Gluten, what foods contain the most?
In the event that you are intolerant or allergic to gluten, it is important to identify the foods that contain the most in order to avoid them. Gluten is hiding everywhere, including places you wouldn't expect!
pastries
Pasta is one of the foods that should be completely avoided in case of gluten intolerance, because it is made from durum wheat that contains starch and gluten.
So it's best to resort to gluten-free pasta that can easily be found in stores (often in the organic section).
This pasta is made with rice, cornmeal, and sometimes quinoa. Rice flour gives a slightly sticky result while cornmeal gives a compact but fluffy dough.
Bread, toast and pastries
Bread, like pasta, is made from wheat flour. Whether it is traditional bread or artificial bread like sandwich bread or gingerbread for example, it should be avoided.
As with rusk, toast, toast, breakfast biscuits, oatmeal, and ready-made pancake batter. Today, there are gluten-free bread and rusks (or crackers) to be found in supermarkets.
Viennese pastries, such as pain chocolate, croissants, apple heart, brioche, etc. It also contains a lot of gluten.
biscuits
Most commercial cookies contain gluten. Only a few brands now offer gluten-free cookies. Good to know: These aren't in the same department as the classic biscuits.
Pay special attention to what is written on the packaging and check the ingredient list. If the ingredient "wheat flour" is mentioned, it means that the cookies in question contain gluten.
Sweets and pastries
Gluten in sweets? It can easily be suspected that all foods made with wheat flour contain gluten (bread, cereals, etc.) but gluten is also hidden in foods that are "unexpected" at first glance.
This is the case for artificial sweets such as candy, chewing gum, pheasant, nougat, or fruit candy. Be careful, chocolate also contains it.
The pastry department is also interested in powdered sugar, vanilla sugar and baking powder.
cooked meat
Most consumers are not aware that some deli meats contain gluten. The meat itself does not have it, but during processing, starch can be added to give it a more elastic texture.
Here, too, it will be necessary to pay attention to the labels of the package. Some brands put up the "gluten-free" argument and sell it for more than others, others don't mention it and don't have any...
Ready Meals
In the same Charcuterie line, takeaways should be avoided. While some contain "de facto" gluten because they are made from wheat-containing ingredients, such as spaghetti bolognese, for example, others, made from ingredients that do not initially contain gluten, can be processed and become gluten-rich.
This is especially the case for dishes in sauce, frozen or dried dishes, some preserves, etc.
Baked meat and fish
Cooked meats purchased from a caterer or in a tray from the packaged foods section of your supermarket, such as paella for example, should be avoided as they may contain gluten. The same goes for breaded fish, shrimp, or skewers of fish in sauce.
In general, avoid anything that is cooked or processed. People who are intolerant to gluten should prioritize buying raw foods that they will cook themselves.
Spreadable cheese
If cheese does not contain gluten, processed cheese does. This is the case with spreads like Laughing Cow, Kiri, or even Saint-Morêt, which contain starch and therefore gluten.
On the other hand, cheese with herbs with a "brittle" dough, such as tartar or porcin, does not contain any. The same goes for regular fresh cheese, lamb cheese, or even fresh goat cheese.
Dried or frozen soups
Dried or brick soups contain gluten for better texture. Also be careful with the mashed chips: If the potatoes don't have gluten in the base, the mashed potatoes contain it as well for a softer texture.
Sauces in the bags, to which water should be added or not, are generally too rich in gluten for a thicker texture.
beer
Whether gluten is present in beer has been debated for years. Beer is made from barley, a grain that naturally contains gluten. However, the beer industry has confirmed that during fermentation, the gluten proteins are broken down and therefore cannot be allergens.
However, according to an Australian study that examined about sixty beers, 10 of them were labeled "gluten-free", 50 of them contained gluten, and yet two reported that they did not contain any.
