Quick Guide to Celiac Disease & Gluten Free Diet
A person with celiac disease (often wrongly referred to as gluten allergy) can’t withstand gluten - even in small quantities! If a person with celiac disease eats e.g. a slice of gluten-free bread that has gluten-containing breadcrumbs on it, (for example, because both have been on the same cutting board) is enough for it to cause an intestinal injury that can take months to heal.
If it’s not absolutely sure that something is gluten-free then please don’t serve it for someone with celiac disease!
There can be gluten in everything that can be eaten or drank!
The most important (only!) tool for determining what is gluten-free is the food label. In the EU, all manufacturers are required to declare all products to determine if the products contain gluten. Many products that typically contain gluten, e.g. bread, cake and pasta, are available in special gluten-free varieties that are clearly labeled “Gluten Free”.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye (and only in these three grains or crossbreeds of these grains*¹) - as well as in all the products in which these grains are included.
When preparing or serving gluten-free foods and beverage, it is important to avoid cross-contact. Cross-contact occurs when foods or ingredients come into contact with gluten, generally through shared utensils or shared cooking/storage environment. In order for food to be safe for someone with celiac disease, it must not come into contact with food containing gluten.
Examples of products and ingredients that DOES contain gluten
· Barley
· Barley malt
· Barley malt extract
· Beer
· Bulgur
· Cooking cream
· Cornflakes*²
· Couscous
· Dinkel Wheat
· Durum wheat
· Einkorn
· Emmer
· Graham flour
· Kamut (khorasan wheat)
· Malt
· Malt extract
· Manna groats
· Oats*¹
· Rasp
· Rye
· Semolina
· Siftings
· Soya*²
· Vegetable protein (wheat)
· Wheat
· Wheat Protein
· Wheat starch
Examples of products and ingredients that MAY contain gluten
· May contain traces of wheat/gluten*⁵
Examples of products and ingredients that DOES NOT contain gluten
· Buckwheat
· Chia seed
· Corn
· Corn Flour
· Corn Glucose Syrup
· Dextrose (wheat)*³
· Eggs
· Fish*⁴
· Flax seed
· Fruit
· Glucose syrup (barley)*³
· Glucose syrup (wheat)*³
· Glutamate (MSG)
· Glutamic acid
· Guar Gum
· Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
· Lactose
· Legumes (peas, beans, ...)
· Locust bean gum
· May contain traces of wheat/gluten*³
· Meat*⁴
· Milk, cheese*⁴
· Millet
· Nuts
· Potatoes
· Psyllium husk
· Quinoa
· Rice
· Vegetables
· Xanthan gum
*¹ Pure oats do not contain gluten, but almost all oats are grown or processed, where there has also been barley, wheat or rye, then oats, therefore, contains gluten - unless specifically stated as gluten-free!
*² Is naturally gluten free but is most often processed with auxiliary’s gluten.
*³ Does not contain gluten or contains gluten in such microscopic quantities that it has no practical significance and are usually allowed in gluten-free diet.
*⁴ Is naturally gluten free before processing.
*⁵ Is a voluntary label, which often - but not always - guarantees low or no gluten content.
If In Doubt, Go Without!
Detailed list of ingredients for the US.