5 Areas of Hidden Gluten
One thing I learned, often the hard way, was gluten is hidden in a lot of surprising items. When I first entered the gluten-sensitive world, I was thinking more of bread, crackers, and other grain-filled delicious treats, but what I didn’t realize is that the magic (proteins gliadin and glutenin) of gluten that keeps those treats held together is also used to keep other ingredients together. This can be a difficult challenge for someone with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity to navigate around these hidden items.
Gluten Beware
To make sure you don’t make the same mistakes I did, or understand what might be leading to some gluten intolerance symptoms, below are 5 areas where gluten may be hiding. On a few of them, I’ve also included some good replacement options so you don’t have to completely say goodbye.
Soy Sauce
This is one that completely took me by surprise and still lives up to being the worst surprise of them all.
I noticed minutes after and it started first with swelling and tingly in my mouth, as well as my belly growing to the baby size. I did everything from Benadryl to tea in hopes to combat it, but quickly ended up falling asleep for 10 hours because I just felt so awful.
Here are some better options, without the unwanted surprise effects.
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce, that actually tastes like soy sauce! We have now replaced these two with regular ones.
Another delicious option is Coconut Aminos, which have a sweeter taste and is great on rice, sushi, or summer rolls.
Candy
Licorice is one candy I miss and another that surprised me. While the origin of licorice, the licorice root, is gluten-free, they use gluten to bind it into its delicious candy treat.
A tasty alternative is Gimbal’s Scottie Dogs.
Gummy candies, like Haribo Goldbears, can include gluten, so make sure you look at the ingredients. For example, the Goldbears include glucose syrup (from wheat or corn), so just keep an eye out for indicators stating it’s gluten-free.
Some delicious options are: Swedish Fish (my fave!), Sour Patch Kids (my husband’s fave), Black Forest Gummy Bears
Chocolate – Some chocolates may contain gluten, so be careful about having ones with crisps, like Crunch or Kit Kat, or candies containing malt, like Whoppers.
Spreads/Sauces
Gluten is often used as a thickener or stabilizer, so it’s sometimes hidden in the following:
- BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- Mustards
- Mayonaise
- Salad Dressing
Some key terms to watch out for when shopping for these:
- Modified Food Starch
- Malt
- Whey protein
- Rye Barley
- Brewers Yeast
Cheese spreads can also contain gluten or gluten-containing ingredients, like beer.
Check the ingredients and make sure it says gluten-free on the container or that the allergens are clearly listed.
Medication
Unfortunately, medications and vitamins are tough to see if gluten is included. Pharmaceuticals use it to bind the ingredients or give it color by using malt. There are also minimal to no requirements for labeling gluten or common allergens in drug ingredients.
Some common pain relievers, like Ibuprofen, or OTC medications like Tums and Sudafed contain starch as an inactive ingredient, which is a red flag pointing to the potential of gluten.
Ask your pharmacist or check the ingredients on the company’s website beforehand. This link is also helpful to identify if your medication is gluten-free. Gluten-Free Drugs
Your Kitchen
Your kitchen is a key place where there’s a significant chance for cross-contamination. More details on the sneaky areas of gluten in the kitchen, coming soon!
If you aren’t in a completely gluten-free home, then you need to watch for areas where gluten can mix with your food. Don’t worry, as I mentioned above, I will be posting a more comprehensive list of areas to watch for. In the meantime, here are some initial areas to watch out for in your kitchen.
- Toasters
- Breadcrumbs, mixing with your food)
- Butter, and spreads like peanut butter
- Anywhere you use the same utensils
- Cutting boards & Wooden utensils
Hope this information was helpful and provided some insight on where gluten may be sneaking in and causing some issues. I wish you a happy and healthy life! If you find that gluten did sneak into your system, check out: Gluten Relief and Remedies
Don’t forget to join my newsletter and learn about new articles as they come!
This blog may contain affiliate links and although a small commission may be received for some products, I’m only linking to products I use and enjoy. To ensure all bases are covered, including Amazon’s disclosure as well since, well let’s be honest, I practically live on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Pingback: Gluten Remedies - What the heck...GF!