What is Gluten? | Celiac Disease Foundation (2024)

Oats are found in many gluten-free products, including:

  • Granola bars and granola
  • Cookies
  • Baked goods
  • Veggie burgers
  • Cereals

Historically there have been concerns about patients with celiac disease eating oats due to cross-contact with gluten and a possible immune response leading to intestinal damage. Although oats themselves do not contain gluten, they are often grown, processed, and transported alongside wheat, barley, and rye, which do. Additionally, some patients with celiac disease report experiencing symptoms similar to a gluten exposure even when eating gluten-free oats.

Despite these concerns, ongoing research continues to suggest that most individuals with celiac disease can tolerate moderate amounts of gluten-free oats without triggering adverse symptoms. And, although the protein in oats (avenin) is similar in structure to the gluten protein, several studies have indicated that pure, uncontaminated oats do not cause an immune response leading to intestinal damage in patients with celiac disease.

When introducing oats into a gluten-free diet, it’s important to pick products that bear a gluten-free label. That label ensures that the product meets the standards of the FDA Gluten-Free Labeling rule and contains less than 20ppm gluten.

There are two ways that oat manufacturers can produce safe gluten-free oats.

  1. Mechanically or optically sorted oats are sorted by a combination of machines and humans to remove errant gluten-containing grains.
  2. Purity Protocol oats are manufactured following a set of standards designed by the company to prevent the oats from coming into contact with gluten at all stages of the manufacturing process. It’s important to note that there is no standard definition for purity protocol and the standards vary by company.

Regardless of how the oats are produced, all gluten-free oat products must adhere to the FDA Gluten-Free Food Labeling rule and contain less than 20ppm gluten. A “certification” label is not required, as all products with a “gluten-free” label must adhere to the FDA rule.

Learn more about research on oats.

Read a practitioner’s guide to oats.

What is Gluten? | Celiac Disease Foundation (2024)

FAQs

What is Gluten? | Celiac Disease Foundation? ›

The Celiac Disease Foundation

Celiac Disease Foundation
About Celiac Disease Foundation

The Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing services and support to persons with celiac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis (CD/DH) through programs of awareness, advocacy, and research.
http://rarediseases.org › celiac-disease-foundation
(CDF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing services and support to persons with celiac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis (CD/DH) through programs of awareness, advocacy, and research.

What does a gluten belly look like? ›

FAQs about gluten intolerance symptoms

The intestines make up most of the middle and lower abdomen, so “gluten belly” will look like any other type of lower digestive tract bloating. However, if bloating seems to be a regular or constant problem, that's a possible sign that it may be due to gluten intolerance.

Is the Celiac Disease Foundation legitimate? ›

The Foundation is a recognized member of Independent Charities of America (ICA), a nonprofit association of America's best charities, and Health & Medical Research Charities of America (HMR), a nonprofit organization that pre-screens high quality national and international charities.

What is the disease caused by gluten? ›

Celiac disease is an illness caused by an immune reaction to eating gluten. Gluten is a protein found in foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response to the gluten protein in your small intestine.

What exactly is gluten and why is it bad? ›

Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley, and rye. It's common in foods such as bread, pasta, pizza, and cereal. Gluten provides no essential nutrients. People with celiac disease have an immune reaction that is triggered by eating gluten.

What does a gluten face look like? ›

A typical gluten face will present with red, puffy cheeks, with spots of hyperpigmentation around the chin. Some people will also have pimples spread out over the chin. Your face can also become bloated or swollen.

How long after cutting out gluten do you feel better? ›

On average, people report feeling better after eating a gluten-free diet for 1 month. But this can vary from person to person. Some people feel better faster, and others need more than 1 month to see improvement.

What are the 15 symptoms of celiac disease? ›

They may suffer from abdominal distention and pain, and/or other symptoms such as: iron-deficiency anemia, chronic fatigue, chronic migraine, peripheral neuropathy (tingling, numbness, or pain in hands or feet), unexplained chronic hypertransaminasemia (elevated liver enzymes), reduced bone mass and bone fractures, and ...

What are the 5 stages of celiac disease? ›

Celiac disease is clinically defined as classic, non-classic, subclinical, potential, and refractory.

What triggers celiac disease later in life? ›

Celiac disease is caused by specific genes, eating gluten, and possibly by some other triggers such as childbirth, surgery, stress, or other autoimmune disorders. However, medical science is still working to understand the roles of these potential causal factors.

What are the first signs of being gluten intolerant? ›

What are the symptoms of gluten intolerance?
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Anemia.
  • Anxiety.
  • Bloating or gas.
  • Brain fog, or trouble concentrating.
  • Depression.
  • Diarrhea or constipation.
  • Fatigue.

Do potatoes have gluten? ›

The simple answer is yes — potatoes are gluten-free. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Potatoes aren't grains, they're a type of starchy vegetable.

What is mistaken for celiac disease? ›

Despite awareness efforts, celiac disease is often confused with other gluten-related disorders — like non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or a wheat allergy. Both seem similar to celiac disease, but are different conditions.

What foods surprisingly have gluten? ›

Here are some foods likely to contain gluten:
  • Beer, ale and lagers.
  • Bouillon cubes.
  • Brown rice syrup.
  • Candy.
  • Chips.
  • Communion wafers.
  • Couscous.
  • Deli meats.
Aug 7, 2020

How did your poop change after going gluten-free? ›

After starting a gluten-free diet, 6.2% of the patients who had not had diarrhea before the diagnosis of celiac disease experienced diarrhea. Constipation occurred in 18.6%; in many cases, it responded to a subsequent increase in fiber intake.

What are the worst foods for gluten? ›

In general, avoid the following foods if you have celiac disease: Cereals, breads, or other grain products that include wheat, rye, barley, or oats. This includes white or whole-wheat flour (including cookies, crackers, cakes, and most other baked goods), semolina, couscous, bread crumbs, most pastas, and malt.

What are the symptoms of gluten belly? ›

People may experience the following symptoms for several hours or days after they consume gluten:
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Anemia.
  • Anxiety.
  • Bloating or gas.
  • Brain fog, or trouble concentrating.
  • Depression.
  • Diarrhea or constipation.
  • Fatigue.

What does gluten bumps look like? ›

Gluten rash is a chronic, autoimmune skin condition that occurs in people with celiac disease because of gluten sensitivity. Symptoms of a gluten rash include a rash that looks like red, raised skin lesions/blisters, sores that look like hives, and lesions that occur in groups.

How do you fix a gluten belly? ›

Eat simple, light meals to avoid irritating your stomach further such as soups, gluten free toast and smoothies. Nourish your insides with probiotic and prebiotic foods and supplements to help your intestines recover. Ultimately, you have to ride out the “glutening” with rest.

How long does it take for a gluten belly to go away? ›

After you stop eating foods with gluten, your symptoms will likely get better in a few days to weeks. Your small intestine should heal completely in 3 to 6 months.

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