematopoietic processes, participate in the production of red blood cells, increase the strength and elasticity of vascular walls and small capillaries, and reduce their permeability.

Active substances help the body get rid of bad cholesterol, which serves as a good prevention of atherosclerosis, diseases associated with blockage of blood vessels and their complications: hypertension, ischemia, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus

Oats have a positive effect on the nervous system. Regular consumption of dishes made from it allows you to improve brain activity, activate thinking processes, increase concentration, get rid of insomnia, feelings of fear, anxiety, and worries.

Thanks to its diuretic effect and the presence of plant fiber, oats qualitatively free the intestines from waste and toxins, stimulate peristalsis of the large intestine, normalize metabolism, and improve digestion. The product is useful for diarrhea, but its uncontrolled use can cause the opposite effect and lead to constipation.

Oat dishes are recommended for those who want to lose weight or control weight. The cereal is very nutritious and quickly saturates the body with one small portion. The carbohydrates present in the composition are absorbed over a long period of time, filling the body with energy without turning into new fat deposits.

Oats effectively cleanse and bile ducts, blood, liver, useful for urolithiasis, maintains normal blood sugar levels, destroys and removes uric acid salts in case of gout, arthritis and arthrosis.

The grain is used as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, wound-healing agent, as a powerful antioxidant that helps preserve youth and beauty, and slow down the aging process.

Cereal helps in the fight against colds, strengthens the immune system, improves body tone, and protects against flu and genitourinary infections.

What foods contain gluten?

Gluten or gluten is a group of proteins contained in cereal plants, especially rye, barley and wheat. The term combines proteins of the prolamine and glutelin fractions, namely: avenin, hordein, secalin, gliadin. When dry, it has neither taste nor color; upon contact with water, an elastic, sticky mass is formed.

The highest concentrations, about 70%, are found in barley, wheat, rye, less is found in rice, millet, oats. Gluten is used in the baking industry to improve the elasticity and firmness of dough, increase the specific volume of the product, and extend shelf life.

Therefore, gluten can be found in bread, breakfast cereals, and other dough products. On average, a person consumes from 10 to 45 g of gluten per day, most of which enters the body with bread, pasta, and bakery products.

Gluten is added to ice cream, gravy, yogurt, and ketchup to give the product a thick texture. It is used in the form of dry gluten to prepare minced meat, sausages, dumplings, semi-finished products, and pasta.

Is there gluten in oats and in what quantity?

Do oats contain gluten or not? Despite the fact that the former belongs to the Cereal family, whose seeds usually contain gluten, unrefined grains do not naturally contain it.

The fractional composition of oats is very different from the protein fractions of wheat, barley and rye. Of the group of proteins in oat grains, glutelins predominate (from 43 to 80%), prolamins (12-58%), globulins are the least found (from 18 to 56%).

When compared with wheat and barley grains, oat grains contain half as much glutamic acid, but more argenine.

Oats grown from genetically pure seeds with the removal of other grain plants from the fields, provided they are kept clean during processing and stored in a separate bin, do not pose a threat to people with individual gluten intolerance.

Important! Keep in mind that gluten can be accidentally introduced into oatmeal during the processing of other grains. Naturally, its concentrations will be lower than in barley, rye, and wheat, but sufficient to cause a severe allergic reaction in people with gluten intolerance.

Another reason why oats may be contraindicated for celiac disease is the presence of avenin. This protein is similar in physical properties to glutelin, and can also cause allergies. According to clinical data, about 20% of patients with celiac disease react to avenin, as well as to gliadin (wheat prolamin), hordein (barley), secalin (rye).

The level of gluten in oat grains can vary greatly and depends on cultivation technology, grain processing, growing and storage conditions. If the composition contains obvious gluten, the manufacturer must report its content and concentration.

Usually there is information on the packaging that the product contains residual traces of gluten.This means that during production, during packaging, storage, and transportation, grains of gluten-containing grain crops that were not designated as part of the cereal could have gotten into the oats in small doses.

Important! This product belongs to a risk group and is not recommended for use by people with gluten intolerance.

Are oats gluten free?

On the shelves of shops and supermarkets you can buy gluten-free oats, which do not contain obvious or hidden gluten. You can recognize such a product by the labeling on the packaging “gluten free” (gluten free), indicating the country of origin and a certificate of quality examination.

Advice. For a gluten-free diet, it is better to buy cereals from domestic producers or a similar foreign product from well-known and trusted brands.

How much gluten is in oatmeal?

Liquid oatmeal, prepared in water without salt and sugar, contains an average of 11.6 g of starch per 100 g. The concentration of gluten differs depending on the type of cereal, grain processing technology and cooking method.

Why is gluten harmful and what are its benefits?

Gluten plays an important role in the body: protects the intestinal mucous membranes from the irritating effects of physical and chemical factors, inhibits inflammatory processes, absorbs and removes toxic substances, waste and other harmful compounds.

Products containing starch are recommended to be included in medical nutrition for erosive and ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since gluten has the ability to reduce acidity and alleviate the severity of symptoms of gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.

For healthy people, the use of gluten-containing products within normal limits does not threaten life and health.In people with gluten intolerance, protein consumption can cause celiac disease (gluten enteropathy), which manifests itself as dysfunction of the small intestine.

The main clinical signs of celiac disease are loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, loose stools with a lot of fat, bloating and rumbling, abdominal pain, weakness, apathy, and fatigue. Elderly people experience pain and aches in muscles and bones.

Why is celiac disease dangerous?

The progression of celiac disease leads to disruption of the chemical reactions and physical mechanisms that keep the body alive. In patients with celiac disease, the risk of intestinal cancer, inflammation of the small and ileal intestines, and iron deficiency anemia increases.

Long-existing syndrome can cause disturbances in mineral metabolism, protein deficiency, hypovitaminosis, and the inability to give birth to a child.

How to Know If You Have Gluten Intolerance

Reason to suspect gluten intolerance is a decrease in stamina and performance after eating, up to a complete loss of strength. Some people experience headaches after eating, complain of decreased concentration, joint pain, tingling and numbness in the arms and legs, skin rashes, and mouth ulcers.

Important! If the indicated symptoms appear, consultation with a gastroenterologist and a comprehensive examination are necessary to determine the level of sensitivity to gluten.

The most informative and reliable method for identifying celiac enteropathy is the determination of antibodies to tissue transglutaminase and gliadin in the blood. The reliability of the result is 95-97%.You can perform a biopsy of the small intestinal mucosa and identify existing atrophic changes in the villi (their smoothing), the concentration of lymphocytes in the mucosa.

Reference. To clarify the diagnosis, according to the indications of a specialist, endoscopy of the small intestine, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, computed tomography, fluoroscopy of the intestine, MRI of the mesenteric vessels, and the Schilling test are performed.

Conclusion

The question of whether oats contain gluten remains open today. According to the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago Medicine, oats are not officially a gluten-containing grain. But in fact, the cereal is not entirely safe for people with celiac disease due to the presence of the protein avenin.

Another reason why oats should not be consumed if you have celiac disease is the possibility of grain contamination during the process of growing, harvesting, transporting, storing and packaging together with other grain crops. Nutritionists recommend that those following a gluten-free diet buy a product labeled “gluten free.”