| When you first go on a gluten free (GF) diet, | | | | Once I've checked and a product does not show |
| reading labels to figure out if a product is gluten | | | | a warning for wheat at the end of the ingredients, |
| free or not can be a challenging task. | | | | I go to the beginning of the ingredients and start |
| Unfortunately, gluten is not an "ingredient" that is | | | | scanning the label for items that send up red flags |
| listed on a label. It is a protein found in wheat, rye | | | | for possible gluten. The biggest offender I often |
| and barley. Making things even more complicated, | | | | find is "MALT". Malt comes from barley and is |
| wheat, rye and barley can be found in strange | | | | used in many different forms in many different |
| places and may not be listed as an ingredient | | | | foods. It is the biggest reason why most rice and |
| either, but still be in the product. Here are a few | | | | corn cereals are not gluten free. It is also |
| tips for figuring it all out: | | | | commonly found in root beer, vinegar and granola |
| Fortunately, food label standards are improving all | | | | bars. |
| the time. The world seems to be more sensitive | | | | I also look for items in the list that I know are |
| to the major foods that cause allergies and are | | | | most likely made with gluten, but the ingredients |
| listing them with more regularity on labels. Wheat | | | | to that item are not listed in parenthesis after it. |
| is one of the more common allergens listed on | | | | Bread crumbs for example would most likely |
| labels, making a huge part of gluten free shopping | | | | contain gluten and if listed as an ingredient should |
| easier. Unfortunately, rye and barley are not | | | | look something like this: bread crumbs (wheat |
| thought of as common allergens, so they are not | | | | flour, salt, eggs, yeast...), but there are times |
| routinely mentioned on labels. Remember, just | | | | when the ingredients are not listed in parenthesis |
| because a product is "wheat free" does not make | | | | and you must 'read between the lines' for |
| it "gluten free"! | | | | yourself and assume that the breadcrumbs |
| When reading a label, I first go right to the | | | | probably contain gluten. A place where this may |
| bottom of the list of ingredients and look for an | | | | happen is with ice creams. It may list 'cookie |
| emboldened warning that often starts with "May | | | | crumbs' as an ingredient, but not list what the |
| contain..." or "Warning: contains..." and look for | | | | cookies are made of. You must then assume that |
| "wheat". This is where the most common | | | | the cookies are made with standard flour and |
| allergens are listed such as nuts, dairy, wheat, etc. | | | | most likely contain gluten, so you rule out this |
| If you find wheat here, then you know | | | | product. |
| immediately this item is not gluten free. | | | | There are other places gluten can be hidden in a |
| If it says it "may contain traces of wheat" or it "is | | | | product, and with a bit of research online and by |
| produced in a factory that produces wheat", you | | | | reading a book or two, you will become an expert |
| have to decide based on your own medical needs | | | | on label reading and deciphering whether or not a |
| if you are willing to take that risk or not. Our | | | | product is safe to eat. The best way to be sure |
| family has personally never had a reaction to a | | | | if it is not clear by reading the label, is to call the |
| product that says this and we do not forgo a | | | | manufacturer and ask. In the meantime, the |
| product just because of this type of warning. You | | | | information above will cover the bulk of what you |
| have to make this decision based on how | | | | need to know to get started on your path to a |
| sensitive you are and what your doctor's advice | | | | gluten free lifestyle. |
| is. | | | | |