Many people are sensitive to or allergic to wheat and/or gluten, which is a protein found in wheat and other grains. Those with a condition called celiac disease must be ultra-vigilant, as gluten can trigger a severe auto-immune reaction that can make them very ill.
Not everyone needs to avoid wheat or gluten, but it is something to monitor if you suspect that you may have food triggers that lead to skin flare-ups, digestive distress, headache, joint pain or other symptoms after other causes are ruled out.
Common Sources of Gluten
The main sources of gluten are wheat, barley, and rye. Avoid any bread, baked good, pasta, soup, sauce or other food items containing these grains (or their derivatives), if you are gluten sensitive.
Oats are technically gluten free, but can be problematic. The reason is that they are often grown near wheat fields or processed on the same equipment that processes wheat and can easily become cross-contaminated with wheat gluten. Corn products (those that use dried corn as a grain, not fresh corn) are also prone to cross-contamination for the same reason. That’s why you’ll often see certain brands of oats or corn meal marked as “gluten-free.” It means that the manufacturer took special care to avoid cross-contamination.
In addition to gluten-free oats and corn, other grains that are gluten free include buckwheat, rice, sorghum, tapioca, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and teff. Many gluten-free breads and baked good rely on flours and starches made from these gluten-free grains.
Wheat by Any Other Name
Some popular grain alternatives in the health food store also have gluten because they are actually different or more primitive forms of wheat. Spelt, kamut, einkorn, graham, and farro, are all different types of wheat or wheat products. They sound healthy, but those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease should avoid them.
Another type of food to watch out for are plant-based meats and protein products. Many of these use gluten as their base ingredient. This includes seiten, grain-based sausages, and plant-based burgers and lunchmeats. Read the label carefully!
Gluten can also hide under innocent sounding names like food starch, modified starch, and maltose. When you buy any processed food, lookout for ingredients you are unsure of and do a quick search on your phone to make sure it’s not a wheat derivative.
Also, many Asian food products that contain soy sauce may also contain gluten since wheat is often used in the fermentation of soy. You can find gluten-free soy sauces or tamari, as well as prepared Asian foods specifically flagged as gluten free.
Many restaurants today have a gluten free menus, or a “gf” symbol next to items that are gluten free. For celiacs, who must strictly avoid even trace amounts of gluten, it’s good to know whether the restaurant or bakery prepares their gluten-free items on special dedicated equipment to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with wheat products.
Gluten Cross-Reactivity
In some cases, a person’s immune system makes a mistake and confuses a particular food with gluten and reacts as if it was actually gluten. Common cross-reactive foods for celiacs and gluten -sensitivity are dairy, yeast, corn, millet, rice, coffee, and chocolate. These foods contain proteins that are close in molecular structure to gluten, which is why the immune system can mistakenly react.
Non-Food Items can Have Hidden Wheat and Gluten
It’s not just food ingredients you need to look out for when trying to avoid gluten. If you are very sensitive, you’ll need to watch out for gluten and wheat in vitamins and supplements, cosmetics, hair care and skin care products.
For example, wheat germ oil can be found in many “healthy” shampoos and conditioners. Wheat products can also be used as filler and binders in cosmetics. Even children’s modeling clay (think “play dough”) can have gluten-based starch added.
Luckily, many quality supplements, cosmetics, and hygiene items are now specifically labeled as gluten free. This is something to look for if you suspect gluten may be an issue for you. You may have avoided gluten in your diet for years, but never considered that wheat starch or wheat germ oil hidden in your lip balm would be a culprit in triggering your eczema.
Conclusion
If you are avoiding gluten for any reason, check out the resources available at the Celiac Disease Foundation that help identify all the places gluten can hide.
Meanwhile, discuss what you feel may be a gluten sensitivity with your health care professional and/or a clinical nutritionist. It’s important to rule out celiac disease, a lifelong condition that requires complete abstinence from gluten. If it is not celiac disease, but rather a food sensitivity or a true allergy, that’s important to know, too. Allergies and food sensitivities can sometimes resolve over time with help and advice from a qualified professional.
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About the Author
Olivia Hsu Friedman, LAc, Dipl.OM, DACM, Cert. TCMDerm, is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, and TSW. Dr. Olivia treats patients via video conferencing using only herbal medicine. Dr. Olivia is the past chair of the board of directors of the American Society of Acupuncturists, serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, and is a faculty member of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Group sponsored by the National Eczema Association.