Always read the labels of the food you purchase. Read the labels even if it is a product that you purchase often. The manufacturers may change their ingredients on a regular basis. Armed with the list below you should be able to figure out what is safe and what is not. Some manufacturers are kind enough to add allergy information at the bottom of their ingredients label this, however, is voluntary.
Key: Gluten Free, Possibly Gluten Free, Not Gluten Free
Amaranth
Amaranth comes from an herb. It has a high nutritional value and is gluten free. It can be ground into flour, but it can also be puffed and used for cereal.
Arrowroot
Made from the root of the herb. It is a gluten free starch used as a thickener very similar to corn starch.
Buckwheat
Though a little confusing Buckwheat is not from wheat at all, it is actually a fruit. Buckwheat is quite nutritious and can be ground into flour. Buckwheat is often used in combination with wheat flour in mixes such as waffle and pancakes mixes. So don’t assume that all mixes are gluten free.
Caramel color
Caramel color has been a controversial subject when it come to gluten free or not. Caramel color can be produced using barley malt, which is not gluten free. However, in North American corn is used to make caramel color. So in other words caramel color in the U.S. is gluten free.
Citric Acid
This ingredient is gluten free. It is usually made from corn, beet sugar or molasses. Even when made from wheat, citric acid is so highly processed and purified that no gluten protein would remain.
Corn
A gluten-free grain. It is used to make corn flour, corn starch, grits, hominy, and polenta, all of which are gluten free. Also called maize. Corn gluten does not contain the protein harmful to those who have celiac disease.
Dextrin
Dextrin is most commonly made from corn, potato, arrowroot, rice, or tapioca. It can also be made from wheat, even though that is not very common. If it is made with wheat, “wheat” will appear on the label.
Dextrose
Dextrose is made from either rice, corn or wheat starch. Regardless of which starch is used it is considered gluten free because it is so highly processed.
Flavors
Flavors is another controversial word. According to the Flavor Extract Manufacturers Association wheat is rarely used to make a flavor. If wheat was used in the production of a flavor the word “wheat” would appear on the label.
Glucose syrup
Glucose syrup is a gluten free sweetener. It is most often produced using corn, but also tapioca, potato, sorghum or wheat starch. Glucose syrup is so highly processed that even if it were produced with wheat it would still be considered gluten free.
Guar Gum
A friend in gluten free baking. It is made from the guar bean and used in gluten free baking. It helps give elasticity and stretch to the dough that normally would come from gluten.
Herbs
All herbs are gluten free if used plain. If you are using spice mixes read the label first.
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) or Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)
The source of the protein should be listed on the label. If the source is soy “hydrolyzed soy protein,” it is gluten free, if the source is wheat “hydrolyzed wheat protein” it is not gluten free.
Lecithin
Lecithin is a thickener that is usually made from soy and is gluten free.
Malt
Malt flavoring is most commonly made from barley and is thus not gluten free. It is not required of the manufacturer to specify on the labels the source of the malt flavoring. Some companies do, however, voluntarily specify the grain used. It is very uncommon, but malt can be made from corn and then it would be gluten free. Malt extract, malt syrup and malt flour are not gluten free because they are made from barley.
Maltodextrin
As with Dextrose, maltodextrin is made from potato, rice, corn or wheat. Regardless of which starch is used it is considered gluten free because it is so highly processed. If wheat is used “wheat” will appear on the label, but it is still considered gluten free.
Millet
A gluten free grain that can be used in baking when ground into flour. It can also be used as a whole seed.
Modified food starch
Modified food starch can be made from different sources of starch including wheat. If wheat is used the word “wheat” will appear on the label and would not be gluten free. It is, however, most commonly produced using a gluten free source for the starch such as corn, which is gluten free. It is fairly common for manufacturers to list the source of the modified food starch regardless of the source.
Mono and Diglycerides
Mono and diglycerides are fats. These fats are gluten free.
MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a flavoring and meat tenderizer. It is now considered gluten-free.
Oats
If oats are grown and processed under strict growing and processing conditions where no contamination from wheat would occur oats would be gluten free. However, most mainstream oats are not gluten free since contamination has occurred in the growing and processing of the oats. If they are gluten free they will be labeled as “gluten free”.
Potato
Potatoes are gluten free. Potato starch and potato starch flour can be used as thickeners and also in baking.
Pectin
Pectin is a natural gelling agent found in fruit. Pectin is used in making jams and jellies and is glute free.
Quinoa
A superfood, it is very nutritious and can be used as a whole grain and cooked just as rice. Quinoa can also be ground and used as flour in baking. It does leave a little bit of an aftertaste so you might want to experiment a little. Gluten free pasta made with quinoa is very tasty and nutritious.
Rice
Rice is a gluten-free grain. Rice can be ground into flour and is a common and inexpensive ingredient in gluten free products. Many rice mixes on the market are not gluten free because they use seasonings that could contain gluten. If buying wild rice or rice mixes read the label carefully.
Rye
A grain often used in baking that contains gluten.
Seasonings
Read the label of the seasonings. Seasonings often contain many different ingredients some of which may not be gluten free.
Seitan
Made from wheat gluten is it commonly used in vegetarian food and is not gluten free.
Sorghum
A nutritious grain that is gluten free. It is often ground into flour and used for baking. It does have a little bit of an aftertaste so experiment with it. Sorghum grains can also be cooked to make porridge or popped like popcorn.
Soy
Soy is a gluten free bean. It can be ground into flour and used in baking. It can also be eaten as a bean or processed to make other ingredients such as lecithin.
Soy Sauce
Most brands of soy sauce contain wheat, which will be listed on the label. There are gluten free soy sauces on the market, but read the labels carefully.
Spelt
Spelt is a form of wheat and is not gluten free.
Spices
Pure spices are gluten free. Some spices may contain silicon dioxide, which is used to keep the spices free flowing and is gluten free.
Starch
On food labels, starch always refers to cornstarch, which is gluten free.
Tapioca
Tapioca is gluten free. Tapioca can be ground into flour or starch and used in baking it does not have an aftertaste.
Teriyaki sauce
Most teriyaki sauce contains soy sauce, which is not gluten free. There are gluten-free brands on the market so read the labels.
Tofu
Plain tofu is gluten free. When it is flavored with soy sauce it may not be gluten free unless gluten free soy sauce was used. Tofu is often used in vegetarian cooking.
Teff
Teff is another gluten free and nutritious grain. It can be ground into flour or eaten as a cereal.
Triticale
Triticale is not gluten free. Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye.
Vanilla
Vanilla is a gluten free flavoring. It is made from distilled alcohol and flavor from vanilla seed or vanilla flavoring. The distillation process removed the gluten protein from the alcohol.
Vinegar
Distilled vinegar is gluten free. The only vinegar to avoid is malt vinegar, which is not distilled and is made from barley.
Wheat
Bulgur, durum, einkorn, farina, graham, kamut, semolina,and spelt are all forms of wheat and are not gluten free.
Wheat Starch
A starch made from wheat. Wheat starch is not gluten free. The processing does remove most of the gluten just leaving some residual gluten, but it is still not gluten free.
Whey
Whey is gluten free. Whey is the liquid part of the milk that remains after the solids are removed to make cheese.
Yeast
All brand-name packaged yeasts sold in the US are gluten free. Autolyzed yeast is generally considered gluten free. Brewers’ yeast, when it’s a by-product of beer, is not gluten free.
Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is another friend when baking gluten free products. It gives the elasticity and stretch that normally comes from the gluten.
