Forbidden Ingredients on a Gluten Free Diet

A gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and their derivatives, must be avoided completely. Unfortunately, the gluten-free diet is not as simple as removing gluten-containing grains from your diet, as many ingredients in processed and packaged foods contain gluten. Going gluten-free requires that you become proficient at reading food labels in order to identify forbidden ingredients.

Wheat and Wheat Products

• Wheat shows up in a variety of foods, and it can be difficult to spot. All breads, cereals, pasta, crackers and pastries made from wheat flour must be avoided. Wheat can also be found as semolina, spelt, kamut, triticale, durum, einkorn, farina, cake flour, matzo and couscous. If you seen any of these words on a food label, then the food contains gluten. Wheat flour is a common ingredient that can also be listed as enriched flour or bleached flour. Fortunately, if a food does contain wheat, the FDA requires food manufactures to clearly state that -- and other common allergens -- on the label.

Barley

• Barley, as a grain, is not a popular ingredient in processed foods. However, it is used to make popular food ingredients such as malt flavoring, malt vinegar, malt syrup, brown rice syrup and brewer's yeast. All of these ingredients derived from barley contain gluten and must be avoided. Beer is generally fermented from barley, unless it is labeled gluten-free. Unlike wheat, barley is not required to be listed on food labels as an allergen. You must search for these gluten-containing products on the ingredients list on the food label.

• Stabilizers and Starches

• Many ingredients that contain grain products do not carry the name of the grain. Stabilizers, starches, emulsifiers, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, modified food starch, vegetable gum, soy sauce and cereal extracts can all contain gluten. Dextrins and caramel coloring may or may not contain gluten, but if they are made from wheat, the product should display a wheat warning. If you see any of these other ingredients listed on a food label, avoid eating the food unless it is labeled gluten-free.

Other Ingredients

• Gluten is often hiding in breading, dressing and sauces. Always check labels before adding a sauce or topping to your food and request ingredient lists when you dine in a restaurant. Oats do not contain gluten unless they have been contaminated by gluten-containing grains. Certified gluten-free oats are guaranteed to be free of contamination. Fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products are naturally gluten-free unless they contain grain additives. You can avoid many sources of gluten by limiting processed foods in your diet and focusing on naturally gluten-free foods.