Gluten can sneak into more foods than you think. Here’s a complete list of common, hidden, and surprising sources to watch out for if you have celiac disease.

Living with celiac disease means avoiding gluten completely, but gluten hides in far more foods than bread and pasta. From sauces and seasonings to packaged snacks, it can sneak into everyday items. Here’s a list of foods and ingredients to steer clear of. Here are lists of foods, ingredients and additives to avoid. Study this list carefully and refer to it often. Eventually, you’ll have the foods memorized. 

COMMON FOODS THAT CONTAIN GLUTEN 

  • Barley (and anything with the word barley in it, such as barley malt) 
  • Beer 
  • Bleached flour 
  • Blue cheese (sometimes made with bread mold) 
  • Bread flour 
  • Bulgur 
  • Cake flour 
  • Communion wafers 
  • Cracker meal 
  • Croutons 
  • Couscous 
  • Durum 
  • Energy/protein bars 
  • Farina 
  • Farro 
  • Flour tortillas 
  • Graham flour 
  • Gravy mixes 
  • Groats 
  • Kamut 
  • Licorice and gummy candies (often made with wheat flour) 
  • Malt (and anything with the word malt in it, such as rice malt, malt extract or malt flavoring) 
  • Malt beverages 
  • Matzo (made with wheat) 
  • Orzo 
  • Pasta (all varieties made with wheat, wheat starch, barley, rye or any ingredient on this list) 
  • Rye (and anything with the word rye in it) 
  • Sauces and marinades (hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, BBQ sauce, which often have wheat or barley added) 
  • Seasoned rice or noodle mixes 
  • Seitan 
  • Semolina 
  • Soy sauce (check ingredients—some contain wheat) 
  • Soups and broth bases 
  • Spelt 
  • Sprouted wheat bread 
  • Stuffing mixes 
  • Suet 
  • Tabbouleh 
  • Teriyaki sauce (check ingredients—some contain wheat) 
  • Triticale 
  • Triticum 
  • Veggie burgers 
  • Vital gluten 
  • Wheat (and anything with the word wheat in it, such as wheat grass, wheat berries, wheat germ, wheat starch, wheat bran and wheat flour; buckwheat* is OK and is the only exception) 
  • Worcestershire sauce 

LESS COMMON FOODS AND FOOD ADDITIVES WITH GLUTEN 

  • Abyssinian hard (a wheat product) 
  • Amp-isostearoyl hydrolyzed wheat 
  • Brewer’s yeast 
  • Cereal binding 
  • Cereal extract 
  • Dextrimaltose 
  • Dinkel 
  • Disodium wheatgermamido Peg-2 sulfosuccinate 
  • Edible starch 
  • Einkorn 
  • Emmer 
  • Filler 
  • Fu 
  • Granary flour 
  • Mir 
  • Udon (wheat noodles) 
  • Whole-meal flour 

HIDDEN OR “MAY CONTAIN” GLUTEN SOURCES 

If a favorite food contains one of the following ingredients and does not say “gluten-free” on the label, contact the company and ask questions. Depending on the manufacturing process, these questionable ingredients can sometimes be gluten-free. 

  • Artificial color 
  • Artificial flavoring 
  • Bouillon cubes 
  • Brown rice syrup 
  • Candy 
  • Caramel color 
  • Coloring 
  • Dextrins 
  • Dried fruit (may be dusted with wheat) 
  • Flavored coffee 
  • Flavored vinegar 
  • Flavoring 
  • Food from bulk bins at the grocery store 
  • Food starch 
  • French fries 
  • Glucose syrup 
  • Gravy cubes 
  • Ground spices (wheat is sometimes added to prevent clumping) 
  • Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) 
  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) 
  • Ice cream 
  • Maltodextrin 
  • Maltose 
  • Miso 
  • Modified starch 
  • Monoglycerides and diglycerides 
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) 
  • Mustard powder (some brands contain gluten; check ingredients) 
  • Natural flavoring 
  • Oats (look specifically for gluten-free) 
  • Processed cheese (check ingredients) 
  • Processed meats (cold cuts, hot dogs, sausages, and canned meats that contain wheat, barley, rye, oats, gluten fillers or stabilizers) 
  • Rice malt 
  • Rice syrup 
  • Salad dressing 
  • Seasonings (including powdered flavorings and dustings on chips, nuts, popcorn, rice mixes, and rice cakes) 
  • Smoke flavoring 
  • Soba noodles 
  • Starch 
  • Stock/bouillon cubes 
  • Surimi (imitation seafood) 
  • Textured vegetable protein (TVP) 
  • Vegetable starch 
  • Vitamins, capsules, and tablets 

While you can refer to this list, when you’re shopping, look for “gluten-free” or certified gluten-free seals on package labels! These are your go-to signs that a product meets strict standards and is safe to enjoy. And when dining out, stay alert for possible cross-contamination (shared prep areas, utensils, or fryers can sneak in gluten). A little label-reading and extra care can go a long way toward keeping your meals safe and delicious! 

And, if you’re looking for some gluten-free inspiration…I’ve built an entire library of gluten-free recipes — from breakfasts to dinners to desserts!