Using "Wheat-Free" to Find "Gluten-Free" and Other Label Reading Tips

When you're first starting to figure out whatparticularly processed foods.
you're going to eat on a gluten free diet, it can beSince any product with wheat in it will be clearly
difficult to figure out where to look formarked, this is a good place to look first. On most
information about what you can eat. You canlabels you won't have to read through the list of
read through whole long lists of gluten free foodsingredients - just a glance at the allergen
and brands before you go to the store, but onceinformation section will tell you if you should keep
you walk in it can be overwhelming trying toreading or look elsewhere. Because gluten can
remember which items you had read about, letcome from both rye and barley ingredients as
alone find them.well, you can't automatically assume a wheat free
Reading Labelsproduct is gluten free, but looking for wheat first
While lists of gluten free products can be helpful ifwill help you rule out a lot of products more
you're trying to find a particular item, they arequickly.
often not as helpful when you're first starting toLong Lists
make the transition to a gluten free diet. WhatWhen you're looking for gluten free products,
you really need to learn in this situation is how toyou'll want to steer clear of products with long
read labels quickly and efficiently. Of course, youlists of ingredients as well. There are all kinds of
don't want to be in the store all day trying toadditives and fillers that can contain gluten and
read the label for every product on the shelftrying to remember the different names each of
either.these can be listed under is certainly an
Allergen Informationoverwhelming task, especially when you're first
One of the easiest things to look for on anystarting out.
nutrition label is allergen information. There areIn general, you'll want to look for foods with short
eight major food allergens and foods containinglists of ingredients, most of which are easily
any of these are required to clearly list them onidentifiable as foods and not weird, long chemical
their labels. Of course, gluten isn't one of thesenames. Not only is it easier to tell if these foods
allergens, but wheat is. Wheat contains gluten andhave gluten in them, they're generally healthier for
is the primary source of gluten in foods,you as well.