Oats

Today, gluten-free oats are typically considered a safe component of a gluten-free diet for most of us who need one.[1]**  In recent years, numerous studies have found that "moderate amounts of gluten-free oats are well tolerated by the majority of people with celiac disease."[2]  In fact, a Finnish study published in November 2013 considered the long-term effects of the consumption of gluten free oats by individuals with celiac disease, evaluating 106 adults diagnosed with celiac disease, 70 of whom consumed gluten free oats.[3]  40 of the subjects had consumed gluten free oats for five years or more.[3]  The study concluded that "in this large cross-sectional study we showed that in celiac disease long-term consumption of oats for up to eight years had no detrimental effect on symptoms, small-bowel mucosal villous morphology and inflammation..."[3] 

After all, pure oats do not contain gluten and are not related to gluten-containing grains.[1],[2],[4]  But the key word in the previous sentence is pure...pure oats.  While oats themselves do not contain gluten, the oats sold cheaply in the giant containers plastered with the face of a kindly bewigged and behatted gentleman are typically contaminated because they are grown, harvested, and/or processed alongside wheat, barley, and rye.[2],[4]  However, gluten free and non-contaminated oats have become more and more available in recent years, with multiple producers offering a variety of different types from instant to rolled to groats to steel cut.  Several of my local grocery stores carry gluten free oats, and I ordered them in bulk from Amazon before I could reliably find my favorite rolled oats in stores.

Why are oats such a great addition to gluten free diets?  Gluten free diets, especially those that rely heavily on packaged gluten free foods, can be light on fiber.[5]  After all, as discussed in my two part series on whole grains, gluten free packaged foods often contain more fat, more sugar, and less fiber than comparable non-gluten-free products.   A single cup of cooked oatmeal provides 4 grams of fiber.[6]  Importantly, oats contain soluble fiber, which is believed to reduce LDL and total cholesterol counts[2] (which is why Cheerios can be advertised as heart healthy).  That fiber also helps prolong the feeling of fullness, helping us eat less, and stabilizes blood sugar.[7],[8]  Oats are also a source of needed minerals iron and manganese.[2]

Eating oats for breakfast is easy for all of us, not just those who have unlimited amounts of time to get out the door or who don't mind stirring a pot on the stove to their morning routine.  For years, I took a small container of overnight oats to the office for breakfast.  The night before, I combined rolled oats, flavored yogurt, and milk or water in a 1:1:1 ratio, stirred, and stuck the concoction in the fridge.  When I got to the office, I stopped by the microwave and heated up the mixture enough to take the chill off, and presto: a whole grain breakfast with no fuss, wait, or inconvenient boilovers!  I've also had great success with baked oatmeals.  Additionally, oats can be cooked overnight in a slowcooker or enjoyed as commercially prepared or homemade gluten free granola (just be aware of the fat and sugar content of your chosen product).  And oats aren't just for breakfast.  I frequently use small amounts of oats (sometimes processed briefly in a food processor) in place of breadcrumbs in meatloaf and burger recipes.  Oat flour is used in some gluten free recipes.   I also use gluten free oats when I make my own granola bars.   

**Note that some individuals diagnosed with celiac disease or who are gluten intolerant may have a reaction to oats, so please consult your doctor or dietitian if you have questions about the appropriateness of including gluten-free oats in your diet.

For more information about:

Gluten Free Oats as Part of a Gluten Free Diet, see

[1] University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center on Oats

[2] Living Without on Gluten Free Oat Consumption

[3] Long Term Consumption of Oats in Adult Celiac Disease Patients

[4] The Kitchn on Oats as Gluten Free

Fiber Content of Gluten Free Diets, see

[5] Gluten Intolerance Group on Nutrient Deficiencies in Celiac Disease

[6] Gluten Intolerance Group on Adding Fiber to a Gluten Free Diet

Nutritional Benefits of Oats, see

[7] Whole Grains Council on Oats

[8] "On My Plate: An RD Dishes About Oatmeal"

Xanthan Gum...Say What?

Xanthan gum was something I first noticed when I took a few tentative steps into gluten free cooking.  Planning to make a cake as a hostess gift, I bought it in a giant bag guaranteed to last approximately forever, and didn't ask any questions.  I was after a decent tasting cake, not a science lesson.  But during my Food Science class last semester, I started wondering what it was and why it was used so much in gluten free baking.

Scientifically, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide, or a bunch of individual sugar molecules linked together in a chain.[1],[2]  The individual sugars are D-glucose, D-mannose, and D-glucuronic acids, for those biochemically inclined.[2]  It is produced by a bacterium that ferments carbohydrates, creating a gel that is then dried and milled.[1],[2],[3]  The specific carbohydrate fermented varies by the xanthan gum manufacturer.[4]  Thus, xanthan gum is a carbohydrate - one that contains quite a lot of fiber (7g per tablespoon according to Bob's Red Mill).[1]  Some people, apparently, don't digest xanthan gum well, reporting various symptoms from mild intestinal discomfort to severe pain.[3]   

It turns out that xanthan gum isn't something that is used exclusively in gluten free cooking.  In fact, it's used commercially as a thickener and/or stabilizer in salad dressings, sauces, refrigerated doughs, dry mixes, emulsions, ice creams, and cakes.[2]  For example, both Edy's Slow Churned Cookie Dough Ice Cream and Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix - obviously not gluten free - contain it.[5],[6] 

In gluten free cooking, specifically, xanthan gum can help "replicate some of the stretching and structural characteristics of gluten."[3]  Gluten provides structure because it is elastic and plastic - it stretches in response to expanding heated gases and then is locked in place, holding that stretch, when heat coagulates the proteins.[2],[4]  Without gluten - or something to replace gluten's elasticity and plasticity - gluten-free products are heavy, dry, and/or crumble to pieces.[4]  As a result, the vast majority of gluten free baking recipes call for a binder (like xanthan gum) to improve elasticity and strengthen the baked goods' protein structure.[7] 

It doesn't take much - most recipes call for 1/4-2 teaspoons of xanthan gum per cup of flour.  In fact, an eighth of a teaspoon short or heavy can make a big difference in the final product, according to America's Test Kitchen's brand new The How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook. 

For more information about

Xantham Gum, see

[1] Bob's Red Mill on Xanthan Gum

[3] The Kitchn on Xanthan Gum

[4] Gluten Replacers in Gluten Free Baking

Other Sources

[2] Brown, Amy.  Understanding Food:  Principles of Preparation.  4th Ed.  Belmont, California:  Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011.  Print.

[5] Edy's Slow Churned Cookie Dough Ice Cream

[6] Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix

[7] The Editor's at America's Test Kitchen.  The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook.  Brookline, Massachusetts, America's Test Kitchen, 2014.  Print.

This post is not intended to address the safety of consuming xanthan gum.  I did find an article by Chris Kressler here that attempts to grapple with that question, but I cannot vouch for its accuracy or completeness. 

Arsenic and Old...Rice

 Back in 2012, shortly after I'd decided to return to school in dietetics, I came across a report that Consumer Reports published following an investigation into the levels of inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products.[1]  After testing more than 60 products, Consumer Reports expressed concern that a single serving of several of the tested products contained nearly as much arsenic as an adult would get from consuming an entire day's worth of water containing arsenic at the highest level permitted under federal water standards.[1] 

My first thought at the time was - because I'd seen a certain movie referenced in the title of this post - "isn't arsenic a poison?"  In that particular movie, Cary Grant's character's elderly aunts kill older gentlemen using arsenic and have a neighbor bury the corpses in the basement.  And yes, arsenic has a well-documented history of use as a poison outside of old movies.[2]

But more importantly, inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen.[3],[4],[5],[6],[7]  It's listed as a substance that is "carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (a part of the World Health Organization), and as one of the compounds "known to be human carcinogens" by the National Toxicology Programs (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).[4],[5],[6]

So what is arsenic doing in our food and water?  Arsenic is a chemical element that is present in the Earth's crust, so natural weathering processes can cause it to enter both soil and water.[1],[8]  But the human race has also increased the arsenic in water and soil by burning various fuels (including coal, oil, gas, and wood), mining, and using arsenic in animal feed, pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and wood preservatives.[1],[8]  Once arsenic is in our food and water, it enters our crops, and then our dinner plates.[1],[8],[9]  Rice takes up more arsenic than many other plants, largely because it is grown in water-flooded conditions.[1],[9]  But arsenic is also found in fruits, vegetables, juices, and beer.[1],[10] 

Apparently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been monitoring arsenic levels in foods for decades, and stepped up testing in 2011.[11]  The FDA released a preliminary report on arsenic levels in rice in September 2012, and followed up in September 2013 with the release of findings of an extensive initiative that tested 1,300 rices and rice-based products.[8],[11],[12]  The levels were, at times, even higher than those reported by Consumer Reports.[1],[10],[11]  The FDA concluded that the arsenic levels observed were "too low to cause immediate health damage."[12]

Great.  So eating rice with my Thai curry won't poison me...today.  But the FDA had nothing to say about the long-term effects of rice consumption, despite acknowledging that inorganic arsenic "under some circumstances has been associated with long-term health effects."[8],[12]  Assessing the long term risk of that rice to the U.S. population (including certain vulnerable segments of that population) is the FDA's next step.[9],[13] 

Where does that leave those of us who are gluten free?  When I first saw the Consumer Reports article, I thought "oh, we don't eat that much rice.  I'm sure we're fine."  Except when I'd initially thought about how much rice we ate, I'd been mentally tallying this kind of rice:

The problem is that for those of us who are gluten free, rice is also disguised as the following:

In fact, nearly every gluten free packaged product or mix in my home contains at least some rice or rice-based flour.  Of the eleven products pictured, only four do not contain more rice or rice flour than anything else.  When I re-tallied up all of the rice I ate, including the less-obvious sources of rice, I realized that I ate a lot of rice.  And I think that most people on gluten free diets probably do too.

Until the FDA completes its assessment of the long-term effects of the arsenic in rice, it is recommending that consumers

"eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of grains for good nutrition

and to minimize potential adverse consequences

from consuming an excess of any one particular food."[9]

For those of us who are gluten free, the variety of grains we consume can't include wheat or barley, but there is a long list of other grains we can incorporate into our diets.  (See my first post on whole grains to review that list.)  We can eat quinoa, millet, or buckwheat instead of rice.  Additionally, we can seek out gluten-free packaged products that use less (or no) rice.  They do exist.  In fact, when pulling items for the picture of disguised rice sources, I found a few Bob's Red Mill mixes stashed in my freezer that happen to contain no rice.  Several manufacturers make quinoa, corn, or bean based pastas, or pastas made from a number of different grains.  Udi's bread contains a variety of flours in addition to rice. 

Additionally, both the FDA and Consumer Reports suggest that rinsing rice before cooking and then cooking it in excess water and draining it like pasta can reduce the amount of arsenic actually consumed.[1],[9]  Unfortunately, this may also lower the nutritional value of the rice by draining off B vitamins.[9]  Another possibility would be to consume more white rice than brown rice (which generally had higher arsenic levels), but that too has nutritional ramifications.[1],[14]

For more information about:

Reports and articles regarding arsenic levels in rice products, see

[1] Consumer Reports on Arsenic in Rice 2012

[10] Consumer Reports on Arsenic in Foods 2013

[11] FDA on Arsenic in Rice

[12] FDA Consumer Update on Arsenic in Rice

[13] FDA Blog on Next Steps in Arsenic and Rice

[14] FDA on Testing and Analysis of Arsenic in Rice

[9] FDA Arsenic in Rice Q&A

[8] FDA Consumer Update on Arsenic in Rice 2012

FDA Analytical Results from Arsenic in Rice Sampling

Specific recommendations regarding rice consumption in response to arsenic levels, see

[1] Consumer Reports on Arsenic in Rice 2012

[9] FDA Arsenic in Rice Q&A

Arsenic as a carcinogen, see

[3] World Health Organization Arsenic Fact Sheet

[4] National Toxicology Program Arsenic Report

[5] International Agency for Research on Cancer List of Classifications

[6] International Agency for Research on Cancer Classification Lists

[7] EPA on Arsenic

History of Arsenic as a Poison, see

[2] Dartmouth Toxic Metal Superfund Research Program on History of Arsenic

Achieving 50%, Part II

Last week, I wrote about MyPlate’s recommendation that we “make at least half of [our] grains whole grains,”[1] wondering whether those of us who are gluten free were failing to get even a failing grade on our whole grain consumption.  After all, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, fewer than 5% of Americans actually meet this goal.[2]    That post discussed various gluten-free whole grains that can be eaten in their natural form.  This week, we’ll pick up where we left off, and consider how to use whole grains from packaged gluten free products towards our 50%. 

The number, availability, and palatability of gluten free packaged foods has substantially improved in the past few years.  There aren’t many of us who don’t eat them from time to time, even if we try not to make it a habit.  It’s relatively well known that these products often aren’t exactly paragons of health, and that they often contain more fat, more sugar, and less fiber than comparable non-gluten-free products.[3],[4] 

Evaluating these products for their contribution towards our 50% goal is a three step process, and involves (1) determining whether a product contains whole grains at all, then (2) evaluating how many whole grains it contains, and finally, (3) considering how that product fits into your daily grain intake. 

Step 1:  Does a Packaged Product Contain Whole Grains?

Determining whether the product contains whole grains is often relatively simple.  Some products containing whole grains are easily identifiable because they carry the Whole Grain Stamp, as explained and pictured here.   

Courtesy of Oldways Preservation Trust and the Whole Grains Council, www.wholegrainscouncil.org 

If you don’t see the stamp, however, don’t despair – not all products containing whole grains carry it.  You can also look for statements on the packaging like “made with whole grains,” “good source of whole grains,” and “excellent source of whole grains.”[2]  Additionally, whole grain health claims on packaging (tying whole grains and other consumption patterns to reduced risks of type II diabetes, heart disease, or certain cancers), can only be used if the product contains certain amounts of whole grains.[5]

In the absence of the Whole Grain Stamp or other statements, you can identify whole grain ingredients in the ingredients list.  The following ingredients are not whole grains:  white rice, white rice flour, any kind of bran, any kind of germ, degerminated corn meal, corn or rice starch, and enriched flours.[6],[7]  If you recall from last week, bran and germ are parts of the grain kernel that are removed during the refining process; separately, however, they still are only part of the grain.  Corn starch is made from the endosperm of the corn.[7]  

Courtesy of Oldways Preservation Trust and the Whole Grains Council, www.wholegrainscouncil.org 

 

It’s also worth mentioning that tapioca, potato, soy, flax, chickpeas, coconut, and almond and other nuts are not grains at all, so the flours derived from them cannot be whole grain.[8]

The following key terms identify whole grain ingredients:

Whole Grain [Grain or Grain Flour]

Whole [Grain or Grain Flour]

Brown Rice

Oats, Oatmeal, Rolled Oats, or Oat Flour

Millet

Quinoa

 Wild Rice

Teff Flour

[2], [6], [9]

Recall that rice, corn, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, and sorghum are all possible gluten free grains.  Not on last week’s list is teff, the tiny seed of an African grass.[10]  For example, Tinkyada Pasta obviously contains whole grains because “brown rice” is an ingredient.[11] 

But it isn’t always that easy.  Manufacturers sometimes list a gluten free flour without indicating it is “whole grain,”“whole,” or “refined.”  For example, Udi’s Whole Grain Bread contains “teff flour,” but doesn’t specify if it is whole grain teff flour or refined teff flour.[12]  According to the Whole Grains Council, teff is so small that it cannot be processed, and therefore is always in whole grain form (even in flour).[7]  Likewise, the Whole Grains Council indicates that oats are rarely refined.[8]  Unfortunately, I was unable to find information that quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, and sorghum flours are always whole grain.  There are therefore some ingredients which indicate that a product might contain whole grains – just like is the case with “wheat” and “wheat flour.”[6]

Step 2:  How Much Whole Grain Does the Product Contain?

But it’s also important to understand how much whole grain a particular product contains.  Whole grain content, after all is a spectrum, not a zero-sum game.  For traditional wheat-containing products, I was taught to identify whole grain products as those with “whole wheat” as the first (or sometimes second) ingredient, because ingredient lists are ordered by descending ingredient weight.  As the Whole Grains Council points out, however, “[i]f there are several grain ingredients, the situation gets more complex.”[6]  What do you make of a product that contains “rice flour (white, brown, and sweet rice)” (Gluten Free Super Seeded Multi-Grain Sliced Bread by Essential Baking) as its third ingredient?[9]  Or a Whole Grain Bread with “Udi’s Best Blend,” containing tapioca starch, modified tapioca starch, potato starch, brown rice flour, and teff flour, as the first ingredient?[12]

I was also taught to look at the amount of fiber in a particular product to evaluate whole grain content.  Unfortunately, this ignores that manufacturers can add fiber…and the fact that different whole grains contain differing amounts of fiber.[6]  (See here for a handy table of the varying amounts of fiber for each grain)  For example, Essential Baking’s Gluten Free Super Seeded Multi-Grain Sliced Bread contains 4 grams of fiber, but its only whole grain is included in a flour mix (with two refined flours) that is listed third in the ingredient list.[13]  The bread also contains “sugar cane fiber,” prunes, and “orange citrus fiber” that would contribute to the total fiber content.[13] 

So how do you evaluate the whole grain content of gluten free packaged products?  One way is to quantify the grams of whole grains they contain. Under the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a serving of whole grains (referred to as an “ounce” or “ounce-equivalent” by MyPlate) in a packaged product that contains other grains should contain 16 grams of whole grains.[2],[14],[15]  Basically, this derives from the amount of whole wheat in a single slice of 100% whole wheat bread, which is a single serving of whole grain according to MyPlate.[2],[14],[16]  Manufacturers are not required to include the grams of whole grain on packaging.  As mentioned above, some products containing whole grains bear the Whole Grain Stamp on their packaging, which will specify the amount of whole grain contained in a single serving of the product.  Additionally, the Whole Grains Council provides a handy search function so that you can identify stamped products and their whole grain content from the comfort of your computer.  Check it out here; there's even a way to refine your searches to return only gluten free products.  I used this to determine that Udi’s Whole Grain Bread contains 8 grams of whole grains per serving (2 slices). 

You can also contact manufacturers directly if the product does not carry a Whole Grain Stamp.  I emailed Bob’s Red Mill about their Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread Mix, and received a response the next day indicating that a serving of the mix contains 7.21 grams of whole grains (just shy of a half serving).  Of course, manufacturers may not respond.  I emailed Essential Baking about the Gluten Free Super Seeded Multi-Grain Sliced Bread on March 6^th, and have not received a response as of March 9^th. 

Step 3:  Putting it All Together

Once you know the grams of whole grain in a serving of a particular product, you can evaluate how that product helps you reach your personal 50% goal.  After all, the 50% goal can be reached in an infinite number of ways – not just by alternating a wholly refined grain item with a 100% whole grain item.[2]  A product that contains less than 16 grams of whole grains (and is therefore only part of a whole grain ounce equivalent) can still be part of a grain consumption pattern that meets the 50% goal, especially when 100% whole grain foods are also consumed.

First, determine how many servings of whole grains represents your 50% goal, based on sex and age here.  Then consider how you might reach your 50% goal.  For example, MyPlate recommends that I (as a woman over 30) eat three ounce equivalents of whole grains, so one way I could satisfy that goal is:

Food	Serving Size	Whole Grain Ounce Equivalent
Gluten Free Oatmeal	1/2 Cup	1
Udi’s Whole Grain Bread	2 Slices	½ (8 grams)
Crunchmasters Rosemary and Olive Oil Multiseed Crackers	14 Crackers	¾ (12 grams)[17]
Millet	1/2 Cup	1
Corn Tortillas (made with refined cornmeal)	3 6” Tortillas	0
	Total	3 ¼

(An ounce equivalent of whole grains served in their natural form is 1/2 cup[15]) 

For more information about:

Whole grain definition, nutrition, serving sizes, and benefits, see

[1] MyPlate on Grains

[16] MyPlate on Recommended Grain Servings for Individuals

MyPlate Grain Servings

[2] 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (specifically Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Appendix 4)

[8] http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grains

[6] The Whole Grains Council on Identifying Whole Grain Products

The Whole Grains Council on Fiber in Whole Grains

[14] The Whole Grain Council on Ounce Equivalents

[15] The Whole Grain Council on Whole Grain Servings

The Whole Grain Stamp, see

The Whole Grain Stamp

[17] Search Function for Stamped Products

Whole Grain Stamp FAQ

FDA Whole Grain Health Claims, see

[5] Food Business News on Whole Grain Health Claims

Specific Whole Grains, see

[10] The Whole Grains Council on Teff

[9] The Whole Grain Counsel on Oats

Achieving 50%, Part I

Articles addressing the healthfulness of gluten free packaged products, see

[3] Telegraph Article

[4] Men's Health Article

Particular Gluten Free Products mentioned, see

[11] Tinkyada Pasta

[12] Udi's Whole Grain Bread

[13] Essential Baking Gluten Free Super Seeded Multi-Grain Sliced Bread

Other Sources

[7] Brown, Amy.  Understanding Food:  Principles of Preparation.  4th Ed.  Belmont, California:  Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011:  345-62.  Print.