Gluten-Free Food List: What's Safe and What Isn't

Use this as a starting point, not a final answer. Ingredients and manufacturing change constantly, so the only way to be sure about a specific package is to read its label or scan its barcode.

Naturally gluten-free foods

Whole, single-ingredient foods are the safest place to start. Once anything is seasoned, breaded, battered or sauced, it needs a label check.

Fresh fruits and vegetables (whole, unseasoned)
Plain meat, poultry, fish and eggs
Plain milk, butter, most cheeses and plain yogurt
Beans, lentils and other legumes
Nuts and seeds (unflavored)
Rice, corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes
Quinoa, millet, sorghum, amaranth, teff and buckwheat
Oats — only when labeled certified gluten free

Foods that always contain gluten

These grains and ingredients contain gluten by definition. If one appears in the ingredient list, the product is not safe for celiac disease.

Wheat in every form, including white and whole wheat flour
Barley and malt (malt syrup, malt extract, malt vinegar)
Rye and triticale
Semolina, durum, spelt, farro, einkorn and kamut
Couscous, orzo and standard pasta
Seitan (it is essentially wheat gluten)
Brewer's yeast and most beers
Standard bread, crackers, cereal, cake and pastry

Hidden gluten to watch for

This is where most accidental exposures happen. None of these obviously look like bread, but gluten is often used as a thickener, binder or flavoring.

Soy sauce and many teriyaki or hoisin sauces
Salad dressings, marinades and gravy thickened with flour
Canned soups and bouillon cubes
Processed meats such as sausage, deli meat and meatballs
Seasoning blends, taco kits and flavored chips
Uncertified oats, which are frequently cross-contacted in the field or mill
Licorice, some candy coatings and communion wafers
Some medications, vitamins and supplements that use wheat starch as a binder

How to read a gluten-free label

Package claims are not all equal. Here is what each one actually guarantees.

Certified gluten free: Tested to under 20 parts per million of gluten by a third-party certifier. This is the strongest signal you can get on a package.
Gluten free: In the US and EU this is a regulated claim that also means under 20 ppm, but it is self-declared rather than independently certified.
Contains wheat: A required allergen statement. If you see it, the product is not safe for celiac disease.
May contain wheat / made in a facility with wheat: A voluntary cross-contact warning. It is not regulated, so treat it as a reason to avoid the product if you have celiac disease.
Wheat starch: Only safe when the product is also labeled gluten free, which means the starch has been processed to remove gluten.

Common questions

Are oats gluten free?

Oats do not contain gluten, but they are usually grown and milled alongside wheat, so standard oats are cross-contacted. Buy oats labeled certified gluten free. A small number of people with celiac disease also react to avenin, the protein in oats.

Is sourdough bread gluten free?

No. Long fermentation lowers gluten slightly but nowhere near a safe level. Sourdough made from wheat, rye or spelt flour still contains gluten. Only sourdough baked from gluten-free flours qualifies.

Does gluten free mean healthier?

No. Gluten-free packaged foods are often higher in sugar, fat and refined starch and lower in fiber than their wheat counterparts. Gluten free is a safety label, not a nutrition label, which is why The Gluten Guy shows a separate A to E nutrition rating.

What does "may contain wheat" actually mean?

It is a voluntary warning that the product was made on shared equipment or in a shared facility. There is no required testing behind it. Most people with celiac disease avoid these products.

Not sure about a specific product?

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Note: This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, follow the guidance of your doctor or dietitian and always confirm the packaging.