Is Chocolate Gluten Free? There’s Something You Need to Know!
Is there gluten in chocolate?
Chocolate is one of the best treats to enjoy. When you’re on a gluten free diet you need to question where gluten is hiding in everything. Is chocolate gluten free?
This beloved treat can be found in a variety of forms, from classic chocolate bars, cakes, cookies, to flavored truffles.
What is Chocolate?
Do we really need to ask this question? Chocolate is a food made from the roasted seeds of the cacao tree. The cacao tree is native to the tropical climates of Central and South America, and its pods contain cacao beans.
After the beans are carefully harvested, they are fermented, dried, and roasted to bring out their flavor. At this stage, they are called cocoa nibs.
The cocoa nibs are ground and produce cocoa mass or what is known as pure chocolate.
Chocolate Ingredients
Chocolate is made from a variety of ingredients, including cocoa butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Depending on the type of chocolate, additional ingredients such as nuts, fruits, or spices may be added.
The amount of each ingredient will determine the type of chocolate and its flavor. For instance, dark chocolate has a higher cocoa content and a richer flavor than milk chocolate.
How is Chocolate Made?
Chocolate is made by combining the ingredients together and heating them until they are melted and blended together.
The mixture is then cooled and shaped into bars or other forms, such as truffles.
Depending on the type of chocolate, additional ingredients may be added, such as nuts or fruits.
Is Chocolate Gluten Free?
Generally speaking, chocolate is gluten free. A typical plain chocolate bar would not have gluten in it, but it might be contaminated with gluten if it was manufactured in a building that uses gluten-containing ingredients.
It is important to look for brands of chocolate that are certified gluten free.
This means that the chocolate has been tested and proven to contain no gluten.
Always read the ingredient list carefully, as some brands may add gluten-containing ingredients.
Gluten can be hiding in the sweeteners like barley malt syrup, barley malt extract, etc.
Chocolate is a cross-reactive food
Here’s the twist, even though chocolate is usually gluten free, some people’s bodies react to it the same way as gluten. This is called gluten cross-reactivity. Below is a list of common cross-reactive foods. (Source)
- amaranth
- buckwheat
- chocolate
- coffee
- corn
- dairy
- eggs
- hemp
- potatoes
- quinoa
- rice
- soy
- tapioca
- teff
- yeast
Is dark chocolate gluten free?
Yes, dark chocolate is usually gluten free. You would need to check the ingredient list and see if there was any barley malt syrup, barley malt extract, etc.
Is milk chocolate gluten free?
Yes, milk chocolate is usually gluten free. You would need to check the ingredient list and see if there was any barley malt syrup, barley malt extract, etc.
What chocolate is gluten free?
Below are 3 gluten free chocolate brands that are certified gluten free.
DISCLOSURE: Not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. Use of recommendations is at the choice and risk of the reader. Ditch the Wheat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I only endorse products that I believe in.
Carol Lovett is a Canadian, Capricorn sun, Scorpio rising, reflector in human design, reiki master, crystal healer, foodie, and creator of Ditch the Wheat. She focuses on creating recipes that are gluten free and caters to other food sensitivities. She is the Globe and Mail bestselling author of Ditch the Wheat.
