How can wheatgrass be gluten free

Wheatgrass is known to be a source of numerous vitamins and nutrients, such as potassium, dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6. It also contains iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. Barley grass is super-high in omega 6 fatty acids, as well as phosphorus, magnesium, carbohydrates, and fiber. Ultimately, yes, wheatgrass and barley grass are gluten-free. Here is a list of 54 gluten-free foods, as well as some foods to….

If you…. Gluten intolerance is fairly common and can cause widespread symptoms, some of which are not related to digestion. Here are 21 common signs to look…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Gluten status What is gluten? Contamination Bottom line We include products we think are useful for our readers. This article tells you whether wheatgrass is gluten-free.

Share on Pinterest. Wheatgrass does not contain gluten. Gluten explained. May be easily contaminated. The bottom line. Wheatgrass has become a superfood staple at juice bars and in supplement shops around the country. Even its lesser-known cousin, barley grass , has gained popularity in health food circles. As someone who follows a gluten-free diet , you might pass on these fashionable elixirs because, well Not exactly.

When considering whether or not to consume wheatgrass or barley grass on a gluten-free diet, there are several key factors—and possible alternatives—to take into consideration. Believe it or not, both wheatgrass and barley grass are technically free from gluten. Since wheat and barley are gluten grains , it's certainly fair to ask how their grasses could possibly be considered gluten-free.

When pure wheatgrass and pure barley grass are harvested properly, the seed or grain is not present in the final product.

Wheat, barley, and rye grasses produce grains, but the grasses themselves don't contain them. It is the wheat or barley grain that contains gluten—the protein that is thought to cause reactions in celiac disease and possibly in non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

If just the wheat or barley grass is harvested with absolutely no seeds, there should be no gluten to cause concern. However, in order to harvest wheat or barley grass without seeds or grains, timing is essential. Grasses must be cut when they are old enough to have developed their full nutritional potential. But if you cut them too late, they will have started to develop protein, also known as gluten.

By some estimates, a safe harvest window ranges from 10 days to two weeks. That does leave a margin of error and that's where things get tricky. And there are other packaged wheatgrass products like green smoothies, supplement capsules, and powders that are also labeled or advertised to be gluten-free. Are these products safe to consume? You need to be certain a supplier is using absolutely pure wheatgrass and barley grass in order for the product to be considered truly gluten-free.

This turns out to be much more difficult than it sounds due to the high risk of gluten cross-contamination. The U. In their final ruling, the agency said that wheatgrass and barley grass can be used to make foods labeled gluten-free as long as the finished products contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

To reach that goal, everyone in the production chain needs to ensure that no seeds are included with the grasses. While it may be tempting to enjoy the purported superfood benefits of wheatgrass and barley grass, there are a couple of solid arguments against it if you follow a gluten-free diet. The farmer who grows and harvests your wheatgrass or barley grass may have the best of intentions in providing you with grain-free, gluten-free grasses. Gluten only occurs in the grains or seeds of grass plants like wheat, barley, and rye.

As always, depending on your level of sensitivity or reactions, you might be fine to go ahead and drink the juice, but if you have any doubts whatsoever, order something else. You are probably already very familiar with these three key words to remember when living a gluten-free life:.

Asserting that a meal, a drink, or a product is gluten-free is a big claim to make. Food manufacturers have come a long way in being explicit about the ingredients in their products. By careful label reading and decoding, you can work out whether a food product is safe for you to eat or not. And in the case of your wheatgrass juice, your trust has to extend back through the production process, even back to the farm.

Cross-contamination is a continual bugbear for people avoiding gluten: depending on your level of sensitivity, the slightest trace of hidden gluten can undo all your careful work.

Your home kitchen is relatively easy to gluten-proof and keep clean and safe.