How to Figure Out What Has Gluten

Foods, Medications, and Beverages to avoid

Medically reviewed by Roxana Ehsani, RD

Gluten is a naturally occurring protein in some grains, including wheat, rye, barley, and more. You'll find these grains in common foods, such as breads and other baked goods, cereals, and soups.

Gluten also appears in some surprising foods, medications, and other nonfood items.

This article lists foods that have gluten, some gluten-free foods, and those that may have traces of gluten. It also discusses terms to look for when searching food and medicine labels.

Which Foods Definitely Have Gluten

If you have a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, there are certain foods you'll want to avoid. In addition to wheat, rye, and barley, these grains have gluten:

• Durum

• Einkorn

• Emmer

• Farina

• Farro

• Graham

• Khorasan wheat (Kamut)

• Semolina

• Spelt

• Triticale

• Wheatberry

Common foods that often contain ingredients with gluten include:

• Breads, pastries, and other baked goods

• Malt, including malted barley flour, milk or milkshakes, malt extract, syrup, flavoring, malt vinegar

• Brewer's yeast

• Cereals, granola, crackers

• Pancakes, waffles, crepes

• Pastas and noodles

• Sauces and gravies

• Modified food starch

• Soups
  

• Processed meat

• Reconstituted seafood

• Soy sauce, seasonings, marinades, dressings, croutons

• Butter

• Candy

• Ice cream

• Beer

Many of these foods have gluten-free versions, so check the food labels.

Which Foods Could Have Traces of Gluten

Oats are gluten-free. But because they're often grown or processed near other grains, they could have traces of gluten. To avoid gluten, look for oats marked "gluten-free."

A few people with celiac disease have a similar response to a protein in oats called avenin and should avoid oats altogether.

Potatoes are also naturally gluten-free. However, cross-contamination can occur if prepared using equipment that touches gluten-containing foods.

Research shows that you may be exposed to gluten if you eat fried foods (such as french fries) cooked in equipment also used to cook foods made with wheat. Some types of potato chips may have malt vinegar or other seasonings that contain gluten.

Other less obvious potential sources of gluten are:

• Cream-based soups (flour is often used as a thickener)

• Tortillas or tortilla chips that are not 100% corn-based

• Meat substitutes and imitation seafood, which may contain seitan (wheat gluten)

• Self-basting or pre-seasoned meats

• Brown rice syrup, which might have barley enzymes

• Tofu (naturally gluten-free) that has been marinated or cross-contaminated

• Corn and rice products (naturally gluten-free) that may be contaminated with wheat gluten during processing
  

Nonfood Sources of Gluten

Gluten is an excellent binding and extending agent that is used in the fillers and coatings of some medications. However, the majority of oral medications contain little or no gluten. When gluten is present, it's no more than 0.5 milligrams (mg) to a dose. That's less than a 30 gram (g) serving of food that could be labeled as gluten-free.

If the label doesn't say "gluten-free," check the inactive ingredients list for the terms "wheat gluten" or "wheat flour." If you don't see those words, the products shouldn't have enough gluten to harm a typical person with celiac disease.

Another ingredient to look for is starch. Though it's more common for corn to be the source of starch, some medicines may have starch from wheat.

If you must avoid gluten, check with a pharmacist or other healthcare provider to determine if a medicine is gluten-free and what your other options are.

Other nonfood possible sources of gluten are:

• Lipstick, lip gloss, lip balm, and other cosmetics you might use near your mouth

• Oral care and dental products

• Nutritional supplements, including vitamins and herbals

• Communion wafers

• Play-Doh modeling clay (children may touch their mouths after handling)

Terms to Look for on Gluten-Containing Products

Gluten is also sold as wheat gluten, or seitan, a high-protein vegan food. Some other terms that may indicate the presence of gluten include:

• Caramel colors

• Cracked wheat

• Dextrin

• Einkorn

• Emmer

• Emulsifiers

• Hydrolyzed wheat protein

• Kamut

• Mono- and diglycerides

• Spelt

• Wheat bran

• Wheat germ

• Wheat starch

The following ingredients are safe on a gluten-free diet:

• Caramel colors

• Dextrin

• Distilled vinegar

• Maltodextrin

• Maltose

• Natural flavors

• Yeast extract

However, malt, malt extract, malt flavor, and malt syrup are not.

Food Labels and Dining Out Help

Gluten-free: On food labels, look for the term "gluten-free," though it doesn't necessarily mean a product is 100% free of gluten. Experts set a limit of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) as one of the criteria for using the term "gluten-free" on food labels. That's because it's the lowest level that can be consistently detected.

Ingredients and allergens: If the label doesn't say "gluten-free," check both the ingredients list and the allergens list.

Possible cross-contamination: The words "may contain," "made on shared equipment with," or "made in a facility that processes" wheat or gluten means that cross-contamination is possible. If the product label also says "gluten-free," it means there are procedures to prevent cross-contamination.

Eating out: When eating out, share your dietary restrictions with your server. If they don't understand, ask to speak with a manager or kitchen staff. Ask questions about how the food will be prepared and the possibility of cross-contamination. Confirm that it's a gluten-free meal when served.

Apps: There are also several gluten and food allergy apps to help you identify sources of gluten and restaurants that have gluten-free menus.

What Doesn't Have Gluten

Fortunately, there are quite a few gluten-free grains, such as:

• Amaranth

• Buckwheat

• Corn

• Millet

• Oats (when not processed alongside grains that have gluten)

• Quinoa

• Rice

• Sorghum

• Teff

Other gluten-free foods include:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), nuts, and seeds

• Potatoes and yucca

• Fish and poultry

• Eggs (be aware that some restaurants add pancake batter, which likely has gluten, to omelets)

• Tapioca

• Tofu (but watch for tofu with soy sauce marinades and fried tofu that may be cross-contaminated)

• Most distilled alcoholic beverages and vinegars
  

Summary

Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and more. These grains are ingredients in many common foods, such as cereals, breads, and other baked goods. Rice, corn, and potatoes are among the naturally gluten-free foods. But these foods sometimes have gluten due to cross-contamination.

If you must avoid gluten, it's important to check food labels carefully. Foods marked "gluten-free" may have trace amounts of gluten but are safe for most people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. If you have any questions about whether it's safe to eat something, it's best to avoid it. A healthcare provider is the best source of information on what's safe for you to consume.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.