More foods have gluten than you think. Here’s how to avoid 'hidden' sources of the protein.

Gluten is in a lot more foods than you might initially realize. The protein, which is commonly found in breads and cakes, can be in items as wide-ranging as toothpaste and soy sauce.

This can be tricky for people who have a health condition linked to gluten. People with celiac disease have to cut gluten from their diet, while people who are gluten intolerant may choose to avoid it.

Even those without a gluten-related health issue may want to be mindful of which foods have gluten. After all, it’s always good to know the dietary requirements of who you’re serving food to, says Amy Reed, a registered dietician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “to keep everybody safe and healthy.”

What foods have gluten?

Gluten is found in foods that have wheat. This means that gluten is found in anything that uses wheat flour — or what we think of as “regular” flour. Examples of these foods include baked goods, cookies, crackers, pasta and breads.

Gluten is also found in other grains besides wheat. These are rye, barley and triticale – which is a newer grain that is a cross between wheat and rye. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, barley is commonly found in malt (malted milkshakes, malt vinegar, etc.), beer and the nutritional supplement Brewer’s Yeast. Rye is commonly found in rye bread, rye beer and cereals. Triticale can potentially be found in breads, pasta and cereals.

What foods surprisingly have gluten?

While we often think of bread or baked goods when we think of gluten, there are many “hidden sources” of the protein, says Reed. Part of the reason why this is the case is because of gluten’s unique properties. Gluten acts as a binder and thickener, which means the protein can be added to processed foods or other items to contribute to their structure and texture. Deli meats, hot dogs, salami, sausage, imitation fish and meat substitutes are some examples of processed foods that could have gluten.

Soups and gravies are another hidden source. Wheat flour is often used as a thickener in these items, says Reed. There are other items that you just might not know are made with grains that contain gluten. Soy sauce and miso are two examples. According to the Cleveland Clinic, soy sauce is often made with wheat, and miso may be made with barley.

Are all gluten-free foods safe for people with celiac disease?

Even items labeled gluten-free at restaurants could be hidden sources of gluten. This is because of the risk of cross-contamination (also known as cross-contact). According to the non-profit Beyond Celiac, cross-contact occurs when gluten-free food comes into contact with something that has gluten. This could be food that contains gluten or a utensil or surface that was used to prepare food that contains the protein. For example, some people may be so sensitive that if a gluten-free pizza is cooked in the same oven as a regular pizza, they can’t eat the gluten-free pizza because of cross-contamination, says Reed.   

How to avoid hidden sources of gluten

The Cleveland Clinic outlines a handful of ways to avoid these hidden sources:

• Know wheat in all of its forms, including “wheat berries, semolina, spelt, farina, graham, durum, emmer, faro, Khorasan, udon and einkorn.”
• Avoid products that are not labeled gluten-free but contain one of the following ingredients: "starch, modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, textured vegetable protein, dextrin, maltodextrin, glucose syrup, caramel, malt flavoring, malt extract, malt vinegar (distilled vinegar is OK), brown rice syrup."
• If you can’t confirm products are gluten-free, leave them out.
• Be mindful of kitchen cross-contamination.

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