Which foods contain gluten?

The most important points in brief

• Gluten is a protein substance that is found in high concentrations in the seeds of wheat, durum wheat and spelled and is also known as gluten.
• In Europe and also in Switzerland, more and more people are suffering from celiac disease, which is gluten intolerance.
• Naturally, gluten is particularly found in products that are mainly made from flour.
• The good news for people with celiac disease: Nowadays there are many foods that are produced gluten-free.

The symptoms are different. Flatulence, constipation and diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, but also persistent loss of appetite are possible consequences of gluten intolerance. Many sufferers also feel constantly powerless and tired. It is important for them to avoid those foods that contain gluten - and that is not exactly a few.

Grains on the red list for gluten intolerance

Unless otherwise indicated in the bakery, people with celiac disease should be careful with all breads and Weggli. Sure, nowadays bread is baked from millet, quinoa, chestnuts, amaranth, corn, buckwheat, grape seed flour, rice or wild rice or farinha, but it is almost always shown as such.

As a rule, Weggli and bread (or baked goods of all kinds) are made from flour, bran, semolina or meal that are obtained from spelled, barley, rye, oats, wheat, green spelled or emmer. If you have celiac disease then these foods are totally unsuitable for you. Couscous, udon, kritharaki and somen also belong in this list.

Other gluten-containing foods

Every now and then you come across types of bread made from buckwheat, soy, rice or corn. Anyone who has developed a gluten intolerance should not make the mistake of switching to these types, because these types of bread usually only contain around ten percent of the specified grain. If they are really completely gluten-free, then they have to be labeled accordingly. You should also not eat breading in fish or meat dishes.

Vegetarians or vegans do not automatically have an advantage when it comes to gluten-free food. The popular seitan, for example, a meat substitute, is made from wheat. In the case of muesli, corn flakes or popcorn, you should check the respective product before consumption. You also have to avoid some drinks, such as beer, malt beer, rice or corn beer and possibly whiskey, which in some cases malt is added after the distillation.

Gluten-free diet - these foods are suitable

It is primarily unprocessed foods that do not contain gluten. This of course includes first and foremost fresh fruits or fresh vegetables. You should be a little more careful with canned or frozen food, especially canned fruit is often mixed with flavor enhancers, flavorings and preservatives, acidulants, binders or sweeteners. Milk and milk products as well as cheese in natural form are also gluten-free. There are tons of great gluten-free products from Schär, for example.

This rule of thumb can be extended to almost all foods: unprocessed gluten-free, not processed. The same rule applies to fish or seafood, nuts, meat and sausage products, as well as to spices or tomato paste. Potatoes are also naturally gluten-free; Ready-made products made from potatoes - on the other hand, some types of french fries, ready-made mashed potatoes, potato noodles, croquettes, hash browns, potato pancakes, duchess potatoes and potato snacks often contain gluten. Pasta must also be specially labeled as gluten-free.