Key takeaways:
A wheat-free label doesn’t mean a food is gluten-free. The food could still contain gluten from barley or rye.
Most gluten-free foods are also wheat-free. But some contain processed wheat-derived ingredients, like wheat starch, and may not be safe for someone with a wheat allergy.
You may need to avoid different foods depending on whether you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy. Reading both the ingredient list and allergen statement can help you choose foods that are safe for you.
Over the past several years, gluten has remained a hot-button issue. With that comes a lot of questions about what a gluten-free label actually means and whether being wheat-free and gluten-free are the same thing.
Wheat is one major source of gluten. But gluten is also found in grains like rye and barley. This means a wheat-free food may still contain gluten. And although most gluten-free foods don’t contain wheat, a gluten-free product can contain wheat-derived ingredients that have been processed to remove gluten.
Here’s what each label means and how to figure out whether a food is safe for you.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. It gives dough its structure and elasticity.
Common food sources of gluten include:
Most bread and baked goods, including bagels, English muffins, and pastries
Traditional pasta
Pizza crust and other wheat-based doughs
Most crackers
Flour tortillas
Many cereals
Beer and other malt beverages
Gluten can also show up in less obvious foods and products, including:
Soy sauce
Soups
Sauces
Salad dressings
Some processed meats
If you need to avoid gluten, check food labels for wheat, barley, rye, malt, and ingredients made from these grains.
What is gluten-free?
In the U.S., foods labeled “gluten-free” must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.
Some foods are naturally free of gluten, such as:
Fruits and vegetables
Plain milk and many other dairy products
Eggs
Unprocessed meat, fish, and poultry
Nuts and seeds
Beans and lentils
Oils
Many drinks
Certain grains, like rice, corn, quinoa, and buckwheat
Good to know: Oats are naturally gluten-free. But they often get exposed to gluten when they’re processed. If you have celiac disease, make sure to choose oats with a gluten-free label.
Other foods typically contain gluten but are available in gluten-free versions. Examples include:
Pasta, tortillas, and breads made from flours that don’t contain gluten, such as rice, potato, and corn flour
Cookies, pastries, and other grain-based desserts made from gluten-free flours, such as almond and coconut flour
Soups and sauces made without gluten-containing ingredients
Beer made from grains that don’t contain gluten
How can you tell if something is gluten-free?
For packaged foods, the best way to tell if a product is gluten-free is to look for a “gluten-free,” “no gluten,” or “free of gluten” label. Foods with one of these claims must meet the FDA standard of less than 20 ppm of gluten.
Remember that foods that are naturally gluten-free can come into contact with gluten during processing or preparation. You may see statements like “may contain wheat,” or “made in a facility that processes wheat.” These statements are voluntary. So, if you have celiac disease, it’s best to look for a certified gluten-free label.
Are there benefits to a gluten-free diet?
Some people need to follow a gluten-free diet to manage their health. This includes people with conditions such as:
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity
If you have celiac disease, following a strict gluten-free diet can ease your symptoms and prevent harm to your small intestine. But experts don’t recommend cutting gluten from your diet if you don’t have a diagnosis of celiac disease. If you think you may have a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, it’s best to work with a healthcare professional to figure out the specific cause of your symptoms.
How is gluten-free different from wheat-free?
Wheat-free foods contain no wheat ingredients. But they may contain gluten from barley or rye.
Most gluten-free foods contain no wheat. But manufacturers may use wheat starch that has been processed to remove gluten. For a product to keep a gluten-free label, it must have less than 20 ppm of gluten.
Wheat and wheat-derived ingredients can include a range of products, such as:
Bulgur
Couscous
Durum
Farro
Hydrolyzed wheat protein
Vital wheat gluten
Wheat protein isolate
Spelt
Seitan
Semolina
Wheat berries
Soy sauce
A food can be wheat-free but still contain gluten from other ingredients, like barley and rye.
If you have a wheat allergy, your body reacts to one or more proteins in wheat, which may or may not include gluten. You may be able to eat barley or rye even though these grains contain gluten. Wheat allergies can lead to a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
If you have a wheat allergy, check the ingredient list on nutrition labels and the allergen statement for wheat. Don’t rely only on a gluten-free label.
How can you tell whether you react to wheat or gluten?
Testing for food allergies and sensitivities can be challenging. Your symptoms can tell you that something is off, but symptoms alone can’t tell you whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy. These conditions can share similar symptoms, including:
If you notice symptoms after eating wheat or gluten, keep a food journal to track what you ate. This can help when you follow up with a healthcare professional to figure out what’s causing your symptoms.
Testing for a wheat allergy may include a skin prick test, blood test, or a supervised food challenge.
If you think you have celiac disease, don’t start a gluten-free diet before getting tested unless a healthcare professional recommends it. Avoiding gluten before testing can make the results less accurate. Testing for celiac disease can include blood tests, endoscopy, a gluten challenge, and genetic testing.
Frequently asked questions
Most people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis don’t need to avoid gluten. The main reason gluten comes up is that celiac disease is more common in people with Hashimoto’s than in the general population. So, it’s a good idea to get tested for celiac disease if you have Hashimoto’s and have celiac-type symptoms. But if you have Hashimoto’s without celiac disease, there’s no strong evidence that a gluten-free diet protects your thyroid in a meaningful way.
For most people, a gluten-free diet doesn’t improve hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C). In fact, a large long-term study of adults in the U.S. found that eating more gluten was linked to a slightly lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This was likely because gluten-free products often have less fiber and whole grains.
Celiac disease can cause diarrhea with greasy or fatty stools (called steatorrhea) that may float or be hard to flush. These stool changes happen because damage to the small intestine keeps your body from properly absorbing fat and nutrients. But bowel changes vary, and some people with celiac disease have constipation or no digestive symptoms at all.
There’s no quality evidence that a gluten-free diet lowers cortisol or stress. But people with celiac disease are more likely to develop Addison’s disease, a condition in which your body makes too little cortisol. If you have celiac disease and feel persistently tired, weak, or dizzy, talk with your healthcare professional.
Most people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis don’t need to avoid gluten. The main reason gluten comes up is that celiac disease is more common in people with Hashimoto’s than in the general population. So, it’s a good idea to get tested for celiac disease if you have Hashimoto’s and have celiac-type symptoms. But if you have Hashimoto’s without celiac disease, there’s no strong evidence that a gluten-free diet protects your thyroid in a meaningful way.
For most people, a gluten-free diet doesn’t improve hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C). In fact, a large long-term study of adults in the U.S. found that eating more gluten was linked to a slightly lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This was likely because gluten-free products often have less fiber and whole grains.
Celiac disease can cause diarrhea with greasy or fatty stools (called steatorrhea) that may float or be hard to flush. These stool changes happen because damage to the small intestine keeps your body from properly absorbing fat and nutrients. But bowel changes vary, and some people with celiac disease have constipation or no digestive symptoms at all.
There’s no quality evidence that a gluten-free diet lowers cortisol or stress. But people with celiac disease are more likely to develop Addison’s disease, a condition in which your body makes too little cortisol. If you have celiac disease and feel persistently tired, weak, or dizzy, talk with your healthcare professional.
The bottom line
Wheat-free and gluten-free don’t mean the same thing. A wheat-free food can contain gluten from barley or rye. While most gluten-free foods don’t contain wheat, some may contain wheat-derived ingredients.
If you have celiac disease and need to avoid gluten, look for a gluten-free label. If you have a wheat allergy, check the ingredient list and allergen statement to make sure the product meets your needs.
Why trust our experts?
References
Celiac Disease Foundation. (n.d.). Gluten-free foods.
Celiac Disease Foundation. (n.d.). Gluten-free oats: What’s the deal?
Celiac Disease Foundation. (n.d.). Label reading & the FDA.
Celiac Disease Foundation. (n.d.). What is gluten?
Chang, H. A., et al. (2011). Celiac disease. JAMA.
Elfström, P., et al. (2007). Risk of primary adrenal insufficiency in patients with celiac disease. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Food Allergy Research and Education. (n.d.). Wheat allergy.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Questions and answers on the gluten-free food labeling final rule.
Vellaichamy, M. D., et al. (2026). Wheat allergy. StatPearls.
Zingone, F., et al. (2024). Celiac disease-related conditions: Who to test? Gastroenterology.
Zong, E., et al. (2018). Gluten intake and risk of Type 2 diabetes in three large prospective cohort studies of US men and women. Diabetologia.
