Is Vegetable Oil Gluten Free?

Oil is an essential commodity in cooking. It is necessary even for a minimal meal!

But, have you ever wondered – Is vegetable oil gluten free or not?

Yes? You have stumbled upon just the right article for you. Let’s discuss this in detail then, shall we?

A. Is Vegetable oil gluten free?

Is Vegetable oil gluten-free, you ask?

What is a gluten-free food according to U.S. Food and Drug administration? Check here.

Most plant-based cooking oils, i.e. vegetable oils, are naturally gluten-free. However, there might always be cross-contamination and you might end up consuming food with gluten traces, even though you’re following a gluten-free diet.

If you want to know if your oil has gluten traces or not, instead of asking the shop associates the question over and over, you should try checking the ingredients label on the container. And this article is also going to be helpful to get clarity about Is vegetable oil gluten free?

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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Often the oil may contain traces of gluten, but that might not be directly mentioned on the label. In that case, you may try searching for words like Triticale, Modified Starch, or even Flavouring Agents or Seasonings.

B. Which cooking oil is not gluten-free?

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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Few widely used cooking oils contain gluten. Cooking oils can be considered gluten-free oil if the amount of gluten in the cooking oil1 is less than 20 ppm.

However, sometimes, there are various other factors during the manufacturing process, which may affect the oil’s gluten levels! Sometimes, the environment in which the oil is being processed or the machines in which the seeds are being crushed can lead to the oil not being 100% gluten-free.

Keep in mind that If you have serious gluten intolerance (Celiac disease), then you can always contact the manufacturer regarding your problem.

C. Which gluten-free cooking oil can be used for frying?

As mentioned already, most of the cooking oils derived from plant sources are gluten-free and safe for consumption. Thus, almost all vegetable oils, namely avocado oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and even peanut oil, are safe for maintaining a healthy, gluten-free diet.2

Not only is vegetable oil gluten free, but it is also healthier than oils from other sources.

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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While selecting oil for frying, there are several factors that need to be considered. First and foremost, you should keep in mind the smoke point. Oil with a high smoke point should be your preferred choice of oils for frying for the sake of your health.

If you’re frying, you should probably opt for avocado oil or safflower oil with high smoke points and thus it causes less harm to your health!

However, even if you’re opting for a gluten-free diet, restaurants might not maintain that even if you order something gluten-free, for they might use the same container or the same oil! In that case, you may always ask the restaurant if they have a dedicated fryer for preparing gluten-free menu items.

D. Is Crisco Vegetable oil gluten-free?

1. What is Crisco vegetable oil?

Crisco was the first American company to produce a hydrogenated vegetable oil3 that is the same oil, but in the solidified state and not as a liquid.

Now, the question arises if Crisco vegetable oil is gluten-free?

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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2. Is Crisco vegetable oil gluten-free?

Their website says that Crisco is all vegetable and has no added gluten or even gluten-containing ingredients. However, the authorities couldn’t prove it to be 100% gluten-free.

Even if the hydrogenated oil is gluten free, there’s always a chance of cross-contact with non-gluten-free foods4 which may hamper your gluten-free diet, causing obvious health issues.

E. Gluten-free foods

Now that you know that almost all vegetable oils are gluten free, you must be wondering about gluten-free foods. Along with the answer to the question – ‘is vegetable oil gluten free?’, you should also know the various gluten-free foods that you can include in your diet.

1. Gluten-free whole grains

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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Gluten-free whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca, and oats, can be consumed all throughout your gluten free diet period.

If you’ve Celiac Disease, then these are the perfect go-to options for maintaining a healthy and gluten-free diet. However, you must always read labels to make sure that it is gluten-free, especially the food labels for oats.

2. Gluten-free dairy products

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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Anything which is free of any additives, flavorings, and processed spreads is to be avoided for maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle.5

Sometimes the additives may contain gluten, or even the flavorings added in the ice creams may prove fatal for people who have gluten sensitivity, and again, chances of cross-contamination are always there, especially if the factory where they’re being processed also processes gluten-containing food items.

3. Gluten-free fats and oils

As we’ve already mentioned earlier, most cooking oils are gluten-free unless there’s a case of cross-contamination.

As long as you’re consuming natural oils and fats like olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or even butter or avocado oil, you’re safe from any kind of gluten sensitivities issues, since, most cooking oils are naturally gluten-free.

However, when consuming cooking sprays or even oils with additives and flavors, and salad dressings, you should always double-check the bottle as labeled gluten-free.

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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To be precise, anything that has added flavors is not marked as gluten-free, contains special additives, or even if it is canned, or dry fruits and ready-to-eat meals are to be always double-checked before consuming to avoid risks of any gluten ingredients.

F. Health benefits of gluten-free living

For a person with Celiac disease, gluten-free food and gluten-free cooking are not mere options! However, even if a person doesn’t have gluten sensitivity, following gluten-free diets might actually be helpful.

1. Can help in weight loss

Following a gluten-free diet can actually help you lose some weight.

When you start following a gluten-free diet, that eliminates most of the deep frying junk food, french fries, and other food items which contain gluten ingredients. That, in turn, eliminates the unhealthy or excessive fat from your diet, making you lose weight. Thus, not only is vegetable oil gluten free but following a gluten, the diet has several benefits!

2. Will make you energetic?

According to an article on healthline.com, out of 66% of people who felt drained of energy because of Celiac Disease, only 22% of people felt the same even after following a gluten-free diet. That is because a person with celiac disease may have an affected small intestine, which results in mineral deficiencies and thus one may feel tired.

G. Oils that are actually gluten-free

As mentioned earlier, any oil which is naturally derived and not derived from gluten ingredients such as wheat rye, etc – are naturally gluten-free oils. Not only is vegetable oil gluten-free, but it also has other health benefits.

Olive oil is one such oil that is completely free from gluten and is a part of professional medical advice, a preference of most people. Extra virgin olive oil which contains other antioxidants, another famous choice for people who prefer olive oil, is also ideal for gluten-free cooking.

Like olive oil, coconut oil is also one of the highly prescribed gluten-free cooking oils. Coconut oil has also got several other usefulness and qualities, which make it healthier. Coconut oil is an ideal oil for gluten-free cooking, but do look out for additives and flavors. Other than these 2, canola oil is also a widely prescribed oil for gluten sensitives.

Canola oil is free from gluten, as it is derived from rapeseed. However, one should not consume canola oil in large amounts, as it contains trans fat, which makes food unhealthy to consume. However, both olive oil (even extra virgin olive oil) and canola oil contain monounsaturated fat, which helps in reducing bad cholesterol levels. Other oils such as soybean oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and even sesame oil are gluten-free.

However, the preferred wheat germ oil, derived from wheat, is not a suitable choice for people who prefer naturally gluten-free oils. Any wheat supplement is inappropriate for celiacs and so is wheat germ oil.

A celiac should consume nothing derived from wheat, starting right from bread (wheat), cereals, etc. Like wheat, rye and barley are equally harmful to celiacs.

Is Vegetable oil gluten free
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Thus, the question ‘Is Vegetable Oil Gluten Free’ has been answered well we believe. Even after taking the precautions, one may always be affected with gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, or even gluten ataxia,6 an autoimmune disorder.

Thus, when you go grocery shopping next time, take note to find gluten in your chosen cooking oil and even do a little research online beforehand, if possible. Instead of asking the shop associate, ‘is vegetable oil gluten free?’, note all other food products, baked goods, and other grains which are supposed to be gluten-free, if you’re indeed willing to live an absolutely gluten-free life.

Avoid junk foods at all costs and foods which are fried in the same container as the one in which the gluten foods are fried. Since all vegetable oils are mostly gluten-free, it is not likely to get some negative immune response, just by consuming vegetable oils.

Gluten Intolerance Celiac Disease In The United States Facts Stats
Icy Health
  1. Totani, Nagao, Munkhjargal Burenjargal, and Miho Yawata. “Effects of oil heated with gluten on weight-loss dieting. I.” Journal of Oleo Science 57.6 (2008): 321-326. ↩︎
  2. Melini, Valentina, and Francesca Melini. “Gluten-free diet: Gaps and needs for a healthier diet.” Nutrients 11.1 (2019): 170. ↩︎
  3. Mozaffarian, D., and R. Clarke. “Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils.” European journal of clinical nutrition 63.2 (2009): S22-S33. ↩︎
  4. Wu, Jason HY, et al. “Are gluten-free foods healthier than non-gluten-free foods? An evaluation of supermarket products in Australia.” British Journal of nutrition 114.3 (2015): 448-454. ↩︎
  5. Scricciolo, Alice, et al. “Maintaining, Managing, and Tele-Monitoring a Nutritionally Adequate Mediterranean Gluten-Free Diet and Proper Lifestyle in Adult Patients.” Applied Sciences 12.3 (2022): 1578. ↩︎
  6. Hadjivassiliou, Marios, et al. “Gluten ataxia.” The Cerebellum 7 (2008): 494-498. ↩︎

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Shrestha Sengupta

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