What Can’t I Eat?

Anything made with Wheat or any of it’s derivatives (Abyssinian Hard, Bulger, Durum, Einkorn, Farina, Faro, Filler, Fu, Graham, Kamut, Semolina, Spelt, Triticum, Udon, Wheat germ oil, Wheat grass*, Wheat berry), and the following:
Asian Noodles (chinese wheat, lo mein, chow mein, ramen, somen, udon, egg, yakisoba)
Atta Flour
Barley, Barley malt, extract, grass
Beer (unless GF)
Bran (wheat)
Bread & breaded foods (unless GF)
Brewer’s Yeast (contains malt)
Bulger
Bulgur
Cereal (unless GF)
Chilton
Cookie dough & crumbs (cookie dough ice-cream)
Couscous
Cracker meal
Croutons (unless GF)
Durum
Einkorn
Emmer
Farina
Faro, Farro
Filler
Flour (all-purpose, enriched, any type – unless GF)
Fu
Germ
Gluten
Graham (no graham crackers!)
Granary Flour
Groats (wheat, barley)
Heeng
Hing
Hordeum, Horderum vulgare
Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten, Protein, or Starch
Hydrolyzed oat starch
Kamut
Kecap, Ketjap Manis
Macha
Maida
Malt (syrup, malted milk, extract, flavoring, malt vinegar .. careful some worcestershire sauces contain malt)
Matza, matzah
Matzo flour & meal
Mir
Miso (may contain barley)
Nishasta
Contaminated Oats (oat bran, fiber, gum or syrup)(see Notes on Oats)
Orzo
Panko
Pasta (unless GF)
Pearl Barley
Ramen Noodles
Rice Malt
Roux
Rusk
Rye
Seitan
Semolina
Soy Sauce (unless GF)
Spelt (Dinkle)
Starch (wheat)
Triticale, Triticucm, Triticosecale
Tabbuleah
Tortilla (if made with wheat flour)
Udon
Vital gluten
Wheat, wheat germ, wheatgrass* – wheat anything!
(Buckwheat is ok!)
Read THIS regarding Wheat Grass & Barley Grass!
IMPORTANT: The above are the “obvious” sources of gluten, now review Questionable Ingredients below and then visit “Other Sources of Gluten“.
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Questionable Ingredients:
The following may contain wheat, barley or rye:
Brown Rice Syrup, rice syrup, rice malt
Caramel color (corn used most often in US, but could contain barley malt, however so overly processed experts believe it is safe)
Dextrin & Dextrimaltose (mostly derived from corn or other, but possibly wheat)
Emulsifiers (Mono & diglyceridees) (wheat can be added)
Hydrolyzed (vegetable & plant) protein – HVP, HPP (could contain wheat, barley, rye)
Maltose (malt sugar)
Modified Food Starch (most likely derived from corn, but could be from wheat)
Flavorings/natural flavorings (majority are derived from corn, but can also be derived from wheat (rare), barley or rye (rare); If wheat was used it must be declared if a US product; look for barley “malt” on labels, especially if a meat product; rye is seldom used as a flavoring; most experts agree it is rare a flavoring would contain wheat, barley or rye, but it is a personal choice whether to consume the product (always best to call manufacturer); some worcestershire sauces contain malt.
Stabilizers (mostly made from corn or potato starch, but wheat could be added as an anti-caking agent)
Starch (If other than cornstarch, it should be labeled)
Vegetable Gum (can be made from wheat, should be labeled)
Important to Note: If WHEAT was used as an ingredient in any of the above items it should be clearly listed on the label, IF the food falls under the US FDA’s regulations. However, this is not the case for barley or rye, as they currently are not considered to be one of the top 8 allergens. Barley (look for the word “malt”) or rye (seldom used) may be hidden under “flavorings” (check “smoke flavoring”) though most manufacturers will include the words barley or barley malt, or rye, in the ingredients list – some may not. Also keep in mind, manufacturers of food from other countries do NOT follow US FDA labeling laws. (See “Help with Label Reading“ for more info on this topic.)
Meat, Poultry, Fish and Egg products are regulated by the USDA, not the FDA. The USDA does not follow the same regulations of declaring the top 8 allergens. Therefore, a product could contain wheat (or barley, rye) hidden under “natural flavorings, fillers, or modified food starch”. Though many manufacturers do voluntarily declare if wheat was included, some do not – so it is best to call to verify.
Tips:
Many processed and packaged foods contain gluten – be sure to read labels.
Careful when purchasing “canned” fruits & vegetables as wheat or malt may have been added to the syrup/sauce.
Wheat is also used as a filler in some brands of processed meats (hotdogs, lunch-meats).
Look out for the words “cured with, natural juices, added flavorings” especially if a meat, poultry, fish or egg product.
WHEAT-free does not always mean “gluten-free”, as barley or rye could be an ingredient.
If lactose intolerant avoid products with Casein & Whey.
Always be a good label reader.
Attention Residents of Canada: Find information on current gluten/allergen labeling here