If you have coeliac disease, a clear gluten-free label is more important than low salt content or quick preparation. Simply Free by Leev displays the Crossed Grain trademark and contains 0.01 g of salt per 100 g, but it is loose oatmeal. Elovena’s gluten-free instant portions are easier to measure out and contain 1 g of salt per 100 g. Quaker Oats Express Naturel does state that it contains 0 g of salt per 100 g, but product information says it may contain barley and wheat, so it is not an alternative for a strict gluten-free diet.
You want oats with a clear gluten-free label and, ideally, the Crossed Grain trademark. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that ordinary oats can become contaminated with gluten during processing.
Only compare salt content once you’ve confirmed that a product is suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. Product information from Jumbo and Albert Heijn lists 0.01 g of salt per 100 g for Simply Free by Leev and 1 g per 100 g for Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal, respectively.
You want individual portions that are easy to take with you or prepare without weighing them out. Even then, check the gluten-free label and allergen information first.
If you have coeliac disease, first check whether the oats are suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. Then compare the salt content and decide how much convenience you need when preparing them.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free oats | Look for a clear gluten-free label, ideally with the Crossed Grain trademark, and read the allergen information. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume a product is suitable just because it says oats. An estimated 50% of shoppers put this reassurance first. |
| Salt content | Compare the stated amount of salt per 100 g, and also consider how much you’ll actually use. | I want to be able to choose between gluten-free products based on their salt content, even if a portion pack seems convenient. Around 30% of shoppers put this difference first. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the portion size and whether you need water, milk or a microwave to prepare it. | When I have breakfast away from home, I don’t want to have to weigh out a portion myself, but the product still needs to be gluten-free. This convenience matters most to around 20% of shoppers. |
The Dutch Coeliac Society says oats can become contaminated with gluten during processing and distribution. So, oats being the main ingredient isn’t enough to make a product a suitable choice if you have coeliac disease.
Always read the packaging and choose oats with a clear gluten-free label, ideally with the Crossed Grain trademark.
Jumbo lists 0 g of salt per 100 g for Quaker Oats Express Naturel, but also says it may contain barley and wheat. The salt content doesn’t make this product suitable for a strict gluten-free diet.
Check whether a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet first, and only then compare the salt content of suitable products.
According to Albert Heijn, Elovena’s gluten-free instant portions contain 1 g of salt per 100 g. Jumbo lists 0.01 g per 100 g for Simply Free by Leev’s loose gluten-free oatmeal.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g rather than looking only at how the product is prepared.
Ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. This is especially important when you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease.
Before use, check the gluten-free label and allergen information on the packaging you receive.
The 450 g gluten-free oatmeal is a loose-oat option for anyone who wants to measure out their own portions.
Natural Instant Oatmeal is a gluten-free option in five 40 g portions.
Oats Express Naturel shows why a low stated salt content isn’t enough to make oatmeal a suitable choice for someone with coeliac disease.
Jumbo’s product information helps you tell its own oatmeal portions apart from Simply Free by Leev’s gluten-free oatmeal.
If you have coeliac disease, assess each Brinta product by its own ingredients and gluten-free label, not by the brand name.
Not necessarily. The Dutch Coeliac Society says oats can become contaminated with gluten during processing and distribution. Choose oats with a clear gluten-free label, ideally with the Crossed Grain trademark, and check the allergen information on the packaging too.
Only if it’s also suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. Jumbo lists 0 g of salt per 100 g for Quaker Oats Express Naturel, but also warns that this product may contain barley and wheat. So, only compare salt content across suitable gluten-free products.
Simply Free by Leev is loose gluten-free oatmeal that you measure out yourself. Jumbo lists 0.01 g of salt per 100 g. Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal comes in individual gluten-free portions that, according to Albert Heijn, you can mix with hot or cold water or milk. It contains 1 g of salt per 100 g.
Use online nutritional information to compare products before buying, but check the packaging before use. Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change when products are updated.
