Gluten Free? – Here’s What You Need To Know

Implementing a gluten free diet can be a daunting prospect – gluten can be a hidden ingredient in lots of foods in the supermarket so it is important to  know what you are looking for.

 

Not only are there the obvious sources of gluten in foods (e.g. wheat flour), there are also the hidden sources where you will need to understand how to read a food label.

 

You may see a label stating ‘wheat-free’, but note – this does not mean ‘gluten free’.  Some foods carry a gluten free certification which is important to look out for, especially if you have Coeliac Disease which will indicate a no or low risk of cross-contamination during food manufacturing.

 

Labels that state ‘made on equipment shared with wheat’ poses a high risk of cross-contamination and should be avoided with Coeliac disease.

 

The easiest way to avoid gluten is to eat a whole food, non-processed diet which has a variety of fruits, vegetables however sometimes this is not always practical when you are dashing to the supermarket.

❖  Wheat

❖  Barley

❖  Rye

❖  Graham flour

❖  Semolina

❖ Bulgur

❖ Kamut

❖ Kashi (multi-grain blend)

❖ Matzo meal

❖ Spelt (a form of wheat)

❖ Triticale

Though sometimes confused with gluten foods, the following are fine to eat

❖  Rice, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat (aka kasha)

❖  Quinoa (though could be reactive for Celiacs)

❖  Teff

❖  Corn, cornmeal, and grits (make sure organic)

❖  Soy (make sure organic)

❖  Potatoes (all types)

❖  Wine, ciders and spirits

❖  Garbanzo and other bean/legume flours

❖  Oats (make sure they are labeled “gluten-free” as many oat products are contaminated with wheat during manufacturing or processing)

❖ Potato and tapioca starch (though I do not recommend these for regular consumption as they are very high-glycemic and can aggressively spike blood sugar)

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In general, avoid any processed food ingredients that includes the word ‘wheat’. Unfortunately, many processed foods use preservatives or additives for texture that include gluten, but they can be hidden from you.

In particular, this means you will need to avoid almost all baked goods unless they are specifically labelled gluten-free. Here are some particular foods and gluten sources to be wary of – be sure to read their ingredient labels carefully:

❖  Breads, rolls, and tortillas

❖  Breading for all fried foods

❖  Cereals, pasta, and noodles

❖  Crackers and chips (besides corn and potato, nearlyall “multigrain” options include wheat)

❖  Croutons

❖  Cookies, cakes, pastries, and pies

❖  Soups and gravies

❖  Tabbouli

❖  Sauces (including soy sauce unless gluten-free)

❖  Salad dressings

❖  Coffee creamer

❖  Beer

❖  Flavored coffee and tea, especially mixes

❖  Stuffing

❖ Bouillon and stocks

❖ Spice and marinade mixes and any pre-seasoned meat items (especially a key risk at restaurants)

❖ Baking soda and baking powder

❖ Artificial butter flavour

❖ Candy

❖ Imitation meat or seafood

❖ Sausages and other preserved meats

❖ Processed luncheon meats

❖ Self-basting poultry

❖ Medications & vitamins (gluten as binding agent)

❖ Lipstick and lip balms

❖ Toothpaste

❖ Postage stamps and mailing envelope adhesive

❖ Play dough

Food additives you will want to avoid, include the following:

Hidden gluten in food additives can easily be missed. You will become an expert in label reading in no time.

Bran, malt, malt flavoring, gelatinized starch, germ, artificial flavouring, natural flavouring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, modified food starch, modified starch, vegetable starch, rice syrup (unless specifically labelled gluten-free), monosodium glutamate (MSG), caramel coloring.

 

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