11 Hidden Sources of Gluten to Watch out For

Everyone knows that flour contains gluten. Most know wheat, rye, and barely are sources of gluten. But did you know about these 11 hidden sources of gluten?

According to Beyond Celiac, about three million Americans suffer from Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity affects around 18 million! While each condition comes with a slightly different response mechanism, both wreak havoc on the body upon exposure to gluten, causing similar discomforts.  

While some symptoms seem like mild annoyances, others pose serious health risks. This makes hidden sources of gluten important to avoid.

You probably steer clear of ingredients like wheat, barley, bulger, semolina, and other well-known sources. But, do you know all of the foods that can sneak this group of grain proteins into your diet?

Avoid These 11 Hidden Sources of Gluten

Knowing how to identify gluten products is the first step to living a gluten-free life. Unless you make an effort to always eat at a gluten-free restaurant, you can put yourself at risk of mistake ingestion.

Keep reading to learn about 11 hidden sources of gluten.

1. Soups

When in doubt, order the soup, right? What portion of soup can possibly contain gluten?

Believe it or not, the broth-based soup actually is one of the foods with hidden gluten. Sometimes, bullion cubes, chicken stock, and beef stock do contain some amount of wheat. Moreover, soups often consist of other gluten ridden elements.

Many chicken soups come with noodles. Beef soups often contain barley. You get cheesy bread covering french onion soup.

Even removing these ingredients will not keep you from eating gluten, as it will get into the broth. Only eat prepared soups labeled gluten-free, and stay aware of the ingredients you add when making soup at home.

Watch when going for the cream-based soups as well. Many people thicken the cream with flour, which contains gluten.

2. Spices

Spices come from plant parts, like the bark, fruit, root, or seed. They themselves do not actually contain gluten.

However, they can become contaminated in the processing plant. Imported spices sometimes contain it in bothersome amounts.

Watch where your spices come from. Only use trusted sources so you know that your food is safe.

3. Sauces And Gravies

Meaty dishes, sans the grains, look like a safe option. But before you order them out at a restaurant or throw in a sauce packet at home, check the ingredients list.

To thicken up the liquid for that desirable texture, people use ingredients that contain gluten, like flour or dextrin. Opt for ones that use corn starch instead, as corn products do not consist of any gluten.

4. Sweeteners

Wheat and other gluten grains are carbohydrates. Carbs mostly contain sugars. So, some sweeteners may come from wheat.

Though some people claim that the sweeteners are processed enough that the gluten in them will not bother anybody, it is still best to avoid glucose syrup, caramel flavoring, and brown rice syrup. Instead, opt for honey, raw sugar, and 100% pure maple syrup for health and safety.

But, this makes eating sweets tricky. Chewing gum, hard, candies, chewy candies, and chocolate bars could all contain hidden gluten, so check labels carefully.

5. Emulsified Foods

Some emulsifications contain hydrolized wheat gluten protein as the emulsifier. For this reason, carefully check the ingredient list on mayonnaise, aioli, Hollandaise sauce, Bearnaise Sauce, and some salad dressings.

6. Vegan ‘Meats’

You know that vegan ‘meats’ do not contain any animal derivatives. So, what do they contain, exactly?

Something bulks up the anti-burgers and makes them feel fleshy. There is often hidden wheat gluten in foods like this. 

7. Scrambled Eggs

No jokes cracked over here. Ordering eggs out really can turn into a gluten feast.

Eggs themselves never contain gluten, as those proteins only form in grains. But, many restaurants mix pancake batter in with their scrambled eggs to make them fluffier.

8. Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips, also known as corn chips should not contain gluten. Corn does not contain any.

But, manufacturers sometimes use little money-saving substitutions to save money, making them almost-corn-chips. They can contain wheat fillers if they do not specify 100% corn tortillas.

9. Processed Meats

Meat does not contain any gluten. However, it might after processing, and you often will not see it on the label.

Watch out when consuming sausage, pepperoni, and deli meats. They may contain seasonings and starches that consist of gluten if not labeled as gluten-free.

10. Cheesecake 

Before digging into a slice of cheesecake, ask about the ingredients. Looks can be deceiving. 

What you think of a soft cheesy center, may actually contain some traditional cake ingredients. Some bakers use flour to help firm up the cake.

11. Restaurant Food

When you eat out, you often trade knowledge for convenience. What goes on in the kitchen?

If you do not eat out at a place designated for gluten-free food, your dish may contain some gluten due to cross-contamination. This happens when they cook with gluten-containing grain products in the same kitchen space.

It could happen on shared counter space. This might also occur when a worker does not switch utensils or gloves after touching gluten-containing foods and prior to handling yours.

This especially happens in the frier. Your gluten-free french fries might get cooked in the same oils and basket as battered or breaded foods.

Other Names For Gluten

Sometimes foods appear gluten-free to a rookie. Watch for these aliases:

*Vegetable protein

*Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

*Modified food starch

*Starch

*Dextrin

*Glycerides

*Diglycerides

*Malt

*Citric acid (if fermented from wheat products)

*Seitan

*Hordein 

*Gliadin

*Secalin

*Stabilizers

*Enzymes

*Natural Flavorings

Though some of these ingredients might not come from gluten-containing grains, you probably do not want to take the risk. Only eat products containing them if they are labeled gluten-free.

Eat Wisely

Food provides us with vital energy for life and should always serve your health. For this to happen, you need to always stay aware of every ingredient you put into your body.

Hidden sources of gluten can seriously impact somebody who suffers from celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivity. The impact lasts longer than the meal and in some cases can create long term damage to the intestines.

We want to help you make both wise and delicious decisions for every meal. Check out some savvy recipes on our website!