Does Quinoa Contain Gluten or Is It Gluten Free?
For people suffering form celiac disease, even the smallest amount of gluten can trigger a very serious reaction. If this occurs regularly, it can have deleterious long-term effects which can include neurological disorders and even the increased risk of certain cancers. Knowing which foods contain gluten and which are gluten free is not always straightforward. For example, most soy sauce contains gluten. Since gluten is most commonly associated with grains such wheat or barley. Since quinoa is considered an ancient grain, it leads many of us to ask does quinoa contain gluten or is it gluten free?
No, quinoa does not contain gluten. oneHOWTO can reveal it is safe for celiacs, but we still need to be careful when eating this foodstuff. It might be part of a recipe which also contains gluten or poses risks of cross-contamination.
Does quinoa contain gluten?
Quinoa is not only a highly nutritious and natural food, it is 100% gluten-free in all its natural varieties. This makes it an excellent option for those sensitive to gluten or those with celiac disease. This is unlike other grains like barley, wheat or rye, which are known for containing high amounts of gluten and are used to create many different dishes.
Despite being gluten free, it is essential to pay attention to the risk of cross-contamination. Quinoa can become contaminated with gluten during processing, packaging or preparation. If quinoa is packaged or processed in a plant that also processes other gluten-containing grains, there's a chance that some traces of gluten may remain in the food.
Similarly, if you cook quinoa in the same pan or with the same utensils used to cook gluten-containing foods, cross-contamination can occur. This can also occur in restaurants. This is why we need to make sure that when ordering a dish with quinoa as one of its ingredients, it is prepared under safe conditions to avoid gluten contamination.
Learn more about other foods for celiacs with our article asking do lentils contain gluten?
Can celiacs eat quinoa?
Yes, people with celiac disease can eat quinoa because it does not contain gluten in any form or variety. Celiacs can eat this food without any problems. In fact, it's one of the most recommended grains for those following a gluten-free diet due to its high nutritional value.
These are the benefits of quinoa for celiacs:
- Good carbohydrates: contains a large amount of slow-absorbing carbohydrates.
- Unsaturated fats: these are considered heart-healthy fats.
- Protein: it is rich in vegetable proteins of high biological value, with the presence of essential amino acids.
- Vitamins: contains vitamins B, C, E and folic acid.
- Minerals: it has minerals in its composition such as calcium, iron and phosphorus.
- Fiber: it is fiber rich, making it good for digestion.
To obtain all the benefits of quinoa, it is important for celiac patients to avoid cross-contamination. They can eat this food, but they must ensure that it is 100% gluten-free. You may have concerns if the purchased product doesn't fully guarantee this on the label. Restaurants are becoming better at preparing food for those with allergies, but not all are as compliant as others. Refuse to eat it if you are not confident the quinoa is gluten free.
If you are a celiac, you can help ensure you avoid gluten with our article on how to make gluten-free bread at home.
How to eat quinoa if you have celiac disease
If you are celiac and want to eat quinoa safely, oneHOWTO offers the following tips to help you achieve this goal and avoid gluten cross-contamination:
- Look for quinoa products that are 100% certified gluten-free.
- If you order quinoa at a restaurant, ask how it's prepared. This way, you can ensure that cross-contamination doesn't occur.
- Clean thoroughly by always washing utensils and surfaces that have come into contact with gluten before preparing quinoa.
- To prevent possible cross-contamination at home, use separate or different utensils, pans and cutting boards when preparing gluten-free foods like quinoa.
- Never reuse water or oil used to cook foods containing gluten.
- If you plan to cook two meals in the oven at the same time that mixes gluten-free foods and those that contain gluten, we recommend cooking in separate oven dishes. Place the gluten-containing food on the bottom rack of the oven and the container with quinoa and other gluten-free foods on the top rack. This way, you'll prevent any gluten-containing food from falling into the other preparation.
- As long as you're sure there's no cross-contamination, you can eat quinoa as a celiac in a variety of ways. You can cook it as a side dish, add it to soups, salads and even desserts . It's a grain that's easy to incorporate into gluten-free diets as it is very versatile and easy to use.
- Some cooking utensils, such as racks, kitchen aprons and dish towels, may also contain traces of gluten-containing foods. To avoid cross-contamination with the quinoa, make sure they're perfectly clean before you begin preparing a celiac-friendly recipe.
To learn more about the composition of common foods for those with allergies, take a look at our related article asking are tomatoes high in fructose?
If you want to read similar articles to Does Quinoa Contain Gluten or Is It Gluten Free?, we recommend you visit our Food & drink category.
