Gluten is a general name
for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina,
spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye,
barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods
maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Gluten
can be found in many types of foods, even ones that would not be
expected.
The Big 3: Wheat, Barley, Rye
Wheat is commonly found in:
- breads
- baked goods
- soups
- pasta
- cereals
- sauces
- salad dressings
- roux
Barley is commonly found in:
- malt (malted barley flour, malted milk and milkshakes, malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring, malt vinegar)
- food coloring
- soups
- beer
- Brewer’s Yeast
Rye is commonly found in:
- rye bread, such as pumpernickel
- rye beer
- cereals
- breads
- pasta
- cereals
Oats can add diversity and offer many nutritional benefits to the gluten-free diet. CDF’s medical experts recommend only oats labeled gluten-free as cross-contact may occur when oats are grown side-by-side with wheat, barley or rye.
Patients eating oats from any source may complain of symptoms. This
could be due to one or more of several factors, including intolerance to
the increase in fiber, food intolerances, contamination with gluten,
or, rarely, the development of an immune response to oat protein,
similar to that occurring due to gluten.
The decision to include
oats in your diet should be made with your physician or dietitian and
should include monitoring of your anti-tissue transglutaminase
(anti-tTG) antibody levels.
