If you are intolerant or allergic to gluten or simply cutting gluten out of your diet, it may feel difficult to eat the foods you want to eat.
Many foods contain gluten, so it is essential to check the ingredients list when ordering or purchasing pre-packaged food products.
Nowadays, it is necessary and common to have gluten-free alternatives, and there are alternatives to almost everything. There are even standard products that have always been gluten-free!
In this article, we will inform you about gluten and tell you which chips are gluten-free.
What Does Gluten-free Mean?
In its simplest term, gluten-free means a product does not contain any gluten. Gluten is a type of protein found in every form of wheat, barley, rye, malt, and triticale.
These proteins are natural and help bind food together. An excellent way to remember it is through remembering that gluten sounds like ‘glue,’ as it binds and sticks things together.
There are also derivatives of wheat that all contain gluten, such as common ones like semolina, spelt, farro, durum, and graham. These are usually used to make bread and baked goods.
Common Foods Containing Gluten:
Foods such as pasta, bread, cereals, crackers, breakfast foods like waffles, crêpes, pancakes, and beer contain gluten.
These are some of the most glutinous foods, and they are reliant on gluten to ensure they stick together.
There are, luckily, alternatives to all of these foods. Additionally, fries, chips, salad dressings and condiments, meat substitutes, and candy may also contain gluten.
This should be checked when purchasing, but there are alternatives to these. All flour and bread derive from gluten, so other options are necessary with these products.
Why Can’t People Eat Gluten?
People may not be able to digest gluten for a variety of reasons. Most people who do not eat gluten are gluten sensitive/intolerant, and their bodies may not agree with gluten as much as other people.
There is also something called celiac disease, an immune reaction in some people triggered by the consumption of gluten.
The response occurs in the small intestine, and the small intestine will eventually become damaged, disallowing it to absorb nutrients in the future.
The damage can be severe and cause diarrhea, anemia, and weight loss. Some people simply choose to cut out gluten, as gluten provides no essential nutrients to the body.
Cutting out gluten may improve gastrointestinal function and improve stomach issues in slightly intolerant people. Cutting gluten out can also decrease regular bloating, gas, and constipation.
Why Are Some People Allergic To Gluten?
People are allergic to gluten because their bodies do not produce the correct antibodies to proteins found within gluten. This means their immune system will have a reaction, and they cannot digest it.
What Chips Are Gluten-Free?
Surprisingly, most chips are gluten-free! For example, tortilla chips are typically made from ground corn, which is naturally gluten-free. It is still sensible to check the ingredients, though.
Potato chips are usually made from a few simple ingredients; potatoes, salt, oil, and seasoning. Potatoes are gluten-free, so naturally, most natural potato chips are gluten-free.
Most chips in stores are gluten-free, but it is wise to check and also acknowledge that there may be a risk of cross-contamination.
Some Popular Brands That Happen To Be Gluten-free
- Kettle Brand Potato Chips
- Mission Tortilla Rounds
- Cape Cod
- POPchips
- FritoLay’s range:
- Lay’s
- Doritos
- Fritos
- Cheetos
- Tostitos
- Ruffles
- Smartfood
- Santitas
- Chester’s
Of course, some of each brand’s range may contain gluten depending on the flavorings added, so it is always best to check the ingredients, even if it says it is gluten-free.
What Are Gluten-free Chips Made Of?
Gluten-free chips are made of gluten-free proteins and are usually potato chips or corn chips. Tortilla chips are usually gluten-free because they are made of corn. Rice chips are also gluten-free.
There are also black bean chips, as well as natural flax gluten-free chips. Potato chips are typically made of potatoes, salt, oil, and seasonings.
The seasonings will define a potato chip as gluten-free or not, and it is necessary to check the allergens present. Tortillas are made of corn, which does not have gluten protein.
Rice chips are made of brown or white rice, or rice flour, with oil and seasonings. They contain zero gluten and are a good alternative.
Similarly, black bean (or pinto bean) chips are made of black bean flour, water, oil, salt, and seasonings. Flax chips are made of flax meal with seasonings and oil.
How Do They Make Gluten-free Chips?
For the most part, gluten-free chips are made in the same process as regular chips. Potato chips are gluten-free and are made by thinly slicing potatoes, frying them, and seasoning them.
Corn chips are formed and shaped from corn with seasoning and fried. Any chip, which is not cut potato, is formed into shapes and molded to make chips, then fried and seasoned.
It’s an easy process, and there is little risk of cross-contamination in factories that are made for gluten-free products.
However, it is sensible to check, as some gluten-free chips made in the same environment as regular chips may not be suitable for gluten intolerant or allergic people.
Do Gluten-free Chips Have Carbs?
Although you may think of carbs as being pasta, bread, and cake, gluten-free does not mean carb-free.
Gluten is a protein in wheat and other grains. Indeed, foods containing gluten do often have carbs, such as bread and cereals.
Carbohydrates are also found in fruit, veg, and dairy products. Carbohydrates are defined as a type of macronutrient in sugars, starches, and fibers.
This means that carbs are not exclusive to glutinous products.
What Chips Are Gluten And Dairy-free?
Some chips are dairy-free as well as gluten-free. Dairy is added to chips to enhance flavorings and will be present in most cheese-flavored chips.
FritoLay has an extensive range of chip products that do not contain gluten or dairy. Some examples:
- Chester’s
- Doritos
- Fritos
- Lay’s
- Maui Style
- Cracker Jack
- Ruffles
- Tostitos
- Smartfood
- Santitas
- Munchos
- Matador
Again, only certain flavors of these chip brands are gluten and dairy-free, so it is necessary to check.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays, it is straightforward and possible to find gluten-free chips in stores. Most popular chips are gluten-free, as they are primarily made of potato, oil, and seasonings.
If potato chips are not gluten-free, they may be seasoned with seasonings containing gluten or processed with gluten, such as Pringles.
Luckily, it is easy for gluten-free individuals to find chips that have no gluten without missing out on the best types of chips!
While it is now easier to find gluten-free alternatives online, there is still a limited amount of sites dedicated to this. This is why I decided to set up New Day Gluten Free, to provide others with a complete guide to gluten free foods.
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