Wheat Intolerance

Image of Wheat

Wheat is one of the stapes of our diet and one of the hardest things to try and avoid.  Often it can be found in foods that we would least expect such as the communion wafers used in church. 

Most types of bread are wheat based; this includes “rye” and “corn” loaves which often contain some wheat. 

Other products that contain wheat are :

  • Pitta
  • Crumpets
  • Muffins
  • Doughnuts
  • Cakes
  • Cookies
  • Biscuits
  • Crackers
  • Croutons
  • Rusks
  • Waffles
  • Pancakes
  • Pizzas
  • Pretzels
  • Tortillas, and tacos (should be corn but mostly wheat in UK)
  • Breadsticks  
  • Pasta
  • Pastry
  • Yorkshire pudding
  • Packet snacks, such as crisps
  • Suet pudding and many other puddings and desserts.

Most varieties of cereal contain wheat with the exception being oats, rice crispies and cornflakes, so it is important to always read the labels.  Wheat is also used in many processed foods often in the form of breadcrumbs or rusk which is used as a binder in sausages and burgers. 

Other foods that may contain wheat are:

Meats

Rissoles, salami, corned beef, luncheon meat, liver-sausage, continental sausages, pates, meat and fish pastes and spreads, ham, fish and scotch eggs coated with breadcrumbs.

Vegetable products

Vegetable pates and spreads, vegetables coated in breadcrumbs, e.g. onion rings, vegetables tempura, tinned beans, tinned spaghetti, soups.

Sauces and condiments

Gravy, packet and jar and bottled sauces, casserole and “ready-meal” mixes, stock cubes and granules, ready prepared and powdered mustard, stuffing, baking powder, monosodium glutamate, some spice mixes (check label).

Desserts

Most puddings, pastry, yogurts containing cereal, ice cream, pancakes, cheesecakes and others with a biscuit base.

Beverages

Malted milk, chocolate, Ovaltine and other powdered drinks. Beer, ale, stout, larger, Pils lager, whisky, malt whisky, gin, most spirits and many wine.

Confectionery

Liquorice, chocolate, chocolate bars and most wrapped bars.

Medication

Many prescribed and over the counter drugs contain wheat. Check with your pharmacist but do not stop prescribed medication without discussing with your doctor first.

Alternative Names

Wheat is often listed under other names, the following ingredients should also be avoided:

  • Wheat bran
  • Wheat germ
  • Wheat gluten
  • Farina
  • Rusk
  • Semolina
  • Semolina Flour
  • Wholewheat flour
  • Wheat starch
  • Starch
  • Modified starch
  • Hydrolised starch
  • Food starch
  • Spelt (triticum spelta),
  • Kamut (triticum poloncium)
  • Durum wheat,
  • Couscous
  • Bran
  • Edible starch
  • Vegetable starch
  • Vegetable gum
  • Vegetable protein
  • Cereal filler
  • Cereal binder
  • Cereal protein

Most of the flours that we use in everyday baking are made from wheat, however it is possible to buy alternatives in health food shops.  Maize (corn) flour, potato flour, rice flour, Soya flour, millet, buckwheat, sago, tapioca, quinoa, sorghum, arrowroot, gram (chickpea) flour, lentil flour.  Unfortunately because these flours are lacking in the gluten that normal wheat flour contains, they cannot be used in the same way so you would need to adjust your usual recipes to allow for his.

There are many recipe books on the market now that give very good recipes for using these alternative flours. See our list of Useful Books