When we first started eating gluten free, we thought it would be a simple matter. You just didn’t eat wheat and the grains that have gluten. So we eliminated them. Easy, right? Not so much…if you have been eating gluten free and are still suffering from symptoms, you might be accidentally ingesting gluten in a way that you wouldn’t have even thought of.
The Obvious Sources of Gluten
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
- Triticale
- Spelt
- Farro
- Kamut
- Oats that are not certified gluten free
These are the most common ones that you will run into and is by no means a complete list. Please check with a dietitian for a complete list or your local celiac association.
Have you seen those lovely packages of fig newton bars that are “Wheat-free”? In the beginning of our journey, I saw the “Wheat-free” on the label and thought I was in luck. They had been my favorite cookie back in the day when I thought I could eat gluten.
Remember this!! “Wheat-free” does NOT mean “gluten-free”. There can be other gluten containing foods in there!
The Hidden Sources of Gluten
(Once again, this is not an exhaustive list, there are probably others!)
- Your kitchen, if you are not a completely gluten free home. If you have any kind of food prep going on in your kitchen (think flour flying in the air as wheat flour is measured). Yes. Once that is airborne, the flour dust is contaminating you.
- The wooden spoon that you used to stir your son’s non gluten free oatmeal is contaminated. The proteins can stick inside the tiny little cracks and crevices of the wooden utensil.
- Your makeup and lipstick can contain gluten.
- Toothpaste!! Do you or your child complain of a tummy ache after brushing their teeth?
- Shampoos and conditioners are notorious for containing gluten products. Go read the label on yours!
- Suntan lotions or any skin lotion
- Play dough
- Pet food quite often contains gluten. Your pet spills a bit of the food on the floor, crumbs get everywhere, you walk on it in bare feet…yes, still cross contamination.
- Modified food starches…modified from what? If it does not specify from what it has been modified, assume that it is wheat or another gluten containing grain.
- Thickeners…again, assume it is a gluten based thickener, that is the cheapest and most common for manufacturers to use. Did you know that you can contact manufacturers and restaurants and ask for clarification on their product label ingredients?
- Sauces…again, assume they are wheat based unless it says otherwise.
- Malt, another source of gluten and this sneaky one is in a lot of chocolate bars!
Looking for Hidden Gluten
Knowledge is your friend. As I have said before, learn as much as you can and go from there. Research, research, research and then research some more.
Read the labels, all the time. Even if something was safe last week, the manufacturer could have changed its methods or ingredients. The extra minute can save you hours or days of grief.
Any product that you put on your mouth or in your mouth must be gluten free. If you wear makeup, remember it must also be gluten free because the skin is the largest organ in the body and it absorbs what you put on it!
Make your kitchen gluten free. If you can’t, because of family reasons, at the very least, don’t use the wooden spoons, get yourself a separate toaster (they are a terrible source of contamination, all of those crumbs!) and limit, limit, limit your exposure to wheat products. Get someone else to do the wheat cooking and have your own set of pots and pans. It is always best to have your entire kitchen gluten free but I understand that is not always possible.
Remember, wheat free is not gluten free, there is hidden gluten everywhere and be prepared. Knowledge is your friend and there is so much knowledge available to you. This is not an exhaustive or complete list; it is a basic list, a starting point.
Good luck, you can do this!
What is the biggest challenge you have about going gluten free?
Sherie
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My biggest challenge is not my personal eating habits, it's explaining to my son why his foods have changed.
That is a tough one, especially when they are so young. Hugs….
"Knowledge is your friend. As I have said before, learn as much as you can and go from there. Research, research, research and then research some more."
Very true. It takes work to relearn what to put into our mouth. And just "not eating certain foods" is NOT going to reduce our exposure to gluten.
Yes, Rob, it does take time and work to relearn those things that were automatic for so many years. These hidden sources of gluten are so sneaky and everywhere and once we can eliminate ALL gluten, things will improve greatly! Thank you for your comment!