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

Enni Mannila; Petrus Nuotio; Anni Kuosmanen; Suchetana De Storvik; Anna Kårlund; Aija Jukkara; Milla Maria Tauriainen; Johanna Närväinen; Marjukka Kolehmainen; Kaisa M. Linderborg

doi:10.1002/mnfr.70076

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

Enni Mannila, Petrus Nuotio, Anni Kuosmanen, Suchetana De Storvik, Anna Kårlund, Aija Jukkara, Milla Maria Tauriainen, Johanna Närväinen, Marjukka Kolehmainen^*, Kaisa M. Linderborg^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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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.

Original language	English
Article number	e70076
Pages (from-to)	e70076
Journal	Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
Volume	69
Issue number	12
Early online date	2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.70076
Publication status	Published - Jun 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The study was carried out with the financial support of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research. Personal grants to Enni Mannila from the Raisio plc's Research Foundation, Niemi Foundation, the Finnish Food Research Foundation, and the Graduate School of the University of Turku are acknowledged.

Keywords

cardiometabolic health
cereals
fiber
gastrointestinal symptoms
metabolic syndrome

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Mannila, E., Nuotio, P., Kuosmanen, A., De Storvik, S., Kårlund, A., Jukkara, A., Tauriainen, M. M., Närväinen, J., Kolehmainen, M., & Linderborg, K. M. (2025). Comparison of Low-Gluten Diets Rich in Oats or Rice—A 6-Week Randomized Clinical Trial With Metabolically Challenged Volunteers. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 69(12), e70076. Article e70076. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.70076

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title = "Comparison of Low-Gluten Diets Rich in Oats or Rice—A 6-Week Randomized Clinical Trial With Metabolically Challenged Volunteers",

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. ",

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Mannila, E, Nuotio, P, Kuosmanen, A, De Storvik, S, Kårlund, A, Jukkara, A, Tauriainen, MM, Närväinen, J, Kolehmainen, M & Linderborg, KM 2025, 'Comparison of Low-Gluten Diets Rich in Oats or Rice—A 6-Week Randomized Clinical Trial With Metabolically Challenged Volunteers', Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, vol. 69, no. 12, e70076, pp. e70076. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.70076

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AU - Mannila, Enni

AU - Nuotio, Petrus

AU - Kuosmanen, Anni

AU - De Storvik, Suchetana

AU - Kårlund, Anna

AU - Jukkara, Aija

AU - Tauriainen, Milla Maria

AU - Närväinen, Johanna

AU - Kolehmainen, Marjukka

AU - Linderborg, Kaisa M.

PY - 2025/6

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N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

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KW - cereals

KW - fiber

KW - gastrointestinal symptoms

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ER -

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

Abstract

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Keywords

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