Please could you tell me if oats contain gluten, as I am being given conflicting theories? D.K.

I have worked with a number of celiacs over the years and as I consider oats to be a very important and nutritious food I have always tried to include in their diet if possible.

White oats do not naturally contain gluten. The problem is not in the grain but in cross contamination with wheat and barley during the growing, harvesting and processing operations.

The most convincing research on the affect of oats on Celiacs was a Finnish study that monitored the allergic reaction to the grain in a control group over 12 months. They found that the reaction was no different in the group with pure oats included to those who had no oats in their diet at all.

If you are going to include oats in your diet and you have gluten intolerance then only use guaranteed pure oat flakes. These will have been sourced from farmers that only grow oats,
and who then process them in mills that exclude all other grains. Check in your local health food shop first and if you are not happy with their products then I suggest that you check online for gluten free product companies who usually have a stock of pure oats.

When you introduce oats into your diet, I would suggest eating every four days to start with and use as porridge, made with two tablespoons of oats. Monitor your reactions over the following 24 to 48 hours for any adverse symptoms.

The other grains that you can use that are gluten free are corn, millet, quinoa, rice and buckwheat.

A reminder of why oats are so good for us.

When oats are harvested, they are cleaned and then roasted which gives them their flavour. Their bran and their germ are not affected by this process, which means that they are a wholegrain and have a high concentration of nutrients.

They are particularly high in manganese, which is a very important antioxidant in cell health and the prevention of anaemia. They also contain selenium, tryptophan, phosphorus, Vitamin B-1, magnesium and some protein.

Oats contain a special fibre called beta-glucan – this particular fibre is very good for lowering cholesterol and can help prevent blood disorders that are linked to high cholesterol, in particular diabetes.

Oats are a low glycemic food. This is great because instead to sending your blood sugars very high and then dropping them like a stone a little while later as many carbohydrates can do – oats are a slow releasing fuel that means that your sugar levels are taken to a moderate level and the energy is sustained for an extended period of time.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid formed from proteins during the digestive process. Apart from being necessary for normal growth and development it is also the precursor (a substance from which another substance is formed) of serotonin, melatonin and niacin all essential chemicals in the brain that determine our mood.

Selenium is another great antioxidant – primarily in the repair of the DNA of cells especially in the colon – it also works with vitamin C in the lungs and if you are an asthma sufferer, you may find that a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast will help your condition.

Therefore, to summarise – oats provide you with fibre and antioxidants and are easily tolerable. They help put you into a good mood and feel better longer throughout the day. They have been shown to help prevent high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

You will find lots of free information about healthy eating, nutrients and superfoods on my website www.justfoodforhealth.com and you can download the January 2007 Emagazine free which contains all the details about the Gentle Detox. If you have any questions you would like answered in coming issues of FOH then please email me on sally@moyhill.com