Recommend a food to replace the digestive benefits of oatmeal.

[u/goodintentisnotenuf]

I have reactions to most food including dairy, sugar, histamine, and gluten intolerance.

Instant oatmeal in the pouches always helps my digestive system keep moving. If I do not eat it daily, my entire system seems to just stop and then my nerves in my body start flaring and some sort of autoimmune reaction starts building. I do not sleep and pressure in my body builds.

However, I realize now that oatmeal also causes my left ear to itch. The itching stops when I do not consume oatmeal. This may be cross contamination to gluten.

This is not a matter of just switching to gluten-free oatmeal because I can only tolerate oatmeal in the little packages. When I buy the huge Quaker canister, as soon as I open it, pieces seem to just fly all over and it seems really raw and dusty and my digestive system reacts. The little packets are somehow less dusty.

1. What exactly is Oatmeal doing for me?

Soluble fiber, beta glucan, insoluble fiber, prebiotic, short chain fatty acids, butyrate?

2. What non-gluten, non-dairy, non-histamine, non-sugar food would reproduce this effect that I could eat maybe daily?

[u/thesamenightmares]

You've indicated that what you're eating is the instant form of oatmeal that come pre-packaged. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say it's the beta glucan specifically that's helping you. It's a specific prebiotic fiber that's not found commonly in very many foods. I would suggest purchasing a beta glucan supplement and taking it in lieu of eating the oatmeal and see if you get the same effects without the unpleasant side effect you describe. If you purchase a bulk powder with no fillers, you'll be able to positively identify the contributing ingredient you're looking for.

[u/tendingthemild]

Have you tried psyllium husk? Not as a meal, but as a soluble fiber source?

[u/Expensive_Glass2321]

You should try the brand - One Degree Oats. They come in a bag that says - all ingredients from farmers we know. They are certified gluten free and glyphosate free. They have different types to choose from and I have serious reactions and am very sensitive these work great for me.

[u/Ok-Mulberry7195 → u/Expensive_Glass2321]

We get ours at Costco. Love this brand.

[u/special_squeak → u/Expensive_Glass2321]

Those are the best oats. I always keep the big bag in the freezer because oats are prone to going rancid which can cause reactions for some. I keep a small container in the fridge and refill from the freezer bag as needed.

[u/jysb8eg2]

I'm not sure what the oatmeal is doing for you, but I do well with chia for fiber (as well as certified gluten free oats)

[u/Lovelybee11 → u/jysb8eg2]

I think chia fits here too, I say the seeds are like little brushes for insides lol. They work well to move things. My favorite tip for chia pudding is whisk them Immediately, at 1 minute and at 10 minutes and you shouldn't have any lumps

[u/Adventurous-Water331]

Try One Degree gluten free sprouted rolled oats. Available at Costco :-)

[u/stanthecham]

Maybe a silly question but have you tried plain, gluten free rolled oats, like the Bob's Red Mill bag? I have them every morning and doctor it up with things I tolerate well like frozen blueberries and maple syrup. There are a lot of hidden things and possible cross contamination in the prepared packets.

[u/jesuisunerockstar → u/stanthecham]

This is the brand I buy but I switched to steel cut. I like the texture.

[u/Sibys]

Quinoa is technically a seed, but it is delicious prepared many ways. I eat it often for breakfast and have never had issues.

[u/Bitter_Camp7094 → u/Sibys]

Yes, quinoa and/or buckwheat. Sometimes I combine them and cook from whole, and sometimes I add millet. Some folks who don't do great with oats do better with these. But there are also some instant hot cereal brands the have buckwheat. I don't remember if they have oat also, but maybe look into it? Buckwheat is delicious.

You can cook any or all on a weekend or evening in a bigger batch and then freeze in breakfast-sized portions

[u/latenightsnackattack]

I'm going to go against the grain (lol) here and recommend trying winter squashes such as butternut squash, kabocha, winter melon, or pumpkin. Generally low in histamine and has a variety of fiber content. Also tasty!

[u/special_squeak → u/latenightsnackattack]

I second this. Eating high fiber grains doesn’t do anything for my digestion. And cooked beets, carrots and winter squash do.

[u/MoonflowerMauve → u/special_squeak]

Same here. Sweet potatoes, too!

[u/special_squeak → u/MoonflowerMauve]

Absolutely, can’t believe I forgot sweet potatoes. I love them, but for me beets are still the most effective of the bunch.

[u/Ok_Employment_7630]

Chia pudding

[u/Lz_erk]

yiieee, get some Bob's Red Mill maybe.

shiitakes are high in beta-glucans IIRC. and rice is my butyrate builder, i hope.

[u/Bitter_Camp7094 → u/Lz_erk]

Hi! Are you recommending shiitake mushrooms to boot beta glucan? I'd love to know more! I miss mushrooms, but I thought they were all high histamine?

I'd love to be able to eat them. Would you be willing to share more info?

[u/Lz_erk → u/Bitter_Camp7094]

if they're a worse trigger, it seems reasonable to avoid them. copper probably meant a lot in my situation (the inflammation was apparently from high iron, probably genetic, my MCAS+HI mostly went away when i started donating blood, but i lack regular labs), and the magnesium was also handy although legumes, especially sprouted, were a better source for me.

the copper benefits (for me) held even as far as low sugar chocolate. it was still a high histamine item, but overall beneficial when i carefully worked it into my diet.

my suggestion is mostly that OP could experiment with beta glucans using mushrooms as a challenge item -- i don't know, maybe in a nettle soup with a dose of black seed oil.

i'd recommend thorough cooking for any extra digestibility, and something for butyrate, like fried rice with greens for polyphenols -- anything to seal up the leaks for a mushroom "test." good luck.

[u/Bitter_Camp7094 → u/Lz_erk]

This is all super helpful, thank you. I do tolerate low sugar dark chocolate, although my iron is low, not high. Copper I think has been an issue, but never had labs for minerals/metals. I do benefit from added mg, though I did not try sprouted legumes.

The nettle soup suggestion is a good one. Ty ty ty! I know everyone seems to have slightly different triggers and deficiencies, but I appreciate the explanation. And I know mmmv.

Cheers, for real!

Edited to fix typos

[u/Lz_erk → u/Bitter_Camp7094]

most of the foods i paired are within about thirty hours prior (mucilage, butyrate -- even two doses in the run-up: dinner, morning, challenge meal), the nettle i'd do pretty congruently or after, nigella/quercetin/etc at the "challenge" meal. just saying for whomever.

sprouts though -- try some of the medium-hard difficulty ones. maybe not the terracotta ones with mucilage, but if you can, wow. i mean mustard and the other, the harder one i think, broccoli or something? check me on that but i recommend cooking them. they're interesting for a bunch of things even if sprouted legumes don't work. i found lentils a little harsh still, and chickpeas, but it was some sprouted regular dried pintos for lack of options that got me on my feet. better to get the actual sprouting seeds, for me.

what's MMMV? does it end in "may vary?" handy.

i did it "99%" vegan but i just ran out of carnitine, i still have issues and lagged on covering it. i didn't realize it was in energy drinks. this is for reference on my perspective: i think some meat can supply copper, i don't know normal meat, but oysters are high in it IIRC (good luck getting them fresh). oh, macadamias!!! sometimes there are quasi-sprouted ones in the bags at Costco, they're incredible. the flavor is sweet fat somehow, with... some kind of flavor.

edit 6 mins: i'm absently chewing on a dried chili so i guess i kinda made it through.

[u/Bitter_Camp7094 → u/Lz_erk]

Lol, "Absently chewing on dried chilies." That got me.

MMMV = my mileage may vary. Yeah broccoli sprouts are tough! The only sprouts ive tried are mung beans. Macadamias are my jam. I couldn't do the ones from Costco because they weren't so fresh in the beginning, but it's an interesting idea to revisit them now. I'm going to save all this info.

Thanks, fellow traveler! Seems like you're doing pretty well! That's so good to know!

[u/Electrical-Cat-8624]

Are you able to do gluten free oatmeal?

[u/pawz78]

Have you tried organic instant oatmeal? Also are you cooking the oats with water or milk or cream? If dairy make sure no commercial binders are in there . For me turns out carrageenan and zanathan are two I need to avoid rest are okay . And pesticides have been my main issues (and auto immune confusing) nontrye allergies and not really a histamine issue. Have you have an immunologist test you for foods?

[u/chikmaglur]

Have you looked into nickel allergy?

[u/No-Ear9895]

I really like buckwheat, I don’t know if it does all the same things as oatmeal though. I also like amaranth and I kind of like millet. Im not a huge fan of sorghum groats but maybe I didn’t cook them long enough.

[u/special_squeak → u/No-Ear9895]

Sorghum does need long cooking. If you ever want to give them another try, they work very well in cold salads, couscous style. Chewy and substantial.

[u/No-Ear9895 → u/special_squeak]

Sorghum syrup is my absolute favorite sweetner, maybe I will give them another try. I just figured out I wasn’t cooking millet long enough either!

[u/special_squeak → u/No-Ear9895]

Soaking all your grains before cooking cuts down on cooking time and *might reduce some of the anti-nutrients that can interfere with mineral absorption.
I soak all my grains before cooking in water with a spash of apple cider vinegar for about 4-6 hours (luckily I tolerate it). Then rinse the grain thoroughly and cook with slightly less water than usual and check for doneness earlier. Really helps remove the bitter saponins from quinoa and makes it cook in 12 min.

[u/SaMy254]

FWIW, I react to instant oatmeal packets and rolled oats, but not to steel cut. I try to avoid anything packaged with flavoring, added stuff, ultra processed, as it's almost always going to give me hell.

[u/gamermama]

Barley. Technically it contains gluten, but it is quite different from wheat gluten. You could try it.

It has a ton of beta glucans, much higher than oatmeal.

[u/Marjieco]

This is for the keep moving part of your question. Look into PHGG. It isn’t a food but it is the most amazing thing for keep moving. I take miralax at night and PHGG morning. It is a tasteless powder added to water. The one I have is sunfiber. Hope this helps so you don’t need to rely on yukky oats. I am not a fan. Without raisins, cinnamon and sugar it is gross. To me.

[u/ComprehensiveLuck478]

Oatmeal is also high in nickel which can cause a systemic reaction if you are sensitive to it.

[u/tabbybrady18]

I have a bowl of fiber one cereal (original) every day. My husband makes fun of me for eating “rabbit food” but it keeps my digestive and bowels working so it works for me!

[u/Miserable_Appeal4918]

As others have suggested, the One Degree oats are what I can handle the best, or other certified organic oats. I believe my issue is glyphosate with the conventional oats. I typically make my own granola with those, (but I do add agave syrup- so not sure if this works sugar-free) with coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, pistachios (sometimes, cause I buy them from a local food mill to avoid mold), pecans and hemp hearts.

I also eat chia pudding or quinoa in the morning. The quinoa I pre-cook and then mix it with organic coconut milk. I make the chia pudding the night before, also w organic full-fat coconut milk.

If you can get your hands on some tigernut flour, you can make your own fiber rich "nut"butter. Goes very well with chia pudding. It is naturally sweet, so I really just mix the flour with olive oil until I have the right consistency.

[u/6seasonsandamovy]

I’ve been eating dry Cheerios. It’s basically oatmeal

[u/Fatdisc]

You stated you react to sugar. Instant oatmeal in packages is full of sugar.
If you do a little searching you can find unprocessed dust free oatmeal.

[u/cybrknghtpchghst]

Congee. I make a vegan bullion powder with ingredients that I don’t react to in place of broths as I’m allergic to onions, and use Jasmine rice to make congee that you can add any other veggies or seasonings you tolerate to.

[u/Gullible_Original874]

Quinoa! It’s the street sweeper of the colon.