Making the switch to a gluten-free diet can be a big change but there are plenty of naturally gluten-free foods on which you can build your diet. Plus, once you learn how to identify sources of gluten on food labels, things will fall into place, and you’ll be able to quickly judge the safety of packaged foods. Just remember to keep in mind that some sources of gluten can be tricky to identify.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. While it may be easy to pick out major ingredients like this on a food label, some sources of gluten are anything but obvious. It’s important to learn the keywords that suggest a hidden source of gluten and to know which products are most likely to contain gluten. Here’s what you need to know...
Common Sources of Gluten in Food
The easiest way to identify gluten-free foods is to check for the words “certified gluten-free” on the label. This plan isn’t necessarily foolproof, however, considering the FDA allows manufacturers to label their products gluten-free if they contain less than 20ppm of gluten – they don’t necessarily need to be certified by a gluten-free organization.
Obtaining this certification can be expensive, so many manufacturers skip the process entirely which means you’ll need to know how to identify sources of gluten on food labels yourself.
Here are some common sources of gluten in food:
- Barley
- Bread crumbs
- Brewer’s yeast
- Bulgur
- Durum
- Farina
- Farro
- Graham flour
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Kamut
- Malt
- Matzo
- Modified wheat starch
- Rye
- Seitan
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Triticale
- Wheat bran
- Wheat flour
- Wheat germ
- Wheat starch
If you have celiac disease, avoiding gluten isn’t just a preference – it’s a necessity. The above sources of gluten are fairly obvious when they appear on a food label, but food manufacturers don’t always make your job easy. Gluten is not an allergen, so it won’t appear in the allergen warning on a food label (though wheat will). You’ll need to learn how to identify hidden sources of gluten to keep yourself safe.
Hidden Sources of Gluten in Food
Even the smallest trace of gluten can be damaging for celiac sufferers. The longer you adhere to a strict gluten-free diet, the more your digestive tract will heal. To avoid accidental exposure and hindering the healing process, it’s important to learn how to identify hidden sources of gluten in food and to know which foods are most likely to contain them.
Below are some potential hidden sources of gluten in food. Please note that this list is not comprehensive, and may vary depending on the product.
- Artificial coffee creamer
- Beer
- Bouillon
- Broth and stock
- Candy
- Caramel coloring
- Chips (flavored)
- Cold cuts
- Cream-based soups
- Flavored yogurt
- French fries
- Food starch
- Granola bars
- Gravy
- Hot dogs
- Imitation seafood
- Instant coffee
- Malt extract
- Malt syrup
- Malt vinegar
- Mustard powder
- Rice mixes
- Roasted nuts
- Soy sauce
- Salad dressings
- Self-basting turkey
- Spice mixes
- Stuffing
- Teriyaki sauce
- Veggie burgers
- Wine coolers
- Yeast extract
You’ll also want to be on the lookout for potential sources of cross contact. French fries, for example, may be fried in the same oil as battered foods which makes them a risk for gluten contamination. Oats are often processed on the same equipment as wheat and therefore may not be gluten-free and even gluten-free packaged foods can be processed on shared equipment. Unless the food carries a gluten-free certification, it may not be worth taking the risk.
