Knowing the basics is important but if you really want to cut out gluten from your world, you have to go further. You have to know all the food and non-food products that could contain gluten!
Unexpected gluten-containing foods
Salad dressings
Many store-bought salad dressings use gluten-containing ingredients as thickeners. Be picky or make yours safely at home!
Soy sauce and condiments
Soy sauce and other popular Asian sauces like Teriyaki often contain gluten, the same goes for mustard and ketchup. Always check the label to see if they are gluten-free.
Sausages
A lot of deli meats like salami, sausages, or ham are packed with wheat flour for texture, as a filler, and for thickening purposes. Only go for those that explicitly mention gluten-free on the label.
Spice mixes
Even though individual herbs and spices are naturally gluten-free, when you buy seasoning mixes you need to be very careful. Many producers use gluten as a bulking agent.
Surprising sources of gluten
Shampoo
All three main natural gluten sources, wheat, barley, and rye are considered healthy for the hair so carefully read the ingredient list of any soap, conditioner, or shampoo you buy.
Sunscreen
Some brands of SPF may contain ingredients derived from wheat, for example vitamin E derived from wheat germ oil. Wheat and barley extracts are also used in cosmetic products like lipstick or makeup so make sure you always know what’s inside.
Pills
Multi-vitamin pills and even some medications may contain gluten. If you’re celiac or react to gluten and want to make sure you avoid it 100%, get in the habit of checking the label of anything you put on your skin and in your mouth, not just food!
