What's in Your Pantry?

Staples in my pantry include gluten free flour of course, usually Bob's Red Mill All Purpose. I keep rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch as well as a backup. Xanthan gum is a must.

It is important to know that gluten is hidden in so many foods. Some of these are licorice, soy sauce, malt vinegar, some flavorings, most processed foods, self-basting turkeys, some cold cuts, and many prepared stocks and soups. Vinegars and alcohols that are properly distilled should not contain any harmful gluten. However, if additives have been added after the distillation process, they can contain gluten. Gluten is also used as a binder in some pharmaceutical products so always check your prescriptions and can be the starch in unidentified food starch, modified food starch, caramel coloring, hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein. It's also important to avoid products where the ingredients are questionable or are listed as simply "natural flavorings, flavor extracts, or spice extracts" since gluten may be used in processing them.

Most food manufacturers have toll-free customer service numbers and will gladly check on the source of these questionable ingredients. Until you are sure a product is gluten-free, it's best not to use it. Plain rice of all types (including wild rice), tapioca, potatoes, corn, and beans are safe for a gluten-free diet. Most celiac patients can also have soy products, except soy sauce which is usually fermented with wheat.