13 foods that you didn't know contained gluten (2024)

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Ice cream

Many brands and flavors of ice cream are already gluten-free, but some may contain wheat ingredients like wheat starch, malt, and some artificial colors and flavors.

Check the ingredients carefully before you buy, and avoid flavors like chocolate-chip cookie dough, cookies and cream, and cake batter.

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Oats/oatmeal

Not all oats are created equal, and not all oats are gluten-free. The biggest problem when it comes to oats, or oatmeal, is contamination, which can happen in the field (if oats and wheat are grown side-by-side) or during processing (if the oats are processed on equipment that also processes wheat).

Look for oats with a certified gluten-free label, and beware of molasses- and brown-sugar-flavored varieties, which can sometimes contain wheat-bearing caramel coloring.

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Soy sauce

As the name implies, soy sauce is made with soybeans that are steamed, fermented and aged, often with the addition of wheat for aroma and a bit of sweetness.

When shopping for soy sauce, opt for labels that specifically say gluten-free.

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Ground spices

There are two reasons why ground spices like curry powder, turmeric, paprika, and cinnamon might contain gluten: They were either contaminated in the factory, or the manufacturer added a little flour to them laterto prevent caking.

Most herbs and spices are safe, however, especially if they're fresh.

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Chocolate

Most chocolate is safe to eat if you can't have gluten, but some may contain crispy bits or caramel coloring that could contain gluten, or may be processed on equipment that also handles wheat-based ingredients.

Cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, and chocolate sprinkles may also not be free of gluten.

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Alcohol

It's not just beer and ale — many varieties of alcohol have gluten in them, including whiskey, bourbon, and rye.

Cider, wine, tequila, and rum are almost always safe to drink for people who can't have gluten, as are gluten-free beer brands like Omission and New Planet.

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Pickles

Cucumbers? Gluten-free. Pickles? Not necessarily, and not if they're pickled in malt vinegar. Malt vinegar ismade directly from ale, which contains wheat.

If your pickles are brined in white vinegar, or any other wheat-free vinegar, however, you're in the safe zone.

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Sushi

Unless it's processed on contaminated equipment, all rice isgluten-free. Butit's the California roll that celiacs should worry about, which ismade with imitation crab meat — an assortment of different sea foods and fish mixed with starch.

Other kinds of fish are fine, but again, make sure you use proper gluten-free accoutrements — soy sauce and even some kinds of wasabi.

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Deli meat

Cold cuts, including hot dogs and sausages, can become contaminated with gluten when they're being processed. Somemay also contain wheat-based fillers.

But not to worry: It's perfectly fine to eat grain-fed meat.

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Seitan, aka "wheat meat"

Seitan, and many other veganor fake-meatproducts, are made primarily of gluten. One nickname for gluten is "wheat meat," since it's a protein that comes from wheat.

Many gluten-free vegans and vegetarians have developed recipes for seitan sans gluten.

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Gravy

Gravy is commonly made by taking the drippings from chicken, turkey, or other roasted meat and thickening them with flour or cornstarch.

Gravy made with cornstarch is fine for folks with celiac disease; gravy made with flour is not.

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Fried foods

Not all fried foods have gluten in them, but the ones that are battered —in beer, flour, breadcrumbs, etc. — andthen fried could beproblematic.

As long as the frying oil hasn't touched wheat, other fried foods are harmless.

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Whole grains

Just because a grain is labeled "whole" doesn't mean it's gluten-free. Couscous, spelt, barley, and kamut arewhole grains that contain gluten.

Safe-to-eat whole grains include buckwheat, quinoa, flax, millet, and sorghum.