When you are learning to navigate a gluten-free lifestyle, identifying where gluten hides is the first major milestone. At its core, gluten is a protein found naturally in three primary grains: wheat, barley, and rye.
This means standard versions of traditional staple foods like breads, pastas, cereals, crackers, cookies, and pastries are generally off-the-table unless they are specifically explicitly labeled gluten-free. It also means keeping an eye out for items made with varieties of wheat, such as spelt, farro, durum, einkorn, and semolina.
The trickier part for most beginners is hidden gluten in processed goods. Ingredients derived from barley—like malt flavoring, malt vinegar, and traditional beer—are frequent culprits. Additionally, everyday condiments like soy sauce, cream-based soups, salad dressings, and certain pre-packaged spice mixes often use wheat flour as a thickener or stabilizer. To help scan labels safely, the Celiac Disease Foundation’s Sources of Gluten Directory maintains an excellent up-to-date breakdown of hidden cross-contact ingredients.