One of the most popular new ingredients in dairy free and vegan products is oats. That’s great news for vegans, but what about for gluten free folks? You might be wondering, “Can I drink oat milk if I’m gluten free?”

Oats are a complicated ingredient, as they are a naturally gluten free grain, but standard oats are contaminated with gluten, which makes them a no-no for those following a gluten free diet. But there are some pure oats — and therefore some oat milks — which are safe for those of us on a gluten free diet.

 

So how do you know if that oat creamer at the local coffee shop is really gluten free? Ask what brand it is or ask to see the packaging.

Consult my list of gluten free oat milk creamers below, and make your decision on safety based upon that information or by going straight to the manufacturer to ask their oat source and testing protocols. That’s really the only way to know. (The same process applies to other products containing oats: do your homework and/or contact the manufacturer before eating it.)

To be sure the oat milks you choose are truly gluten free, they need to be made with purity protocol oats and be certified gluten free.

Only certain brands of oat milk use purity protocol and certified gluten free oats (if you have celiac disease, you need to be sure the oat products you choose are both). Find out more about the purity protocol process and how to determine what oat manufacturers are using it in this linked article.

Just because a product is certified gluten free does not necessarily mean it’s made with purity protocol oats. Confusing, right? Yep. Like I said, do your homework. 

I’ve done some of it for you, below.

Is Oat Milk Gluten Free?

So, oats are naturally gluten free, but they are an inherently risky ingredient for anyone living gluten free for medical reasons (celiac, gluten sensitivity, etc.). Read all about how cross-contamination with gluten grains is rampant in oat crops, and how to find the safest gluten free oats — aka “Purity Protocol Oats.”

Manufacturers which make a gluten free claim but do not use purity protocol oats are less safe than those using purity protocol oats, so it’s important to know the difference, but the choice is yours about whether these products meet your particular dietary needs. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly.

Since oat milk is the next big thing, there are loads of oat milk choices out there. If you can tolerate safe gluten free oats, they’re a great choice to add into your diet, as oat milk has double the fiber of other plant-based milks like almond and soy, and cow’s milk as no fiber at all!

But if you’re celiac or need to eat gluten free for medical reasons, stick with only oat milks from manufacturers which use purity protocol oats or at least those which are using certified gluten free oats. See some below.

Brands Using Purity Protocol Oats for Oat Milk

Better Body Foods Oat Milk – manufacturer discloses oats are grown in England and processed in Italy. Manufacturer claim:”We test the raw ingredients and the final product to ensure they’re Gluten-Free.”

I confirmed via email with the company that they do use purity protocol oats for the “Oatsome” line which includes oat milk, chocolate oat milk, milk barista, coffee creamer and creamer lite.

Elmhurst1925  – manufacturer makes gluten free claim and “certified gluten free” claim, but it is unclear who the certifying agency is. When contacted directly, the manufacturer confirmed they are using purity protocol oats.

Elmhurst 1925 has also introduced some lovely new and seasonal oat milk, creamer, nog and latte options, as pictured below. Everything I sampled was creamy and delicious. Their products are vegan, carrageenan-free, gluten-free. And yes, they have pumpkin spice creamer.

Good Mylk from the manufacturer when I contacted them directly: “We use Certified Gluten-Free Oats*, Tigernuts* (not a nut, a vegetable!), Dates*, Alkaline Water, Ancient Mineral Salt. Our oats are purity protocol.” They also sell in concentrated packets, which is pretty cool.

Moola Oat Milk with Coconut — manufacturer claims its products are made with “gluten free oats.” CeliacAndTheBeast reports that a purity protocol claim was made. Note: Moola Simple Oat Milk makes NO gluten-free claim.

Is Oatly Gluten Free? 

Anyone who’s gone to a coffee shop lately has probably seen Oatly on the shelf as a vegan option. So, is Oatly gluten free?

According to its FAQs page, “Our US products are certified gluten-free and made without tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, and egg. Based on the US FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act) and the FASTER Act (Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act), they are safe for people with allergies to the top nine allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, gluten and soy and sesame). … we source only certified gluten-free oats for our US products.” Oatly milks are certified GF from the GFCO. Buy Oatly here.

Gluten Free Labeled Oat Milk

Califia Farms Nitro Latte with Oat Milk — labeled gluten free. Tested for gluten by GlutenFreeWatchdog.com (subscribers can see results).

Chobani Oat Milk – claims its oat milk is free from gluten and made from organic gluten free oats from Saskatchewan, Canada. No further information is provided. (Also offers creamers, yogurts and horchata in oat-based formulas.)

Silk — their Oat Milks and Oat Milk Creamers bear the “gluten free” claim on the packaging, but no specific claim is made about the oats being used.

So Delicious — their oat milks bear the “gluten free” claim on the packaging, but no specific claim is made about the oats being used.

Planet Oat – manufacturer claims in its FAQs that its oat milk is gluten free; no information on sourcing is provided. At Natural Products Expo West (2024), I was told at their brand booth that there is no such thing as “purity protocol oats” (untrue) and that if I have celiac disease, I should stick to almond creamer. Take that for what it’s worth….

What Oat Milk is Definitely Not Gluten Free?

Any brand that does not make a gluten free claim on their oat milks (or any product made from oats, for that matter) should be avoided. 

Pacific Foods from the manufacturer: “Is the Organic Oat Vanilla gluten free? No. Regular crop rotation can allow inherently gluten-free oats to become cross-contaminated with wheat. To play it safe, given that oats are at high risk for commingling with other grains, we do not make a gluten-free claim on our Oat beverages. Your health and safety is always our first priority.”

Rise Oat Milk – No gluten free claim on their oat milks. In answer to my 2024 inquiry: “We transitioned away from certified gluten free ingredients, so they are no longer certified gluten free. So sorry for the change!!”

Califia Farms Organic Oatmilk is not gluten free and no gluten free claim is made. 

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