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Gluten-Free Diet

What are the Most Common Gluten-Free Myths?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

It is extremely unfortunate that so much misinformation is floating around in cyberspace regarding the gluten-free diet. It is quite understandable that the problem exists since in the past some things were noted to contain gluten and were later proven to be gluten-free. That explains much of the bad information out there. Making matters worse is that people find this incorrect information online, believe it to be true (it’s on the internet so it must be so), and spread it to others who don’t know any better either.

Below are ingredients that are often misunderstood, regarding their gluten-free status, by those on the gluten-free diet. While some of the items listed were not allowed on the gluten-free diet in the past, research by celiac experts, governments, and the food industry have found them to be gluten-free and acceptable for people with celiac or gluten intolerance. The italicized text indicates the latest information regarding these ingredients from celiac experts and organizations.

  1. Grain alcohol– Food scientists have confirmed that the distillation process removes the gluten protein from the final product. There is no residual gluten in distilled alcohols or distilled vinegar derived from gluten-containing grains. These products are allowed on a gluten-free diet. Pure, distilled vodka, scotch, bourbon, whisky, gin, rum, and tequila are gluten-free – to name a few. We do not have to drink corn, soy, or potato vodka. 
  2. Blue cheese– The Canadian Celiac Association [CCA] has recently investigated a variety of blue cheese on the market and found that very few are made using bread mold, and when they are, the test results completed by Health Canada found no detectable levels of gluten in the final product.
  3. Instant and Decaf coffee– These do not generally contain gluten. However, some flavored specialty coffee and tea may contain barley malt flavoring which is not gluten-free.
  4. Natural flavors; flavors – According to flavor manufacturing companies and expert scientists, flavors generally do not contain gluten. Two exceptions are: a) hydrolyzed wheat protein [this must be declared on a label as “hydrolyzed wheat protein” and not “flavor”] and b) barley malt flavoring or extract [almost always declared as “barley malt flavoring” or “barley malt extract” and not just “flavoring”]. **Legally barley does not have to be listed as an ingredient in the U.S., so if you don’t know the manufacturer’s policy on labeling, you might want to question this ingredient. Kraft, Conagra, Unilever, General Mills, Campbell’s, Sara Lee, and Hain Celestial (and some other companies) will mark ALL forms of gluten on the label, regardless of the labeling law. Over 90% of the products in mainstream grocery stores are made by one of the above-listed companies that will not hide gluten in any form on their product labels. For instance, if you see “natural flavors” on a product made by Kraft, but do not see the terms wheat, rye, barley, or oats on the label, the product is gluten-free.
  5. Spices with declumping agents– Although an anti-caking agent may sometimes be added to spices, it is usually silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, or sodium aluminum silica and not wheat four or wheat starch according to research by Shelley Case, RD. It should be noted that “seasonings” are different than “spices”. Seasonings are a blend of spices and/or herbs along with a carrier agent that may contain wheat flour or wheat starch. If either of those two ingredients is the added carrier agent, it would render whatever it is NOT gluten-free.  
  6. Ground spices– (Refer to # 5 above).
  7. Vanilla and vanilla extract– Vanilla and vanilla extracts do not contain gluten, though the extract is often distilled from grain (wheat) alcohol. (Refer to # 1 above).
  8. Grain vinegar- Although vinegar may come from wheat, the distillation process removes the wheat protein and the final product does not contain gluten.
  9. Cheese– Most cheese is gluten-free. Some seasoned shredded cheese may contain seasonings with wheat flour, wheat starch, or hydrolyzed wheat protein.
  10. Gluten-free spirits– (Refer to # 1 above). Malted beverages, such as wine coolers, are not gluten-free. This is assuming the malt comes from barley, which it generally does.
  11. Ketchup– Ketchup is made with distilled vinegar and is gluten-free, unless the label states wheat on it, which is rare (Refer to # 1 above).
  12. Artificial color– There is no evidence that artificial colors contain gluten.
  13. Stamps and envelopes– The manufacturers of stamps and envelopes state that gluten-containing grains are not used in the production of these items. Cornstarch is the most commonly used ingredient.
  14. Citric Acid– An organic acid obtained through yeast or bacterial fermentation of glucose/dextrose derived corn, beet sugar, molasses, and rarely wheat. The manufacturing process renders citric acid gluten-free regardless of the source.
  15. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)- A flavor enhancer produced through the fermentation of molasses from sugar cane, corn, or sugar beets. MSG manufactured in North America is safe. However, when it is manufactured in Asia, wheat may occasionally be used in the fermentation process. U.S. labeling regulations now require that wheat be declared when used in the manufacturing of MSG. If this is the case, the label will identify MSG (wheat).

If any of the above items bother you for any reason, by all means, don’t consume them. Many people don’t realize they have more than one food intolerance. Therefore, they assume that every time they don’t feel well after they’ve eaten, they have inadvertently consumed gluten. That is not always the case. Personally, I’ve met people who can’t tolerate dairy, soy, corn, rice, eggs, shellfish, and even carrots – in addition to gluten. Many of them took a while to figure out that all their problems were not related to gluten.

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Have a question about the gluten-free diet which we haven’t covered yet?  You can now submit your questions here! (Note: All medical questions should be directed to your physician)

Gluten-Free Halloween Candy

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

As we continue to crawl through the month of October and the leaves begin to fall, it is only natural that our attention turns toward the upcoming Halloween holiday at the end of the month. For those who have children with celiac disease, preparing ahead of time for Halloween can be particularly important!

If your child plans to successfully participate in the candy collection on Halloween, you’ll want to make sure you stock up on a number of gluten-free candies at your home. This way when your child goes out and collects a bag full of candy (many of which will contain gluten), you can exchange them for gluten-free candies that your child can safely consume.

If you are wanting to learn about which candy is confirmed to be gluten-free, Alison of Sure Foods Living has recently published a great resource of gluten-free Halloween candy which can be viewed here. This list is quite large, so if you plan to print it, you may want to instead visit their quick list which is truncated a bit for quicker and easier reading.

While viewing these candy lists, the first thing you’ll probably notice is that there is a large selection of candy available, so you’ll have a bunch of options to choose from. At our house, we’ll be sticking with the classics this season, including M&M’s, peanut butter cups, and of course Snickers (avoid if you need to be nut-free obviously). What are your favorite Halloween candies?

Gluten-Free Foods at Sports Venues

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Over the past few years, thanks to some solid efforts from various celiac support groups, a growing number of sports venues have started to make an effort to accommodate the Celiac community by offering gluten-free foods and drinks at their stadiums, arenas, and other venues. Based on the information I’ve been reading, the selection can range from a gluten-free beer and a few standard pre-packaged gluten-free foods all the way to a large variety of gluten-free foods. A couple of baseball stadiums (the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves) even offer a completely gluten-free concession stand!

In the below post, I’ve gone out and collected as much information as possible about the various sports venues and posted them below, sorted by sport. As more sports venues add gluten-free accommodations, this post will be updated.

Major League Baseball Teams (MLB)

  • Atlanta Braves (Atlanta, Georgia) – Now a gluten-free dedicated concession stands located in section 106 (at field level).   Featured at the stand are all beef franks, sirloin beef burgers, chicken sandwiches, chips, popcorn, brownies, cookies, soda, water, and gluten-free Red Bridge beer!
  • Arizona Diamondbacks (Phoenix, Arizona) – Chase Field offers gluten-free beer and snacks. Larabars and gummy bars are available and gluten-free beer is available wherever liquor is sold (sections 109, 114, 122, 129, 136, 311, 324).
  • Baltimore Orioles (Washington D.C.) – Gluten-free pretzels are available from Noah’s Pretzel
  • Chicago White Sox (Chicago, Illinois) – US Cellular Field offers gluten-free granola bars, candies, and gluten-free beer at the Southside Grill.
  • Colorado Rockies (Denver, Colorado) – Coors Field has an entirely gluten-free concession stand behind section 147 on the left field.  This concession sells burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, chips, brownies, beer, and soda! [Learn More]
  • Los Angeles Dodgers (Los Angeles, California) – Gluten-free beer (Redbridge) is available at many concession stands.  [Learn More]
  • Philadelphia Phillies (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Section 128 of Citizen’s Bank Park offers gluten-free hot dogs/buns and gluten-free snacks.  Redbridge Beer is also available at many stands throughout the park, including Sections 139, 204, and 323.
  • Washington Nationals (Washington D.C.) – Gluten-free pretzels are available from Noah’s Pretzel

National Football League Teams (NFL)

  • Baltimore Ravens (Maryland) – You can read more about gluten-free options at Ravens games here.
  • Philadelphia Eagles (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Lincoln Financial Field offers a “Philly Stand” at Section 117, where gluten-free hot dogs/buns and gluten-free snacks are sold.  Redbridge beer is also available next door in Section 118. [Learn More]

National Basketball Association Teams (NBA)

  • Philadelphia 76ers – Redbridge beer ($6.75) and Woodchuck hard cider ($6.75) are available in the “Fan Favorites” stands at Sections 104, 110, and 116.  You can also get grilled chicken sandwiches ($6.00) and hot dogs ($4.00), both on gluten-free buns, which are located on the concourse level at Section 122. This stand also sells Redbridge beer.  [Learn More]

National Hockey League Teams (NHL)

  • Carolina Hurricanes (Raleigh, North Carolina) – According to gluten-free Raleigh, the RBC Center offers both Redbridge beers and a few food items, including popcorn and garden salads (sections 126 and 314). You can read more here.
  • Philadelphia 7Flyers – Redbridge beer ($6.75) and Woodchuck hard cider ($6.75) are available in the “Fan Favorites” stands at Sections 104, 110, and 116.  You can also get grilled chicken sandwiches ($6.00) and hot dogs ($4.00), both on gluten-free buns, which are located on the concourse level at Section 122. This stand also sells Redbridge beer. [ Learn More]

College Teams (NCAA)

  • Sprint Center (Kansas City, Missouri) – Gluten-free beer and some gluten-free foods (pizza, brownies, and candies) [Learn More]

Note: Levy Restaurants caters to a large number of stadiums and other sports venues.  You can see a full list here.  Aramark also caters to a number of stadiums, but they offer limited information on their website about any of their gluten-free concession stands (however you can view the stadiums where they have contracts within the drop-down menu).

Sadly, that is as complete as I could get the list. I’ve found a few other similar lists around the internet and am confident this is the most complete one available, but there have to be quite a few that the above list is missing.

With that said, I’m going to turn this over to our readers since you guys are scattered throughout the United States (and the world!). Know of a sports stadium, arena, or venue with gluten-free accommodations which we are missing from our list?  Please leave a comment below or contact us with information about your local sports teams!

Separating Gluten-Free Facts from Fiction

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Why is there so much confusion over what is and is not gluten-free? The internet is a wonderful thing in many ways. It allows people to connect with others around the world, and learn about pretty much anything that they are interested in. The problem is that it’s fairly difficult to separate fact from fiction in cyberspace – especially when it comes to the gluten-free diet.

Let’s say that someone posted an “unsafe foods” list on a celiac website or blog ten years ago. It will likely list alcohol made from gluten grains and distilled vinegar as containing gluten. Ten years ago the proof that the distillation process rendered said items gluten-free did not exist. Remember to check the gluten-free status of flavored alcohols as some might contain gluten. Forget about the fact that based on the ten-year-old list one would conclude they need to drink potato or corn vodka. What about the fact that they’d also avoid mustard, mayo, ketchup, most salad dressings, or even pickles? They all contain vinegar which was once thought to contain gluten as well.

Some people choose not to consume products distilled from gluten grains. That is their choice and their right, of course. McCormick’s vanilla is distilled from gluten grains and they now mark the product gluten-free. Benefiber is made with wheat starch and is also labeled gluten-free. That is because these products have been tested and proven to be gluten-free. Gluten-free Living did an in-depth article about wheat starch that was fascinating. Facts are facts and myths are myths that will seemingly never die.

Hence the problem with the internet as it pertains to gluten-free information. It’s not a problem if fad dieters think they can not eat ketchup. Most trend followers flirting with our diet will give up on it quickly enough, assuming they don’t feel better eating gluten-free. But it is an issue when people who must remain gluten-free for health reasons run across a lot of inaccurate information online. Remember, the average U.S. doctor tells their celiac patients to go online to learn about their new diet.

At Celiac-Disease.com, we are committed to sharing the most current and accurate information we can find with our readers. Keeping up with the latest celiac and gluten-free news and how it affects our community is no small feat.  We will not knowingly spread “celiac myths” on this website. This is easier said than done since there are hundreds of them out there floating in cyberspace. However, we will continue to strive to help our readers learn and understand the most current – and accurate – information available.

The fact that the gluten-free diet is being perceived as a fad diet more and more every day is not helping the matter. There is also a lot of “gluten-free backlash” popping up everywhere you turn. Martha Stewart’s daughter complained well over a year that she was tired of hearing about gluten-free menus at restaurants in NYC. I think her Sirius satellite radio show website crashed over that comment. The recent Slate.com article didn’t help matters much. The fact is that the dietary needs of the allergen community are changing the market place and most people don’t like change.

Recently, Dr. Cynthia Rudert spoke to the Atlanta Metro Celiacs group and commented about the dining card in the back of the book “G Free Diet” by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. The good doctor noted that the card was great for people with the same intolerances as the author, but not someone who just needs to avoid gluten. In case you are not aware of the controversy surrounding this book, please read WebMD’s review of it here.

So, in addition to celiac myths splashed on untold websites, even a new book contains inaccurate information. And so our work gets harder instead of easier, yet we are up to the challenge and will continue to report the most factual information available to date on this website. We so appreciate the trust you – our readers – have placed in us to do so.

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How to Be a Good Gluten-Free House Guest

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

As indicated by comments in my article about having house guests, we all have different gluten-free house rules. But what happens when we have to be guests in the homes of friends and family? In my case, it’s fairly easy regardless of whom we’re visiting.

My in-laws are very accommodating regarding my dietary needs. I remember a story from a while back, about someone’s Mother-in-law declaring she “cooked the gluten out of a dish by baking it at 500 degrees”. Not once have any family members suggested that I could pull the innards out of a sandwich or pick the pasta out of the soup – though many acquaintances have. Yet others I’ve met have things like that happen on a regular basis. That is why I feel especially fortunate to have such thoughtful and respectful in-laws!

Two of my immediate family members also have celiac disease so visiting them is super easy as well. Still, all the homes of friends and family that we visit are full of gluten. They are typical American heavy-on-the-gluten-diet households. But this does not mean I can’t survive safely as long as I get organized before I arrive.

The first thing to remember is that it’s highly unlikely that your hosts are going to spring for gluten-free powdered doughnuts or bagels from Joan’s in NYC for you to nosh on during your visit. If you want to start your day with such treats, pack them before you leave home. We drive when visiting most friends and all family, so we just pack a cooler with gluten-free goodies and hit the road. If you are traveling by plane you might want to take shelf-stable items instead of things that need to be kept cold.

The next thing to remember is to take kitchen tools you think you’ll need when you’re away from home. Some people actually take their own toasters on trips. Since I’m never without my amazing Toast-It bags, I can use any toaster I encounter on the road safely. When using a toaster oven you can securely wrap your food in foil to keep it from getting contaminated during the heating process.

Some people like to take their own can openers since so many soups (and other canned foods) contain gluten, and not everyone keeps their can opener squeaky clean. Most can just be washed prior to each use but certainly, take your own if you’re more comfortable doing that. I always need to use a can opener when visiting others because I often have soup when others are having sandwiches. I either have soup cups or canned soup, both of which make a quick and easy lunch.

Since I love all things dairy, I’m never far from butter. Therefore, when visiting others I usually take a small amount of my own butter in a lidded plastic container. This way, the ever-present bread or toast crumbs on the family’s communal butter do not pose a problem for me. If you can’t take ownership, request that your hosts allow you to open a fresh stick and put enough to last your visit in a container. Unless they don’t have any butter, this should not be an issue.

One thing I never want to do is inconvenience my hosts because of my dietary needs. People who are not living gluten-free can’t learn the nuances of this diet just to accommodate me a few times a year. It took me several months just to figure it out myself, after all. It’s not the responsibility of my hosts to make sure I eat well and safely when I’m in their home – it’s mine. If I plan ahead this is not hard to do – and being a good house guest allows me to be invited back in the future.

Whenever I go anywhere I do usually take more food than I end up eating. But since unused items just go back home with us, nothing goes to waste. I’d always rather have more food than I need than not enough. This way I’m sure to never feel deprived during my visit. And that’s something all of us can appreciate – not having to do without great food just because we can’t have gluten – no matter where life takes us!

What are your good house guest tips?