12 foods to avoid with a gluten intolerance

Gluten intolerance, better termed “gluten sensitivity,” is thought to affect about 18 million people in the United States. This is not the same as celiac disease. When people are gluten sensitive, their blood test for celiac comes back negative but they still show symptoms of intolerance to gluten.

In either case, it is necessary to avoid gluten to prevent the miserable symptoms such as nausea, constipation, diarrhea, headache, joint pain and fatigue. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be a tricky endeavor because gluten can hide in some very unlikely places. Here are 12 foods that you should avoid if you have an intolerance to gluten.

Grains
Grains are obvious foods to remove from your diet, but not all grains have gluten. The following grains should be avoided:
1. Barley
2. Rye
3. Triticale (wheat/rye cross)
4. Wheat

Sometimes oats are also a problem because, even though they don't have gluten, they are often processed in the same mills that produce wheat. This is known as cross-contamination. Also, watch for hidden wheat disguised with names such as durum, emmer, einkorn, spelt, semolina and farro. These also have gluten and should be avoided.

Typically, you will find these grains in pastas, cereals, sauces and gravies, and breads and pastries, but they also turn up in some surprising places, so always check labels.

Drinks
Gluten containing foods are often used is the process of making the following beverages:
5. Alcohol
6. Nondairy creamer
7. Commercially made chocolate milk

Meats
Processed meats often contain gluten, so be sure to check the labels carefully. Processed meat includes the following:
8. Lunch meat
9. Hot dogs
10. Vegetarian meat substitutes (veggie burgers, seitan, etc.)

Other
Gluten can hide in some very unusual places that you may not suspect. If you have a gluten intolerance, always check the labels on anything that you buy. Hidden sources include these:
11. Soy sauce
12. Candy