Hello everyone!
Just wanted to post a quick little something for all of you since I finally have a short break from school.
I love Labor Day!! :)
The topic of interest today: Think a food item is gluten free? Think again! Here is a list of 5 commonly mistaken foods that are thought to be gluten free, but really are not.
1) Soy Sauce
Ahh, soy sauce. The essence of being Asian and foundation of pretty much all Asian foods. Unfortunately, the name is misleading to many newcomers to the gluten free diet.
Soy sauce (besides the soy component) actually contains wheat. Goodbye late night Chinese take out!
As a rule of thumb, it is best to stay away from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean restaurants because of the risk of cross contamination. But, if you are dying for that salty flavor, try wheat free Tamari soy sauce or fish sauce for that interesting kick to your dish. You can find the fish sauce at pretty much any Asian grocery store. However, the Tamari you may have to order online or, if you're lucky like me, I was able to find mine at a Japanese grocery store for a decent price. Best thing is that it tastes exactly like the regular soy sauce, but without all that nasty gluten! Yay!
2) Beer
Beer: the epitome of college drinking life and a permanent resident of every sports bar in the nation. Lucky for me, I really dislike the taste of beer, but for those who like beer and are gfree, sorry to burst your bubble, but most, if not all, beers are not gluten free.
Beer is made from the saccharification (breaking down of a complex carbohydrate into simple sugars) of starch and the fermentation of the resulting sugar. The starch and saccharification enzymes are usually derived from malted cereal grains like malted barley or malted wheat.
Still love beer? Have no fear! (I crack myself up on how cheesy I am)! There is gfree beer out on the market and in some select, probably very posh, city bars so go out there and enjoy your gfree beer.
3) Rice Krispies
Remember having rice krispies treats as a kid? I sure do!
When I found out that I couldn't have rice krispies treats anymore, a little part of me died inside. They were my number one, all time favorite dessert!
Unfortunately, the original rice krispies is not gluten free. They contain malt flavoring which is derived from barley- a definite gluten free eater no no.
BUT, there's good news! Kelloggs recently developed a Gluten Free Rice Krispies cereal so all of us gfree folk who love our rice krispies can once again enjoy the "snap, crackle, pop" in all its glory. :)
4) Mochi
I want to bring special attention to Mochi, a traditional Japanese dessert.
True Mochi made in Japan or made from an authentic source should NOT have any gluten components as it is made from glutenous rice or sweet rice and covered with rice flour, corn starch or potato starch to prevent it sticking to its packaging and your fingers!
However, this popular American brand sold in chain stores is not gluten free. The outside coating contains wheat flour so be wary of this brand before you think it's gluten free and eat it!
I learned the hard way because I made some bad assumptions and I ended up not feeling too well.
Lesson learned: always check labels!!
5) Oats
Oats have been a controversial topic in the gluten free community for quite some time. But now there is a definite consensus that commercial oats are NOT gluten free.
Oats themselves are not really the issue, but it is mainly the cross contamination that is dangerous for gluten free eaters.
If you love oats in your desserts and breakfast, make sure to purchase certified gluten free oats and not the regular Quaker brand so you can enjoy the wonderful health benefits from oats without all the pain and nastiness that the cross contaminated oats do to your gut!
The bottom line is to always check your labels, EVEN if you are almost 99.9999% that it can't possibly contain gluten. Never assume, always be cautious. If you have questions about whether a product is gfree or not, call up the company and ask. It is never asking too much to make sure the foods you eat are safe for you.
Okay, that's all for now. I hope this has been helpful in some way or at least enlightening? Let me know in the comments below and see you all next time!
Eat safely and take care,
Kris
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