Does Sugar Have Gluten? Everything You Need To Know

For upon |If you’re following a gluten-free diet, you might have asked yourself this question, “Does sugar have gluten?”

This question is not the only concern for dieters but also to people who have celiac disease because they develop negative reactions to gluten. Several reactions include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Since I don’t know the answer to this question myself, I spent time reading books and visiting credible websites. The information I gathered really amazed me. If you’re curious to know the answer and everything about gluten and sugar, keep reading below.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a common name referring to proteins found in barley, rye, and wheat. This protein serves as a glue that allows the foods to keep their shape. You can find gluten in a lot of foods that you least expect it, including beer, soy sauce, and dressings.

When you say gluten-free, it indicates the absence of rye, wheat, and barley gluten. You can tell that a food is gluten-free if it is indicated on its label. Some foods are naturally gluten-free which includes fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat.

Does Sugar Have Gluten?

Sugar have no gluten. According to Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology, brown and white sugar are gluten-free. Most sugars are produced from sugar beets or sugar cane, which is a grass plant. So if you’re following a gluten-free diet, you can consume sugar that is made from sugar cane.

Although sugar is naturally gluten-free, it can become glutinous once contaminated with other glutinous products. For example, if sugar is placed beside the flour, some flour particles will fly in the air and land on the sugar.

This cross-contamination can potentially gluten your batch of sugar and ruin your gluten-free diet or worse result to allergic reactions.

How To Avoid Cross-Contamination

To avoid this cross-contamination, purchase sugar in a large supermarket where it’s placed far from gluten products.

The problem with smaller shops is sugar is sometimes kept near the flour. You can also wipe any gluten contamination from the sugar package before opening it.

You might not know it, but you also put your sugar at high risk of cross-contamination in your shared kitchen. For instance, when you bake a cake, you may use a flour-coated spoon in your bag of sugar. To prevent this from happening, use an unused spoon in scooping your sugar.

Types Of Sugar

1. Raw Sugar

Raw sugar is unrefined and made from sugarcane plant extracts. Due to the existence of molasses, the color of this sugar is brown.

This type of sugar contains the same nutritional value as the sugarcane plant juice, making it the best choice for you. You can’t find these minerals and nutrients in brown and white sugar. While refined sugar is processed with chemicals, raw sugar is natural.

2. Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is the same as the white sugar, but molasses are added back as manifested by its brown color. The brown color may vary depending on the quantity of molasses added.

The darker the color, the higher the quantity of molasses added. Similar to white sugar, brown sugar lacks the nutritional value found in raw sugar.

3. White Sugar

White sugar is refined and made in the same way as raw sugar. However, chemicals are added to whiten the sugar to soak up the impurities.

This type of sugar is known to be empty calories because it provides no minerals and vitamins. Watch out for excessive consumption because this can increase your blood sugar levels.

Storing Sugar Properly

In storing sugar, follow the aim of keeping it from moisture, therefore, airtight containers are your best choice. Glass jars are also good but they can be broken if knocked down accidentally. Plastic bags and mylar bags will also work, but remember not to remove the air.

To get an idea on how to store sugar properly, watch this video.

To store, just transfer the contents from the original package to the airtight container. Close the lid and store the sealed container in a dry, cool place.

Keep the container off the ground and away from other foods, especially those with gluten. Remember not to store the sugar in the fridge or freezer or else you’ll end up with hard and lumpy sugar.

Final Thought

Does sugar have gluten? Well, no because they’re made from the grass plant, sugar cane, hence are gluten-free. What you should be concerned is cross-contamination where sugar can have gluten once contaminated with gluten items, like flour.

To avoid such issue, only purchase on large supermarkets where sugar are displayed in a different area.

If you have any questions or comments regarding sugar and gluten, don’t hesitate to leave them below in the comments section. Feel free to share this article with your friends and family if you find this article helpful and informative.