Unexpected Foods You Can Find on Gluten-Free Food List
If you are having trouble with celiac disease or have another reason that you want to go on a gluten free diet, you might have noticed how tricky it can be to determine whether gluten is present in some products. While manufacturers are obliged to clearly display the list of ingredients on the label, gluten can sometimes be difficult to detect, because of the different names that it can come under and different ingredients that could contain it. Likewise, while some products carry the gluten free label, others that also don’t contain it won’t have the label, under the assumption that the customer is aware of this fact simply because of the nature of the product. This is why we have made a small cheat sheet that should enable you to easily determine if the product you are interested in contains gluten.
Alcohol, Sodas, Tea and Coffee
If you are only interested in green or black tea, or simple, unflavored coffee, you should be in the clear, however, flavored coffees or teas with different additives are not necessarily free of these proteins. Most sodas and 100% fruit juices are also safe to drink, but if you want to enjoy a beer, you’ll have to find a gluten free marked product, as typical beers come laden with it. While some sensitive people won’t have a reaction when drinking gin or whiskey, there are those who will, so be careful with these drinks.
Frozen Foods
If you are buying prepared food, like frozen pizzas or dinners, you would be well advised to only purchase the ones with the gluten free label. The same goes for canned soups, especially creamy ones, which often contain flour as a thickening agent.
Condiments
You’ll have to carefully inspect the ingredients list, so again, only purchasing products that clearly state that they are gluten free is your safest bet. Finding a salad dressing or tomato sauce that contains no gluten is usually not a problem in at least decently stocked supermarkets, while if you want safe ketchup or mustard, Heinz and French make gluten free products of this type.
Pastas, Cereals and Breads
Naturally, all pastas, cereals and breads are usually made with wheat, which is why the manufacturer will usually make sure to mention if the product is gluten free. If you are having trouble finding these products in your local store, check online.
Fruits and Vegetables
While most of these products don’t contain gluten on their own, you should know that some of them might get contaminated in contact with other food that gets displayed in the same cases or that is transported with products in question.
Dairy Products
Most cheeses, fresh, unflavored milk, yogurts and butters are gluten free, as well as most ice creams, but if you want flavored yogurt or milk, it might contain additives that come with gluten, so make sure to check the label when purchasing these products.
Meat and Fish
Similarly to fruit and vegetables, meat and fish don’t contain gluten on their own, but could become contaminated during the transportation or displaying. Prepacked products can come with or without gluten, so don’t just assume they are safe.
Sophie Andersen is a freelance writer based in Sydney. She’s currently doing on a promotional campaign for Big Lolly, promoting their new gluten-free candies.