When you’re first learning about the intricacies of the gluten-free diet and lifestyle, it’s probably seems like you’re going to have to get rid of and avoid an unbelievable amount of foods that you might enjoy. When you’re getting ready to make a major dietary change, the best thing you can do for yourself is to empower yourself with knowledge so that you can find success by fully experiencing the variety and nuances of food. The good news is that there are a lot of great ways to confront these issues, so this article will be primarily focusing on prepackaged ingredients to avoid when you are cutting out gluten.
Condiments
One of the main things that people neglect when looking at a gluten free diet, is that condiments they love can be loaded with gluten. In recent years, the spread of gluten-free has become enough of a fad that it’s become relatively common as a marketing point. Ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings, gravy, malt vinegar, marinades, and even soy sauces may contain gluten. You will need to get used to reading labels to look for any ingredients that might have gluten. Just be sure to buy the gluten-free certified versions of your favorite condiments, and you won’t have to worry about it.
Beverages
If you’re on the go or in a hurry in the morning, it can be pretty tempting to grab a flavored coffee for yourself at the gas station on your way to work, but the hidden gluten in those drinks can derail a strict program. Instant drinks, root beer, wine coolers and other convenience drinks of similar type tend to include gluten in their list of ingredients. While having these drinks is a fast way to satisfy some urges, they aren’t usually very healthy, and many of these types of drinks also tend to have a high level of acidity, or cause acidity in the gut. It’s always better to have fresh versions when you can. Here is a list of other names for gluten as it appears on some ingredient labels.
Gluten in Disguise:
Hydrolyzed malt extract
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Phytosphingosine extract
Amino peptide complex
Secale cereale
Fermented grain extract
Hordeum distichon
Hordeum vulgare
Hydrolysate
Maltodextrin
Brown rice syrup
Modified food starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Hydrolyzed soy protein
Caramel color
Processed Meats
These types of ingredients usually find their way into many lists. Health professionals have been warning consumers about the dangers of processed foods for years, particularly with a close eye on the effects of processed meats. These kinds of foods are well known for their acidic nature, and tend to be behind a lot of the heartburn around the world. These conditions are ripe for swelling and inflammation, which can make itself worse over time, so it should be no surprise that many of these packaged, coagulated meat products also contain a plant protein that a portion of the population has a difficulty digesting.