Your Guide To Gluten Free Oat Milk (UK) - Gluten Free Blogger (2023)

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I've been seeing a lot of questions about this latelygluten free oat milkso I wanted to post to clear up any confusion.

Oats are often a tricky thing when you first start a gluten-free diet.

When it comes to oat milk, there is a lot of confusion in the UK about what gluten free milk is.

But actually it is very simple. And I'm going to prove it with my super easy guide to gluten free oat milk in the UK!

I will try to update this guide as much as possible, but everything was correct at the time of publishing (April 2021).

As always recipes change regularly so always check the ingredients.

I recommend using or downloading the Celiac UK Food and Drink GuideFood scanning app.

Are oats gluten free?

Let's start by explaining oats and why some are not suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Oats themselves do not contain gluten. But often there is cross-contamination with gluten-containing cultures due to the way they are processed.

Therefore, in Britain,only oats labeled gluten-free REALLY contain no gluten.

It really is that simple.

Any oat products not labeled gluten-free are not safe for consumption on a gluten-free diet.

That's because they don't meet strict gluten-free standards of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

It's also important to note that many people with celiac disease cannot tolerate oats.

This is because they contain a protein called avenin.

Avenin may cause a gluten-like reaction in some people with celiac disease.

If you find you have a hard time tolerating even gluten-free oats, it's best to talk to your doctor or dietician.

So is oat milk gluten free?

The meaning of whether oat milk is gluten free or notexactly the samewhich means whether the oats are gluten free or not.

If you're in the UK and oat milk is labeled gluten-free, then you're good to go.

If not, it is not gluten free.

There's really no other way to explain it. And be careful with that barista-esque almond milk (and other non-dairy milks), as oat milk is sometimes added.

But what about low-gluten oat milk?

I will tell you directly:stop listening to this "low-gluten" nonsense if you have celiac disease or are on a gluten-free diet for medical reasons.

Following a gluten-free diet is just that - GLUTEN-FREE. Gluten free.

Ni kapi.

Nothing.

Low gluten is not gluten free.

Low gluten oat milk is not gluten free.

Baristas who try to tell you they are are misinformed.

If you have only a mild intolerance or choose to avoid gluten, that's fine.

But if you need to follow a gluten free diet - ispecialif you have celiac disease - low gluten is not good enough.

I'm sorry I broke that bubble.

Gluten Free Oat Milk Brands (UK)

The good news is that while most oat milks aren't gluten-free, there are some good ones.

Which means if you can tolerate gluten-free oats in your diet, you can follow this oat milk latte trend.

I've only come across a few oat milks in the UK that are specifically labeled as gluten free:

• Rude Zdravlje gluten-free haverdrank (Prodaje van Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Holland i Barratt en Waitrose)
• Glebe Farm oat milk(available from Holland and Barrett or in bulkamazon yesterday)
• Napunietische swords M*lk(available at Sainsbury's, Holland and Barratt and Ocado)
• Alpro Barista for professionals Tooth gluten free (not to be mixed with standard Barista oat milk which is NOT gluten free.Buy here on Amazon.)

It is important to note that this is only themspecificallyproducts that do not contain gluten and are clearly labeled as such.

Alpro makes a wide variety of oat milks - including many other oat milks for baristas - that are NOT gluten-free.

I understand barista gluten free oat milk is usually only sold wholesale, but a few people have reported seeing it in Tesco or Sainsbury's.

It's a shareand on Amazon here.

Rude Health also makes an oat milk for baristas that is NOT made with gluten-free oats.

So be sure to look for one that is clearly labeled gluten-free.

That's why it's so important to double, triple check the labels, as many of them are very similar and can easily get confused.

Is Oatly gluten free?

Oatly is the oat milk of choice in most cafes, but I'm sorry that Oatly is NOT gluten free in the UK.

Although Oatly claims to be "very low in gluten," it isit isfalls below 20 ppm and is therefore not safe for people following a gluten-free diet.

Interestingly, I think the confusion stems from the fact that Oatly is actually certified gluten-free in the US.

I can only hope that eventually they will consider certifying their European and Asian products as it would make life so much easier!

Considering that gluten free oat milk is used in most coffee shops, is this a problem when it comes to oat milk in coffee shops?

Oat milk in cafes

A few years ago, veganism hit the UK scene and suddenly oat milk appearedoveral overal.

And because it's cheaper, almost all pubs in the UK (except a few independent ones) use oat milk, which contains gluten.

Great if you're vegan or don't eat dairy - not so good if you don't eat gluten and especially if you have celiac disease.

Costa Coffee oat milk no longer contains gluten

When I first wrote this article about oat milk, Costa had literally switched to using gluten-free oat milk from Alpro Barista.

But as of December 30, 2021, the oat milk they use is no longer gluten free.

And to make matters worse, their updated nutrition and allergen information now lists soy and coconut milk as "may contain wheat."

I contacted Costa to inquire about this and received the following response:

"As part of our new menu for January [2022], we have switched suppliers of dairy alternatives. Consumers can still enjoy the full range of alternative milk flavors they have come to expect from Costa, including oat, soy, almond and coconut. We've updated oursA guide to nutrition and allergiesto reflect these changes and while the new oat flavor does not contain wheat, we have included information that "may contain" in line with our supplier risk assessment. You can find updated information in store or online, and we also have a new counter card in stores to notify customers of the change."

Costa Coffee representative

Some stores may be using old stock so as always I recommend checking with the individual store and I'll update as soon as I have more information.

Sadly, it looks like they'll be back to the old routine now, with Costa grilling the barista staff and asking them to wipe out all the equipment/use the unused steamer.

And if you have celiac diseaseiyou usually drink coconut or soy milk, I'm afraid you better find a new place to have your morning coffee.

A nutritionist's point of view

Celiac disease isn't just about eating gluten-free foods.

You must beergwatch out for cross-contamination — that is, the tiniest bits of gluten that end up in your gluten-free food.

So with shared steamers in cafes, what risk does this pose to those on a gluten-free diet?

Gordon MacAndrewis a Registered Dietitian in Gastroenterology with NHS Lanarkshire.

It operates as part of Scotland's only permanently funded gastroenterology diet service, seeing patients with IBS and celiac disease.

Mr. McAndrew explains that celiac patients are generally advised to continue eating gluten-free oats after their initial diagnosis.

But it is best to do it under the guidance of a nutritionist so that all symptoms can be controlled.

When it comes to coffee shops, Mr. McAndrew advises people with celiac disease to ask as many questions as possible to see if it's safe.

'We always advise celiac patients to be careful when eating out'says Mr. McAndrew.

"It's the same when we think about using oat milk in coffee shops.

“You should clarify that you have celiac disease and ask about existing cross-contamination practices.

"If they can't tell you they've taken all the necessary precautions or you have any doubts, it's best to avoid it.

"The risk of cross-contamination can be reduced by taking proper precautions."

My personal experience

Personally, I take each cafe as it comes.

When I go to a busy coffee shop, I usually order an Americano with cold milk, so there's no risk of anything coming in contact with those potentially frothy oats.

But anyone who knows me knows I'm a straight white girl, so if I think I can definitely enjoy it - then I will!

My local Costa Coffee stores (before GF oat milk was introduced) were always excellent when I went to order.

After I explain this to them, they always use another steamer (which is rarely used at my local store anyway) and clean it thoroughly before I make my drink.

I find that most coffee shops only use one steamer regularly, which means the other one is probably cleaner.

Also, on several occasions, the staff insisted that only the manager make my drinks, which made me feel taken seriously.

I find it's easier to understand if you explain it as "oat milk allergy" rather than "colic", especially if you're trying to talk through face masks.

Overall the staff were very helpful and personally I didn't feel bad drinking somewhere where they followed these procedures.

While there is no definitive answer to the question of how high the risk of cross-contamination is, I can only advise you to follow your instincts.

If you're not sure if you're drinking somewhere that uses gluten-free oat milk, order tea, black coffee, or another beverage.

Or, if you're lucky, you might find a coffee shop that doesn't serve oat milk or serves something gluten-free!

Finally...

Firstly, if you made it this far, congratulations, I'm glad I managed to hold your attention for so long, I hope it was worth it.

In short, gluten-free oats and oat milk should not be confused.

Remember:

• People with celiac disease shouldonly eat gluten-free oats.
• People with celiac disease shouldonly drink oat milk labeled "gluten-free"
• While the risk of cross-contamination in coffee shops is uncertain, it should bealways ask questions, clarify that you have celiac disease andmake your own judgments.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out some of my other celiac tips!

• Guide to gluten-free sauces and condiments
• Frequently asked questions about my celiac disease
• Gluten-free sauce and broth in cubes
• What is gluten free at McDonald's (UK)?

Do you like this post about gluten-free oats?Pin upfor later!