Gluten is a type of protein that’s found in wheat, barley, or rye. Once someone becomes gluten intolerant or sensitive towards it, what the protein causes are health related symptoms. Gluten intolerance can at times be confused with celiac disease, while some will interchange the terms.
Gluten intolerance is an allergic reaction that develops in the digestive tract, while celiac disease is considered more an inherited autoimmune disorder.
Since gluten is the common trigger, the symptoms are often similar. Consuming gluten unintentionally is the biggest hazard, so it becomes important to know which foods may contain “hidden” gluten.
9. Gluten Free Pasta
Most wonder how gluten free pasta can contain gluten. Know pasta that’s labeled “gluten-free” is considered safe, but the problem is the cooking process that it goes through. Most restaurants for instance, that offers gluten free pasta as an alternate, can become cross contaminated.
In most restaurant kitchens, hot boiling pasta water is often kept ready, this so the pasta can be cooked immediately once an order arrives. The issue becomes, the same pot is usually used for gluten free and wheat based pasta. What the gluten pasta then becomes is contaminated with wheat. This can be concerning for those suffering from Celiac disease.
8. Canned Soup
Although a favorite can of soup may not contain any wheat ingredients such as pasta, there’s usually hidden gluten that’s potentially lurking in the bowl. Most canned and restaurant soups will add wheat byproducts to thicken the soup, along with most sauces and gravies.
Fortunately, there’s a variety of canned soup brands which strictly uses cornstarch or rice flour as the thickener, making it gluten free. What’s also recommended is making home made soup, which offers a variety of creativity and control, when it comes to the ingredients. Some will use potato as a gluten free thickener.
7. Flavored Potato Chips
Potatoes are a starchy vegetable, which are generally considered safe for those on a gluten free diet. What’s also assumed is that potato chips are safe as well. Most are fine, but it’s the flavoring that’s added, which may contain gluten.
What most of the flavoring powders contain, are gluten ingredients such as wheat protein, or malted barley flour. The biggest hazard are gluten free labelled chips, that may be contaminated by the manufacturing process.
