What Foods Have Gluten in Them?

Written By: Kelsey Chadwick, MS RDN LDN

Gluten is the term for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye). This can also include wheat derivatives such as wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn. If you’ve ever had gluten-free food before, you might guess what it’s function is… Gluten’s function is to help maintain a foods shape and acts as a glue that holds food together.

Foods with Gluten to Avoid

(Categories are in alphabetical order)

Alcohol to Avoid (not a complete list)

• Beer

• Gluten-removed beer

• Twisted Tea

• Mike’s Hard Lemonade

Appetizers to Avoid

• Anything that is “gluten-free” in a shared fryer

Beverages to Avoid

• Malt-based beverages (Milkshakes with malt)

• Ovaltine (chocolate malt)

• Herbal teas

• Root beer

• Flavored coffee drinks

• Instant coffee & coffee substitutes made with gluten-containing ingredients

• Question beverages like flavored coffees and syrups, hot chocolate mixes, flavored and herbal teas, premixed alcoholic beverages, hard ciders, wine coolers and sake

Candy to Avoid

• Licorice

• Chewing gum

• Mentos

Cooking Ingredients to Avoid

• Coating mixes

• Panko

• Baking sheet sprays with wheat flour

Condiments to Avoid

• Salad dressings made with gluten-containing ingredients

• Malt vinegar

• Miso made with barley and wheat

• Soy sauce

• Teriyaki sauce

• Marinades

• Tamari or shoyu sauce made from wheat

• Some prepared mustards have wheat (such as some Stonewall Kitchen mustards)

• Question foods like baking/cooking sprays, suet, curry paste, mustards, mustard flour, mustard pickles, rice vinegar, BBQ sauces, cooking sauces and Worcestershire sauce

Dairy Products to Avoid

• Malted milk

• Ice cream and frozen yogurt made with
  gluten-containing ingredients such as cookie dough, cake batter and brownie

• Ice cream cake

• Yogurt parfaits with granola that isn’t GF (often premade at cafe’s or Starbucks, etc.)

• Yogurt with mixins like oreo or graham crackers

• Question products like dips, cheese sauces, cheese spreads, seasoned or flavored shredded cheese & seasoned or flavored block cheese

Desserts to Avoid

• Cake

• Bread pudding

• Cookies

• Muffins

• Pies

• Pastries

• Ice cream cones

• Wafers

• Waffles

• Question foods like flourless cakes, creme brulee, honey powder, icings and frostings, sauces and toppings, chocolate and chocolate bar

Fish & Seafood to Avoid

• Breaded fish and seafood

• Canned fish in vegetable broth containing hydrolyzed wheat protein

• Question foods like imitation bacon bits, imitation crab or lobster and season/flavored fish in pouches

Flours, Bran, Germ & Meal to Avoid

• Atta flour

• Graham flour

• White flour

• Whole wheat flour

• Wheat bran

• Wheat germ

• Wheat gluten

• Barley flour

• Einkorn flour

• Emmer flour

• Kamut flour

• Rye flour

• Spelt flour

• Triticale flour

• Oat bran

• Oat flour

• Rolled oats

• Oatmeal

• Question foods like buckwheat flour and items made with buckwheat flour

Grain Based Foods to Avoid

• Chow mein noodles

• Orzo

• Udon

• Hot or cold cereals made with wheat, barley, oats, rye or farro

• Hot or cold infant cereals made with wheat, barley, oats, rye or farro

• Cereals made with added barley malt, barley malt extract or barley malt flavoring

• Wheat flour tortillas and wraps

• Pizza dough and crusts

• Tabouli

• Question foods like buckwheat pasta, seasoned/flavored rice mixes, rice pilafs, polenta, corn tortillas and wraps

Meats to Avoid

• Breaded meat and poultry

• Frozen chicken breasts injected with chicken broth containing gluten ingredients

• Frozen turkey basted with hydrolyzed wheat protein

• Frozen or fresh poultry with bread stuffing

• Steak tips and other meats marinaded with gluten-containing marinades

• Beef jerky (often made with wheat)

• Question foods like deli meats, pates, meat loaf, ready-to-cook meats, burgers and dried meats

Non-Dairy Foods to Avoid

• Non-dairy beverages including coconut, flax, hemp, nuts, rice, soy and oats that are not labeled gluten free

• Oat beverages that are not labeled gluten-free

Other Proteins & Meat Alternatives to Avoid

• Fu

• Seitan

• Quorn products

• Lots of veggie burgers and plant-based proteins contain gluten

• Plant-based meat substitutes made with wheat or gluten-containing ingredients

• Omelets and scrambled eggs made with pancake batter (often done at diners and breakfast restaurants)

• Question items like seeds, seasoned or dry-roasted nuts, chickpeas and seeds, nut and seed butters, canned beans in sauce, seasoned/flavored egg products and plant-based meat substitutes

Protein Foods to Avoid

• Processed luncheon meats

• Pre-marinaded meats

• Vegetarian proteins often contain wheat (Quorn, etc.)

Religious Foods to Avoid

• Matzo

• Communion wafers

Salad Items to Avoid

• Some dressings

• Croutons

• Imitation bacon

Sides to Avoid

• French fries

• Rice mixes (rice pilaf, etc.)

• Onion rings

Soups to Avoid

• Broths, soups and stocks thickened with flour or other gluten-containing ingredients (thickeners = roux)

• Dried soup bases, soup mixes and bouillon cubes containing hydrolyzed wheat protein, wheat starch or wheat flour

• Always check ingredients on canned soups

  Question prepared broths, soups and stocks, dried soup bases, soup mixes and bouillon cubes

Starches to Avoid

• Barley starch

• Wheat starch

Sushi to Avoid

• Imitation seafood

• Soy sauce

• Fried sweet potato

• Wheat-based vinegars

• Sushi rice (often prepared with wheat-based vinegars or chicken broth containing gluten)

• Tempura

Vegetables to Avoid

• Scalloped potatoes containing wheat flour

• Battered and deep fried vegetables

• French fries, potatoes or hash browns cooked in oil used for gluten-containing products

• Question any fruit or vegetables with seasonings or in sauces

Smoke flavoring

• Smoke flavoring is made by burning certain woods and may use malted barley flour as a carrier for the smoke. Barley might not be listed in the ingredients, so check with the manufacturer to see if barley is used.

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Holiday Foods to Avoid

Thanksgiving Foods

• Gravy

• Stuffing

• Greenbean casserole

• Candy with gluten

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Non-Food Concerns

• Medication: You must investigate to make sure any medications you are or need to take are gluten-free. You can read my post on medications and supplements here.

• Supplements: Under the FDA labeling rule, products are often labeled GF if they do not contain any gluten-containing ingredients.

• Dental Care & Dental Products: Check to make sure your toothpaste, mouthwash, floss and any other products you use are gluten-free. Inform your dentist you have celiac disease. Have them check any fluoride products and any other products they might use during your cleaning or send you home with.

• Cosmetics: Gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin, but anything on and around the mouth should be gluten-free, such as chapstick.

• Play-Doh: Contains gluten and can be a concern if young children often put their hands in their mouth while playing.
  

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If you’d like personalized support beyond general advice, I offer virtual celiac nutrition counseling.

You can learn more about the different services I offer here.

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Meet the Author

Kelsey is a Registered and Licensed dietitian in the Greater Boston Area. Kelsey was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2011 which led her to become a Registered Dietitian with a goal of helping others navigate the crazy nutrition world. When she’s not seeing clients or writing blog posts, you will probably find her hanging out with her family or traveling to a new destination!