5 Unexpected Sources Of Gluten That Aren’t Food
Even if you know to look for gluten in the less-than-obvious foods, gluten can sneak up on you in the most unexpected places.
A significant number of non-food products contain ingredients derived from grains that can be problematic with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. In fact, many are now being produced and marketed as gluten-free.
The ingredients in question are typically included as binding agents or fillers and are usually only problematic if ingested, experts told CBS News. For that reason, adhesive on envelopes and stamps used to cause problems, but today that starch-based stickiness comes from corn, Gluten-Free Living magazine reported.
Preliminary research suggests that merely coming into contact with gluten, say in the form of a hand lotion, could also cause adverse affects, Health.com reported. Plus, if it’s a little one you’re watching out for, you may need to be extra cautious, since kids will put just about anything in their mouths.
Obviously, food is more prominently labeled than non-food products when it comes to gluten, but that may be changing. Supermarket News reported a 43 percent increase in body care products being labeled and certified as gluten-free in 2012.