# Comparison of Low‐Gluten Diets Rich in Oats or Rice—A 6‐Week Randomized Clinical Trial With Metabolically Challenged Volunteers

## TL;DR

This study compared the effects of low-gluten diets rich in oats or rice on metabolic and gastrointestinal health in people with metabolic challenges.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that oats are more beneficial than rice in low-gluten diets for improving cardiometabolic and gastrointestinal outcomes.

## Key findings

- Oats led to a greater decrease in LDL-cholesterol compared to rice.
- Oats improved gastrointestinal symptoms and increased fiber intake more than rice.

## Abstract

Low‐gluten diets (LGD) are also widely followed by people not suffering from coeliac disease. This study compared oats and rice as the main cereal source of an LGD in metabolically challenged volunteers. Volunteers (n = 69) were randomly assigned to an LGD, which was either rich in oats or rice, for 6 weeks. Before and after the intervention, concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL‐C, and HDL‐C, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, glucose, and insulin were measured from fasting plasma samples; the volunteers also completed 4‐day food and stool records, as well as questionnaires related to perceived gastrointestinal discomfort (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale) and health (RAND‐36). The intervention with oats resulted in a more substantial decrease in LDL‐C (p
group × time = 0.047), more frequently normal type stool (p
group × time = 0.010), and bowel movements (p
group × time = 0.038) than rice (group × time interaction). The rice group experienced more constipation symptoms (p
group × time < 0.001) than the oat group, possibly due to a lower fiber intake (p
group × time < 0.001). A greater waist circumference decrease was observed with rice than with oats (p
group × time = 0.022). Our results suggest that oats improve both biochemical markers of cardiometabolic health and perceived gastrointestinal well‐being compared to rice, thus being a crucial part of a nutritiously adequate LGD.

The aim of this study is to compare oats and rice as the main cereal source of a low‐gluten diet followed by metabolically challenged volunteers. The participants consumed four portions of either oat or rice products daily for 6 weeks and avoided glutinous cereals. The study included measurements of anthropometrics, biochemistry, dietary intake, stool quality, and questionnaires of perceived gastrointestinal symptoms and health. The results suggest oats to be an important part of a low‐gluten diet with a more substantial decrease of LDL‐cholesterol, a higher fiber intake, and improved gastrointestinal symptoms compared to rice.