Gluten is defined by the National Institutes of Health as a protein that is found in certain grains, such as rye, barley and wheat. While that may seem like a short list, the fact is that gluten is in the foods that any of those grains are in. Once you read labels, you will realize that grains, especially wheat, are in almost all processed foods, and in many deli meats. If you need to follow a gluten-free diet due to celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten intolerance), you need to know what foods contain gluten.
Breads and Cereals
The most obvious foods that contain gluten are breads and cereals. Anything that is made with wheat, white, rye or barley flours is loaded with gluten. This includes doughnuts, breakfast bars, muffins, cakes and pizza crust. When reading a label, if you see any reference to wheat flour, enriched wheat flour, it is not gluten free. Rice flour, corn flour or potato flour are gluten free.
Pasta
Many people love pasta, but if you need to eat gluten free your choices are limited. Any pasta made with semolina or durum flour contains gluten. Specialty pastas such as spinach, tomato, or carrot also contain gluten, because they are mixed with wheat flours. If you long to have pasta, you can find gluten-free pastas that are made with corn or rice flours.
Soups, Gravies and Sauces
You would probably not suspect a can of tomato soup as having gluten, but if you read the label you will see whole-wheat flour listed. Flours are often used as thickeners in soups and gravies. Many sauces contain gluten, as well. Soy sauce, sauce bases and soup bases are all listed by the Health Now Medical Center as having gluten. Brown rice syrup can contain gluten, as well. Even though the name implies it is from rice, it often has flour or barley mixed with it.
Meats
If your meats are processed in any way, they are likely to contain gluten. Frozen meatballs, most prepared sausages, imitation seafood and some bacons are filled or injected with wheat. Chicken and turkey that come from turkey farms, as well as individually pre-frozen chicken breasts, are often injected with a preserving solution that contains wheat. While many deli meats and cheeses contain wheat in some form, there are many more that now declare they are gluten free. When purchasing them, ask your deli clerk which brands do not contain gluten.
Gluten can be hidden in foods under many other names besides wheat, rye and barley flours. You need to familiarize yourself with these names so you can read labels effectively and avoid gluten products. For a complete list, see the Unsafe Ingredients List at the celiac.com link in Resources.
