Gluten, Gluten Everywhere!

Gluten has become one of those buzzwords of the last few years that you can’t seem to avoid. In the grocery store? It’s likely you’ve seen the gluten-free aisle, or at least a section of an aisle dedicated to all things gluten-free. You’ll see it noted on menus. You’ll see it in articles on health and nutrition, especially those pertaining to IBS and other digestive disorders.

So, what’s the big deal about gluten? It all comes down to gut health and inflammation. Here’s how you can find and avoid hidden gluten.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein made from wheat, rye, or barley. For many people, it causes no issues whatsoever. But it CAN cause issues for people with gluten sensitivities, particularly people with celiac disease.

Our bodies are equipped with digestive enzymes to break down the food we consume. However, gluten cannot be fully broken down by protease, the enzyme responsible for processing proteins, leading to undigested gluten in the small intestine.

Although most people can tolerate this undigested gluten without any adverse effects, some individuals may experience severe autoimmune reactions or unpleasant symptoms, specifically people with celiac disease, wheat allergies, or Gluten ataxia. Celiac disease is an autoimmune response triggered by gluten and can lead to damage of the small intestine. Gluten ataxia is a rare neurological condition that occurs when the immune system reacts to gluten and harms the cerebellum region of the brain.

Some people also just have gluten sensitivities and simply react to gluten, resulting in experiencing discomfort such as bloating, diarrhea, headaches, or skin rashes after consuming gluten-containing foods. They may also find they are gaining weight and experience swings in blood sugar. These latter two effects may not necessarily be caused by gluten, however, but rather poorly digested carbohydrates, also known as FODMAPS, which ferment in the gut and can cause discomfort in those with sensitive stomachs.

Also, individuals with a dysfunctional small intestine with a permeable lining may struggle with gluten because that lining allows undigested gluten, bacteria, and other substances to enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation.

While there is still debate as to how much gluten is the culprit in many cases, or if it’s something else (like possibly FODMAPs), it is worth being aware of gluten, understanding how it affects the body (whether you have an intolerance or not) and knowing where it might be hidden. Even if you don’t have issues with gluten, knowing about it can also help you be more understanding of those who DO suffer from gluten sensitivities.

How to Avoid Gluten

The first thing to know is that “gluten-free” does not necessarily mean an item contains zero gluten. It means it fits the criteria for what the FDA denotes as an acceptable level of gluten, which is the equivalent of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. Because gluten does not fall under the typical FDA requirements for a food allergen, manufacturers also do not have to disclose gluten on food labels. Also, this labeling only applies for packaged foods and does not include meat, poultry, or distilled spirits made with 7% or more alcohol.

If you want to be safest, check for the Gluten Intolerance Group's Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) label, as they offer certification for foods with less than 10 ppm of gluten.

Other organizations that offer certifications are:

• Allergen Control Group
• Celiac Support Association (CSA)
• Certified Naturally Grown
• Crossed Grain Trademark
• Gluten Intolerance Group
• Kosher Certification Agency
• National Organic Program
• Non-GMO Project
• NSF International
• USDA Organic

If you don’t see it on the label or don’t feel confident trusting the labels, call the food companies directly. They should be able to tell you that the product is not only gluten-free, but the manufacturing process used to make it was also gluten-free.

Where to Find Gluten

Given that gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye, you’d think it would be easy enough to spot it as an ingredient listed in your favorite snack. Alas, that is not the case. Gluten can be hiding in plain sight, disguised in some of your favorite condiments and snacks you’d never even suspect. It is extremely challenging to find and avoid gluten if you don’t know what contains gluten or what to look for on a label.

From obvious ones to not-so-obvious ones, here are places where you will find gluten:

Foods That Include Gluten

The obvious culprits are:

• Atta (chapati flour)
• Barley (flakes, flour, pearl)
• Breading, bread stuffing
• Brewer's yeast
• Bulgur
• Durum (type of wheat)
• Einkorn (type of wheat)
• Emmer (type of wheat)
• Farina
• Farro/faro (also known as spelt or dinkel)
• Fu (a dried gluten product made from wheat and used in some Asian dishes)
• Graham flour
• Hydrolyzed wheat protein
• Kamut (type of wheat)
• Malt, malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring
• Malt vinegar
• Malted milk
• Matzo, matzo meal
• Modified wheat starch
• Oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, whole oats (unless they are from pure, uncontaminated oats)
• Rye bread and flour
• Seitan (a meat-like food derived from wheat gluten used in many vegetarian dishes)
• Semolina
• Spelt (type of wheat also known as farro, faro, or dinkel)
• Triticale
• Wheat bran
• Wheat flour
• Wheat germ
• Wheat starch

Sometimes ingredients are listed by their Latin names, so beware the following as well:

• Hordeum vulgare (barley)
• Secale cereale (rye)
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Triticum spelta (spelt, a form of wheat)
• Triticum vulgare (wheat)

Foods That May Contain Hidden Gluten

The not-so-obvious culprits are:

• Barbecue sauce
• Beef jerky
• Beer, ale, lager
• Breads
• Broth, soup, soup bases
• Cereal (including corn flakes and crisped rice)
• Cheese
• Chocolate
• Cocktail mixers
• Cookies and crackers
• Cooking spray
• Deli meats
• Imitation meat and seafood products
• Energy bars
• Flavored coffee and tea
• Flavored potato or corn chips
• French fries
• Frozen dessert treats
• Frozen vegetables (with seasonings)
• Granola bars
• Gravies
• Hard cider and hard lemonade
• Licorice
• Flavored coffee and tea
• Marinades
• Medications and supplements
• Pasta
• Pickles
• Salad dressings
• Sausage, hot dogs, salami
• Seasoned rice
• Soup, broth or stock
• Soy sauce
• Specialty ketchup or mustard
• Taco seasoning
• Teriyaki sauce
• Vinegar
• Wine coolers

In addition to this list, colorings, flavorings, or other additives may also include gluten. Natural and artificial flavoring may come from barley, for example. Hydrolyzed plant and vegetable proteins may come from wheat, corn, or soy. Wheat is sometimes used to make dextrin and maltodextrin.

Also, though oats themselves are naturally gluten-free, commercial oats are contaminated with gluten because of how they are processed.

Non-food Items That May Contain Gluten

If you have sensitivity to gluten, you need to be aware of non-food items that might contain gluten and that can potentially cause issues for you if you handle them. Items like toothpaste, lip balms, and other cosmetics, for example, may contain gluten.

Remember that medications, supplements, and vitamins can contain gluten, so make sure to check with your pharmacist to find out if your medications contain gluten. If so, see if you can be prescribed an alternative.

When Gluten Isn't the Culprit

Gluten is only one of the many proteins in wheat, which means you may be assuming you have a gluten sensitivity when it’s actually a sensitivity to one or a few of the other proteins and peptides in wheat. This is why many people who go on a “gluten-free diet” still have issues and just can’t figure out why. If you suspect you might have a wheat and/or gluten sensitivity, your best first line of defense is test, don’t guess. If you simply cut out gluten but don’t need to do so, you may be depriving yourself of much-needed vitamins and nutrients and actually making things worse for yourself. Again, and I cannot stress this enough – test first. 

Gluten-free Living – Is It Right For You?

Gluten is not bad for those of us whose bodies can tolerate it. So don’t eliminate it from your diet just yet! If you’re having some digestive issues, you may be reacting to gluten, or you may be reacting to something else entirely. I highly recommend working with someone who can help you assess where the issue stems from.

However, if you DO have a wheat and/or gluten sensitivity and it is allowed to go undetected for a long period of time, you are at risk of developing issues like a leaky gut (which, by the way, is also something you can test for). This is why I highly recommend testing, like this Wheat Zoomer At-Home Test.

If your tests come back positive for gluten sensitivities, your next step is to find a practitioner who can guide you to ensure you get all the nutrients you need if you must eliminate gluten from your life.

Need guidance on your gluten-free journey? Work with me!