In recent years, due to the sensitive approach to gluten consumption, question marks regarding the content of foods have been increasing. Cheese, which has many different types and adorns the tables at every breakfast, is one of the foods that are the target of these questions. If you are wondering whether there is gluten in cheese, you can find the answers you are looking for further down this page.
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer as to whether cheese, a dairy product rich in protein, fat and minerals, contains gluten. The answer to this question is especially important for celiac patients and people who are sensitive to gluten even though they do not have celiac disease. Although most cheeses are naturally gluten-free, in some cases they may contain gluten due to the added ingredients they contain.
People on a gluten-free diet are quite confused when it comes to cheese. Although gluten is generally free of gluten in its natural form, it is not possible to speak with the same certainty about many types of cheese. Therefore, before consuming any type of cheese, it is necessary to know what it contains.
Since gluten is a protein found only in wheat, rye and barley, cheese made from milk should naturally be gluten-free. However, gluten can also be found in many types of foods that seem irrelevant today. So, how can it be determined whether cheese types contain gluten? Let’s find out the answers to these questions together!
Is There Gluten in Cheese?
First of all, let’s clarify this issue again: Most types of cheese with preserved natural ingredients do not contain gluten. To explain it another way; Plain and full-fat cheeses, which do not contain additional ingredients such as sweeteners, preservatives and thickeners during production, mostly do not contain gluten. Gluten is often added to cheese products as a thickener or stabilizer to extend shelf life or prevent disintegration.
Considering both its taste and rich content, we think it is impossible not to like cheese! So, which types of cheese contain gluten, which do not, and what needs to be done to determine whether there is gluten in the cheese? If you are ready to read and be enlightened with us, here we go!
Which Type of Cheese Contains Gluten?
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You now know that natural, plain and full-fat cheese, which is a must for modest breakfast tables prepared with tea, bagels and tomatoes, generally does not contain gluten. (Of course, it is still useful to look at the ingredient list before consumption. Just in case!) Some processed cheeses that are fat-free, low-fat or unsalted may carry the risk of containing gluten due to their form and production conditions. The most prominent of these products are:
Barley Yeast Cheeses
Some cheeses containing beer indirectly contain gluten. Because barley, which is clearly known to contain gluten, is used as the raw material in beer making.
Cottage Cheese
Although cottage cheese does not contain gluten in most cases, some brands can use gluten-containing foods such as wheat starch as a thickener. At this point, it is important to carefully examine the ingredient list so that the selected product can be consumed – and of course digested – with peace of mind.
Bonus: Cheese Desserts
We know you love them, but unfortunately, desserts made with cheese, such as cheesecake, can also contain gluten. Although the filling made of cheese in this much-loved dessert is gluten-free, flour or similar materials containing gluten can be used in its base. The good news is that you can prepare the base of this delicious dessert at home with gluten-free flour or biscuits!
Beware of! Even when purchasing a cheese that you are sure does not contain gluten, you should make sure that the product has not come into contact with any other food or surface containing gluten. Because the knife or machine used to cut your cheese may have cut another gluten-containing cheese or food beforehand.
Which Cheese Type Does Not Have Gluten?
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We have listed some of the cheeses that are predominantly gluten-free for you below. But in any case, you should still read the ingredients carefully before purchasing one of these products:
- Cheddar cheese
- Goat cheese
- mozzarella
- Cheddar cheese
- Roquefort cheese
- Cream cheese
- feta
- blue cheese
How to Tell if Cheese Contains Gluten?
Cheese must meet certain standards in order to be labeled “gluten-free”. There is no valid test to detect gluten in foods such as hydrolyzed and fermented cheese. Therefore, it is of great importance to examine the label on the cheese to determine whether there is gluten in it. While doing this, it is necessary to first know what should not be included in cheese under natural conditions! For example; Wheat starch or modified food starch made from wheat are some of the most prominent among these ingredients that should not be present.
If the cheese you are considering purchasing contains vinegar in its ingredients list, you should also research what vinegar it is. Because if the ingredient used is malt vinegar, this means that there is gluten in the cheese. You should also be extra careful when purchasing cheeses that contain thickeners, sweeteners and colorants. In addition, you should be careful to choose reliable brands in order not to be deceived by fake cheeses that are not made from milk.
*The explanations on this page do not constitute health advice or warning and are for informational purposes only. You should consult a dietitian to get the most accurate information about the foods you can include in your nutrition program.
MD, Prof. Sea South Duman Approved by
Resources:
“’Gluten-Free’ Means What It Says”. FDA. 2021. (online).
“Is Cheese Gluten-Free?”. Beyond Celiac. 2022. (online).
“Gluten-Free Eating”. Canadian Celiac Association. 2018. (online).
Corey Whelan, ”Is Cheese Gluten-Free?”. Healthline. 2018. (online).
“Cheese”. Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. (online).
Dan Brennan, MD, ”What to Know About Gluten-Free Cheese”. WebMD. 2021. (online).