Foods Containing Gluten: The Ultimate List
There are any number of foods containing gluten and some of these may be surprising. I have posted an incomplete list of many of these gluten offenders. Remember that many foods contain “hidden” gluten so you need to be extra vigilant in checking labels before you consume anything if you are gluten intolerant.
Now remember, that gluten is commonly found in grains and cereals. Gluten is a special kind of protein that gives many foodstuffs, like bread for instance, their defining characteristics like elasticity and chewiness. Some of the foods on our gluten containing list will not shock you, however others will take you by complete surprise.
Foods Containing Gluten:
- Pasta (whole grain and processed)
- Pretzels
- Yorkshire pudding
- Bread and rolls
- Pie and pastry crust
- Stuffing
- Muffins
- Bagels
- Pancakes
- Apple topping
- Pizza dough
- Breakfast cereals
- Bran
- Sponge pudding
- Cake
- Certain alcoholic beverages
- Ketchup
Because so many people are gluten intolerant or have Celiac disease, gluten can be a health hazard to a significant portion of the population. It is estimated that between 1.5 to 4 million people in the United States alone have significant problems digesting gluten. Therefore, one would think that if you just avoided the foods above you would be okay. Unfortunately, there are many other foods containing gluten that are not so obvious. These foods often trip up gluten intolerant individuals who are not aware that they contain gluten in the first place.
Here is a list of so-called hidden gluten foods:
- Boxed soups
- Imitation meat, such as soy-based meat-substitute products.
- Soy sauce
- Chicken and beef stock cubes
- Gravy powders
- Sausage processed with filler
- Malt Vinegar
- Pickles
All of the above food items either always or usually contain gluten. Obviously, as you can see, gluten is an extremely common ingredient in the foods that we eat either as a part of grains or as a food additive. Therefore it is essential that you continue to stay on your toes if you are adhering to a gluten free diet.
Food packaging companies are increasingly aware of the problems posed by gluten to a signifcant minority of their customer base. As such they have gotten much better about being clear, easy to understand, and direct when and if one of their food products contains gluten. Still, it is no picnic having to check boxes to make certain that a particular food does not contain gluten. However, now that you have a partial list of foods containing gluten you will be much more capable of making an informed decision.