{"id":299262,"date":"2025-12-04T21:03:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T21:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/299262\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T21:03:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T21:03:12","slug":"eating-gluten-free-this-holiday-season-be-aware-of-these-sneaky-sources-of-gluten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/299262\/","title":{"rendered":"Eating Gluten-Free This Holiday Season? Be Aware of These Sneaky Sources of Gluten"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s not always easy to follow a gluten-free diet<\/a>. Not only are there so many items with gluten in them due to the flour that is used, but there are also other foods that sound like they should be gluten-free, but aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

For some people, following a gluten-free diet is just a preference, and there isn\u2019t as much of a concern about cross-contamination or sneaky sources of gluten. For others, however, it can be a dangerous addition to the diet due to medical needs, and this is why it\u2019s important for companies to put all allergens on the labels.<\/p>\n

Gluten.org <\/a>notes that part of the issue with sneaky sources of gluten is in the labelling. While \u201cwheat\u201d has to be placed on the allergen notifications, \u201cbarley\u201d and \u201crye\u201d do not, despite being potential sources of gluten. It\u2019s all due to the way the FDA defines major allergens. So, whether you\u2019re shopping for yourself or someone close to you, look out for these sneaky sources of gluten this holiday season.<\/p>\n

The Sauces and Seasonings<\/a>The Cheese and Meats<\/a>When You\u2019re Eating Out<\/a>The Drinks<\/a>\"Hao<\/p>\n

Hao Yong Seng homemade soy sauce is seen on display at their… | SOPA Images\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

The Sauces and Seasonings<\/p>\n

Soy sauce is one of the most common sources of hidden gluten, and you need to look into the type you use to make sure it\u2019s safe. It\u2019s often made with fermented crushed wheat. You\u2019ll also need to look out for the teriyaki sauce.<\/p>\n

On top of that, watch out for barbecue sauces and some marinades. There are many of them that use soy sauce or flour as an ingredient, and others can include malt vinegar. Yes, this means a lot of salad dressings <\/a>are going to be off the menu.<\/p>\n

Then there are the seasonings, such as taco seasonings and other packaged products. Soup mixes can also be a problem, as they can include wheat.<\/p>\n

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Broth and stock can also include some gluten, such as the yeast extract derived from barley. This is more common with packaged items, so it\u2019s best to make your own stock and broth.<\/p>\n

Watch out for some ketchups and mustard. For the most part, they are safe, but some of them can use wheat flour to thicken them up. Check the ingredients for details just to make sure.<\/p>\n

\"30th<\/p>\n

30th “Salon Du Chocolat Et De La Patisserie – Chocolate Fair” | Richard Bord\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

The Cheese and Meats<\/p>\n

During the holiday season<\/a>, a meat and cheese board is popular. While you know the crackers can be a problem, you may not even think about the cheese and meats. After all, they\u2019re dairy products, right?<\/p>\n

Some cheeses have flavors and ingredients added to them that contain gluten. For example, the hard cheeses soaked in beer end up including barley and wheat. Yes, beer is a hidden gluten source<\/a>! Some blue cheeses have penicillium that\u2019s been derived from wheat, but there are some gluten-free sources of blue cheese if this is your vice.<\/p>\n

When it comes to cheeses, you\u2019ll find some great gluten-free options. When it comes to meats, it\u2019s a slightly different story. Sausage meat tends to include bread, which is used as a filler. Even the imitation meat options can include gluten, as they\u2019re usually made of seitan, which is made of wheat.<\/p>\n

And even if they include oats, they can end up being a problem. Some oats include barley and rye, which leads to gluten issues, so you need to look out for oats that are specifically gluten-free.<\/p>\n

Some deli meats will use gluten as a thickener, so you\u2019ll need to talk to the butcher and buy directly from trusted sources. Likewise, watch out for the beef jerky, as certain flavors will include soy sauce.<\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

American ice cream brand H\u00e4agen-Dazs (Haagen-Dazs) store in… | SOPA Images\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

When You\u2019re Eating Out<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re going out for a holiday meal, then you\u2019ll need to pay close attention to the menu. Ask about the way scrambled eggs are cooked, as some businesses will add pancake batter to scrambled eggs and omelettes to make them look fluffier. Eggs by themselves are safe to eat, so make your gluten allergy clear to the restaurant.<\/p>\n

Always look out for the rice and any rice pilaf that\u2019s on offer, as seasonings can be added to make rice a gluten nightmare\u2014despite rice being gluten-free. As for the rice pilaf, you just need to find out how it\u2019s made, as some places will use orzo instead of rice.<\/p>\n

Then there are French fries<\/a>, which should be safe as they\u2019re made from potatoes. The problem here is that if they\u2019re battered or seasoned, they have likely been made with a wheat flour.<\/p>\n

If anything comes with a gravy, then you\u2019ll want to find out how that gravy is made. Flour is often used as a thickener for it, but there are some alternatives that are gluten-free.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to watch out for ice cream or ice pops on a restaurant menu. While fruit ice pops should be safe, there are some that have gluten included. Look at ice cream sandwiches or flavored ice creams, such as cookies and cream. And if that ice cream is used to make milkshakes, you can end up with contamination there as well.<\/p>\n

\"Taste<\/p>\n

Taste of Home Mrs. Holiday Auditions | Roberto Gonzalez\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

The Drinks<\/p>\n

Finally, we need to take a look at the drinks. As mentioned, beer is traditionally made with barley, which means it includes wheat. There are wheat-free options out there, but you do need to specify that.<\/p>\n

Some cocktail mixers will include wheat or barley derivatives, and hard lemonades and wine coolers may have been fermented in malt. Check the ingredients to see how they\u2019ve been made.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the alcohol that you need to look out for, either. Some coffee and tea options can include barley. Of course, you know to watch out for roasted barley tea, but some of the brand names won\u2019t include barley in the name, and that can end up being misleading.<\/p>\n

Hot cocoa can also include wheat or barley malt powder. It\u2019s supposed to give it a better taste, but it means a hidden source. If you love hot cocoa toppers, then you\u2019ll also want to watch out for them, as even marshmallow toppers can include wheat!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s better to be safe than sorry. Double-check everything that you buy this holiday season, as the hidden sources of gluten may surprise you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s not always easy to follow a gluten-free diet. Not only are there so many items with gluten…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":299263,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-299262","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=299262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/299263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=299262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=299262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=299262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}