Tips on How to Avoid Gluten [Video]

Hello, Dr. Vicki Peterson here. I got a great question from a follower, and I want to share it with you. It had to do with being celiac or gluten sensitive, trying to avoid gluten, and being a little confused about the labels. This gentleman had a few great questions.

One was: what if something says it’s gluten-free but is processed in a plant that is completely gluten-free? That’s very safe, and I would say that’s extremely safe. Then, what about the label that says gluten-free but is processed in a plant that also has gluten-containing products?

When it comes to food, the good news is that you can’t get that gluten-free label unless you’re under the threshold designated for being gluten-free, which is less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Now, you might say, “Well, shouldn’t it be zero?” Yes, it should be, but the equipment we have in the US is only sensitive to the 20 parts per million threshold. In Europe, I believe the threshold is under 10 parts per million, which is 50% better, but in the US, that’s just the way it is.

Certainly, if the ingredients are completely clean and it’s processed in a gluten-free facility, you’re pretty assured that there should be zero gluten. For some people, that makes a difference. Even though under 20 parts per million is considered gluten-free, some people are more sensitive and can tell a difference. For these individuals, zero gluten or food made in a company that has no gluten in their facility is very important.

The gentleman also asked about alcohol, specifically beer. There are different beers on the market, like Omission Beer and Two Brothers Beer. These gluten-free beers have been a lovely addition for those who really enjoyed beer. Some of these beers still have barley but use a special enzyme to break down the barley so that no active gluten proteins are left. These beers say they’re under 20 parts per million, but people still react.

The FDA’s criteria for food don’t really transfer over to alcoholic beverages, meaning the testing might not be as accurate for alcoholic beverages as it is for food. For food, it’s pretty refined—we have our stable under 20 parts per million threshold. But with alcoholic beverages, it’s not as refined.

If you are trying one of these beers, try the one that has no barley in it first. If you want to try the ones with barley, see how you do. Unfortunately, if you’re in the category of people who react to any gluten contamination, it can be more insidious and silent, doing damage without overt symptoms.

I recently had a young lady who knew she was gluten sensitive. She started cheating a little bit, and although she didn’t look as healthy, she didn’t feel bad. We did a test to make sure, and it showed her immune system was saying, “I hate gluten.” She didn’t feel it, which is tougher. Not everyone can do blood testing to see, but the safest bet is food not processed in a facility with gluten and beer with no barley.

I hope this answered the question. I wasn’t aware that the FDA’s ability to screen for gluten in alcoholic beverages wasn’t as up to par as it is for food. I’m sure it will improve, but it’s not the highest priority.

Some beers have been measured as low as three parts per million, others under 20 parts per million, but some people still react. You have to make your own best judgment. I hope this gave my followers some data and helps anyone in the gluten-free arena. If your health is not the way you want it to be, please reach out. We can do a consultation over the phone at 408-733-0400.

I’ll talk to you soon.

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