SUFFERERS of coeliac disease, a condition in which the small intestine fails to digest and absorb food, must eat a highly restrictive gluten free diet free of wheat and other cereal proteins. This is because the disease is thought to be caused by activation of the immune system by cereal protein.
Oats have also been banned from coeliacs' diets, but new research at the Department of Immunology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, has revealed that the bowl of porridge may be just what the doctor ordered. In a study of 10 patients, some with severe disease, Dr Conleth Feighery, Associate Professor of Immunology, and colleagues found it is safe for coeliacs to eat oats. A report of the study, published in the British Medical Journal, said the inclusion of oats in the menus of the coeliac population would improve the fibre and nutrient content of their diets.