GLUTEN FREE awareness magazine March 2019

Oats and the gluten free diet The toxicity of oats for people with coeliac disease is controversial and has led to differing recommendations regarding its suitability as part of a gluten free diet. It is recommended that individuals with coeliac disease who wish to consume oats as part of their gluten free diet do so under medical supervision to ensure appropriate review and safety. A gastroscopy and small bowel biopsy before and after three months of regular uncontaminated oat consumption can help guide whether an individual with coeliac disease can safely consume oats. The term ‘gluten’ is used to collectively describe the parts of grain storage protein (‘prolamins’) from wheat, rye, barley and oats that are toxic to people with coeliac disease. The prolamins from each grain are called something different: Wheat – Gliadin; Barley – Hordein; Rye – Secalin; Oats – Avenin. In people with coeliac disease, ingestion of these prolamins results in an immune reaction. Ongoing research Coeliac Australia is currently supporting research studies being done at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne, examining the safety of oats for people with coeliac disease. The study aims to find a simpler way to identify people with coeliac disease who can safely consume oats as part of their gluten free diet. As well as trying to determine whether there is a safe level or variety of oats that can be tolerated by the majority of people with coeliac disease. No test for gluten in oats The current tests for gluten in food can measure gliadin, hordein, and secalin but not avenin, as it is a slightly different protein. Accordingly, the Australian Food Standards Code prohibits the use of a ‘gluten free’ claim on oat containing products. Regular updates on research projects such as this are published in The Australian Coeliac magazine, distributed to all members and affiliates of Coeliac Australia (as part of their membership). The Australian food standard differs to the regulations in Europe and the USA, where oats can be marketed as ‘gluten free’. More accurately, these ‘gluten free’ oats are labelled ‘wheat free’ in Australia, i.e. there is no measurable contamination from wheat, rye or barley. Can I have uncontaminated oats on a gluten free diet? Evidence shows that uncontaminated oats are well tolerated by most people with coeliac disease. However, in some people with coeliac disease, oat consumption can trigger a potentially harmful immune response. Please note that the absence of symptoms when consuming oats does not necessarily indicate they are safe – bowel damage can still occur despite the absence of symptoms. Gluten free alternatives for oats If you miss your warm oats porridge on cold winter mornings, you’ll find some delicious gluten free alternatives in the Coeliac Australia Gluten Free Recipes book (4th edition), available online at www.coeliac.org.au/shop. It is also one of the great resources given to all new members and affiliates on joining the Coeliac Australia community. You may also like to try this simple night-before muesli or the recipes overleaf for breakfast ideas and sweet treats that don’t use oats. Night-before muesli Porrid ge Warm winte up those r these morning chilly s porrid yummy glu with ge va ten fre riatio ns! e Buckw heat 1 cup porrid water ge ½ cup ½ cup buckwhea soy, coc milk (yo t Mille t po rridge 3 tab lesp ¾ cup oons millet ¾ cup water meal 2 dat milk es, Cinnam finely choppe Vanilla on, to d tast Pinch essence, e of salt to , to tast taste In a larg e e ove Corn 1 cup 1 cup and quino polent a po a rridge Pinch quinoa flak 1L wat of sea salt es or gra in er 2-3 Mix a cup of rice or quinoa flakes with a cup each of apple juice and soy milk and half-a-cup of yoghurt. Stir in a grated apple and a handful of chopped nuts. Soak overnight in a sealed container, then top with fresh berries before eating. stri r me pan, 2 tab onut, alm u can sub ½ cin ps of lem freque dium toast the lespoon stitute heat, ond mil ½ tea 2 car namon qui on or ora burn. ntly so shakin let me spoon s maple or rice mil with damom it ll nge rind al g toaste (You can doesn’ Mix k) cinnam syrup Com pods, t stic the pan all ski d mil bin on crushe 10 min ingred let doe p this ste k and to the e water In a ien sm p, but s tas mediu utes. Bri ts and d let sim boil the and buc millet, all sau n cepan, te good). the minute m heat ng to the let soak the wa mer for turn hea kwheat. vanilla water, for and bri Bring mil more s. Stir simme boil ove cookin ter is abs 15 minute t down over , and sal k, dat ng the rin wa and es, me ter if g occasi r for 10- r add buckw g, be car orbed. s, or unt occasi dium- t to a cal cinnam ma require ona 15 At low eful il heat. on, serve ple syr lly, Sim onally to hea m sim not to the end up or d. 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Serves apart. utes, syrup, ked buc or bak Add ply or unt kw Serves and mo 4 ed il the Nutrien cinnam heat, mil consis re mil 2 k, Nutrien t tency. k or wa per on. serv analysis t ter for per Tip: e: – Fat: serv analysis You 3.1g Energy: Based desired e: Ene – Bas Fat: can on ; Car coc Satu 1,10 4g; 4 serv bohydra ed on rgy: eve onu 0kJ rate (4 exc Saturate 1,43 2 flavour t milk for n try ma te: 47.9 d Fat: ; Protein es, hanges d Fat: 1kJ; Pro serves, : 8.2g . g (3 0.3g; a com king this ) 1g; Car tein: ; exchan Hints: pletely Serves wit bohydra 9g; ges) Add differe h te: 65g 1 yoghur Nutrien nt t for Energy: t analysis Play a cre with 1,89 Satu amier your the top 0kJ – Bas rate textur Try usi d Fat: ; Pro ed on (5 exc fav syrup ourite ping, con e. hanges 4.4g tein: 12.1 1 serve: ; Car fru g; Fat: and ) cooke ng your bohydra cinnam it instea sider add 8.1g slo te: 76.6 ; d of ing on. make r overnigh w the ma g t to po ple Coeliac Australia Gluten Free Recipes 4th Edition ready rrid in the ge to be morni ng… 5 1 37

GLUTEN FREE awareness magazine March 2019 | Page 5