First of all – what is a gluten free sweet?
It’s a sweet created for those who suffer from Celiac disease, which is a serious autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system, and gluten is the protein that triggers the disease.
When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their body mounts an immune response that attacks the lining of the small intestine, causing damage and preventing the absorption of nutrients. Gluten intolerance is a less severe reaction to gluten but can still cause uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.
There are many delicious gluten-free candies on the market, so people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can still enjoy a sweet treat.
However, there is no guarantee that a product is gluten-free just because it doesn’t have a label saying so. The best way to determine if a product is gluten-free is to check the ingredients list for any red flag words that indicate the presence of gluten. In this guide, we’ll share some tips for determining whether the sweets you’re consuming are gluten-free.
1) Read the Labels
Following a gluten-free diet is a growing trend, even for people without Celiac disease or NCGS. This has led some food and beverage companies to put “gluten-free” on their product packaging.
To determine if the sweets are gluten-free, you should check the ingredients list. If the label says “gluten-free” or has a certified gluten-free logo, you can be confident that the product does not contain any gluten. On average, as long as a product has less than 20 parts per million of gluten, the company is allowed to put a “gluten-free” label on it.
If the label does not explicitly say that the product is gluten-free, you’ll need to check the ingredients list for any red flag words that indicate the presence of gluten.
2) Check the Allergy Information
The FDA requires that all packaged food products list any allergens they contain. So, if a product contains gluten, it will be listed here. Allergens are usually listed in bold print.
When looking at a product’s allergen listing, avoid anything that says it contains wheat. While this isn’t a fool-proof method, it’s a good way to know which products to stay away from. Just because an item doesn’t have an allergen listing on its package doesn’t mean it’s gluten-free. However, a “contains wheat” label will tell you to avoid something.
3) If You’re Unsure, Don’t Risk It
If you’re trying to avoid gluten, it’s best to be safe and not eat sweets that don’t have a list of ingredients. Even if a food doesn’t usually contain gluten, it might have if the recipe has changed recently, so it’s best to ask and make sure before eating it.
4) Research Gluten-Free Sweets Vendors
If you’re still unsure about whether a certain type of sweets is gluten-free, look for a vendor that specialises in them.
There are many websites and companies that sell gluten-free sweets. These vendors usually have a wide variety of gluten-free sweets options to choose from, so you can usually find what you’re looking for.
Conclusion
Finding gluten-free sweets can be a difficult task. However, with a little bit of research and effort, it is possible to find sweets that do not contain gluten. Most companies will label their products and sometimes have a dedicated area for gluten free sweets.
If you want to enjoy eating sweets without worrying about gluten, Wholesale Sweets has you covered. We are a sweet shop in the UK that offers sweets based on specific diets, such as gluten-free confections. Browse through our online catalogue today to sample the sweet treats for yourself.