Oats: Love 'Em; Hate 'Em

I wouldn't touch oats with a ten foot pole (though I totally understand why people like them and want to keep them in their diet).

It was the one food that (during our total elimination diet) had my son writhing and screaming on the floor within 20 minutes of ingestion.

It's been at least five years since then and I've just never been able to bring myself to feed them to my family since then.

To top it off, about a year after our experience, I found a study that said even if there's no reaction, they cause intestinal inflammation even in a 'normal' intestinal tract (whatever that means).

So, though I miss oatmeal cookies... I'm definitely happier just playing it safe and leaving them out completely.

Resources:

Effect of an oats-containing gluten-free diet on symptoms and quality of life in coeliac disease. A randomized study.

Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology.Scand J Gastroenterol. 2004 Jan;39(1):27-31.Peräaho M; Kaukinen K; Mustalahti K; Vuolteenaho N; Mäki M; Laippala P; Collin P;

Increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and mucosal adhesion molecule alpha4beta7 integrin in small intestinal mucosa of adult patients with food allergy.

Clin. Immunol. Jun;99(3):353-9.

Veres G, Helin T, Arato A, Färkkilä M, Kantele A, Suomalainen H, Savilahti E.
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.