What is gluten? You came here because you want to know what ingredients to avoid. Wheat, Barley, Rye and sometimes Oats are the allergen ingredients to look for to indicate a food has the problematic protein you want to avoid.
Check your labels closely
It’s important to take a closer look at your labels of all foods, condiments or even ingredients you plan to use. Gluten is surprisingly prevalent and it does take some vigilance. In part, going gluten-free requires a person to be so much more aware of every detail about their food and exposure to potential allergens/cross contamination.
But it’s important to remember, your journey is not an impossible one. Over time, it will get easier. Even going out to eat will become easier, once you get the hang of things.
What is gluten: How to read a label
As we said before – there are some major players. Wheat, barley and rye. Many people assume that Oats are o.k., but more often than not they aren’t. You can see why traditional oats aren’t safe over in our Gluten-Free Food List.
- Most allergens are labeled in bold but we still need to look closely as not all of them are depending on the country or product.
- GF Scanner app that can help you quickly scan a label to be sure. This is helpful when you need to quickly find out info on a product.
- Familiarize yourself with the GF symbol which may be included on the label – BUT you’ll still want to look closely to make sure that’s accurate.
Are you noticing a pattern yet? It’s best to trust but verify.
Above all, when you find a product or ingredient that works, stick to it!
Helpful resources
Or simply pop over to our Gluten Free 101 page for a one stop shop of all your questions and shopping lists to get you on the right track.