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Are canned foods gluten-free? When sharing a picture of pantry on social media many celiacs asked me why I had canned beans that didn’t say gluten-free on them. Here’s the thing, canned foods with naturally gluten-free ingredients but not gluten-free claim are celiac-safe. Let me explain…
P.s. Need help with label-reading and knowing if products like this are gluten-free? Sign up for my FREE USA Food Label-Reading Class where I show you EXACTLY what you need to look for on a food label to stay celiac-safe in the USA. Stop stressing over grocery shopping in just 4-simple steps with this FREE training!
When talking about gluten-free canned food, it’s important we know what gluten is. Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, contaminated oats, and wheat. It may be helpful to remember the acronym “BROW” when trying to remember what foods have gluten.
In baked goods, gluten holds things together working as a binding agent. It gives texture and chew to foods.
Most people can safely eat gluten. However, some people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease which means they need to avoid gluten. It can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea and nausea as well as nonintestinal symptoms such as rashes, headaches, or joint pain.
When are canned food gluten-free? The answer? It depends on what kind of canned food we are talking about. I like to break canned food down in two 2 categories when talking about their safety: mixed canned food and plain canned food.
Mixed canned food is canned food that is a mixture of ingredients. Think soups and sauces. If they have a gluten-free claim or certification, they are automatically safe.
Mixed canned foods can also still be gluten-free without a gluten-free claim or certification if it does not have the following:
This is any canned food where it’s just the food item in it. Like canned vegetables and fruits.
It’s safe if it has a “gluten-free” certification/claim on it.
Plain canned foods can also still be gluten-free without a gluten-free claim or certification if it does not have the following:
For more of a breakdown on assessing safety, complete with video simulations and practice examples, check out the Celiac Crash Course.
Canned foods are gluten-free if they have no gluten containing ingredients. Cross-contact risk will need to be assessed per individual needs.
Often people who are just starting out with a gluten-free lifestyle stick to only buying foods that are clearly labeled gluten-free. While this helps with adapting to the lifestyle, this is usually not necessary as you build your label reading confidence and skills.
As always, if you don’t know if something is safe, say no. Additionally, a dietitian can be a great resource for determining what is right for you. We all have individual needs and while there are general recommendations, it can be helpful to tailor these recommendations to you with the help of a dietitian who specializes in celiac disease.
And if you found this helpful, check out my TOTALLY free label-reading class where I teach you exactly what to look for on a label in the USA to make sure a food item is safe.
DISCLAIMER: This post was with USA labeling in mind.