Are Oats Gluten Free?

“Are oats gluten free?” is a common question among those starting a gluten-free diet. Let’s talk about whether oats are considered gluten free in New Zealand, food labeling standards, and some gluten free alternatives for oats.

This is something that many people wonder when they first go gluten-free. And it’s a question I see asked often in groups on Facebook.

So, are oats considered gluten free in New Zealand?

The short answer is, no, in New Zealand (and Australia) oats are not considered gluten free. They are not recommended as part of a gluten free diet for those with Coeliac disease, and no products containing oats are allowed to be labelled gluten free.

This is why I don’t have any recipes containing oats as an ingredient on Gluten Free Kiwi Favourites.

But why are oats not considered gluten free? Do oats actually contain gluten? Well here’s the longer answer, and there are two factors at play here:

• A protein called avenin
• Cross-contamination

So let’s talk about them.

Avenin

Oats themselves don’t contain the same types of gluten that wheat, barley and rye contain (glutenin and gliadin), however they do contain a similar protein called avenin, which is technically also a type of gluten. Avenin can trigger reactions in some people with Coeliac disease.

Reactions to avenin can’t be detected in the current Coeliac blood tests, and gut symptoms aren’t always as outwardly obvious as eating gluten.

If you have Coeliac disease, the only way to find out if it’s safe for you to eat oats is to do an “oat challenge”. This is where you have an endoscopy and biopsy to check that you currently have no intestinal damage from gluten, then you eat uncontaminated (“gluten free”) oats for a period of time and have another endoscopy to check for damage. This type of testing is not generally publicly funded and can only be done privately.

It’s not known exactly how many Coeliacs react to oats (it’s estimated at around 20%), and because there is no easy way to tell, it is safer to avoid oats altogether.

Cross-contamination

Oats are often grown in close proximity to gluten-containing crops such as wheat or barley, which can easily lead to cross-contamination during growing and harvesting.

Oats are also often processed on the same equipment as other grains, which, again, can lead to cross-contamination.

Can you buy gluten free oats in New Zealand?

No, because it is not legal to label oats or any food containing oats as gluten free in New Zealand or Australia.

There is a certain brand selling oats in some supermarkets and health food shops that use questionable labelling to suggest that their products are gluten free, however, while they may say they are uncontaminated oats, they can’t be sold as gluten free because they still contain avenin.

Food Labels

Oats must be declared as an allergen on food packaging. If you’re new to reading food labels, you should have a look at this info sheet from MPI, explaining the new allergen labelling rules that have just come into place (although some old packaging may be around for a while yet, they will still say if they contain oats). They also have a handy YouTube video you can watch.

Overseas standards

Some other countries take a less strict approach to oats, and uncontaminated oats can be sold as gluten free.

This is why you may see gluten free recipes online that contain oats.

It can also make it tricky when travelling overseas, as you need to be more careful with reading labels – seeing something labelled gluten free may not mean that it is oat free, and it pays to be familiar with the rules in countries that you visit.

General gluten free standards in other countries can also be different. For example, in many countries, the limit for something to be considered gluten free is 20ppm (parts per million) and in NZ/Aus, we have a stricter limit of 3ppm.*

*According to Coeliac NZ, there is actually no 3ppm limit in the current legislation, and there must be “no detectable gluten”. However, my understanding is that due to the way gluten detection tests work, 3ppm is referred to as the unofficial accepted limit.

Summing up – are oats gluten free?

In New Zealand and Australia, oats are not considered to be gluten free.

Of course, like anything else, it’s up to you what you choose to eat. But, if you have Coeliac disease, it is currently not recommended to consume oats unless you have completed an oat challenge.

If you have a gluten sensitivity, not Coeliac disease, then you can likely choose your approach to oats based on symptoms. If they don’t make you feel great, you may want to avoid them, but if you don’t have any issues, then oats could be a great addition to your breakfasts and baking.

Because I want this website to be a place where people with Coeliac disease can eat everything they see, I won’t be sharing any recipes with oats here.

Oat alternatives for breakfast

While it’s hard having another food ruled out when you’re following a strict gluten free diet, there are alternatives you can try.

For breakfast porridge, Real Foods rice flakes are a popular option. You can also try quinoa flakes, although I find those do have quite a strong quinoa flavour.

Many gluten free stores like the Gluten Free Shop, and organics shops will have breakfast options. The key is trying a few and seeing what you like.

My Dad’s usual breakfast for the past few years has been regular quinoa (not flakes), cooked with apple juice in place of some of the water and served with some yoghurt and fruit. He cooks 4-5 days’ worth at a time and just reheats it in the microwave in the mornings.

Baking without oats

I have found crushed gluten free Weet-bix to be the easiest replacement for oats in recipes, they absorb a similar amount of liquid as oats do, however they don’t hold their shape as well as oats and tend to have a slightly mushier texture in recipes with a lot of liquid.

Other crushed gluten free cereals like cornflakes and rice bubbles can be useful in different recipes, too. Make sure you buy the gluten free version of both of those, as the regular ones contain barley malt flavouring and are not gluten free.

Rolled quinoa has the closest texture to rolled oats, however as I mentioned above, the quinoa flavour is quite strong, so if it’s a recipe without a lot of other strong flavours, you will likely taste the quinoa.

If you’re looking to replace oats in your own favourite recipes, you may need to experiment a little bit with them to get a good result. The liquid may need to be adjusted, or other dry ingredients (such as the flour) increased slightly. I suggest trying the recipe once with an equal weight of your oat alternative of choice, and adjusting the recipe from there, depending on how it turns out.

If you’re not ready to experiment yet, no worries, I have some recipes you may like.

Want to know more about stocking a gluten free pantry? My gluten free ingredient guide can help you figure out where to start.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below 💜