Is Peanut Butter Gluten-Friendly?

It can be challenging to find food that is truly gluten-free, but for people with celiac disease, it is paramount for their well-being that they do. Even a minuscule amount of the problematic protein can cause a host of negative health issues like fatigue, nausea, and joint pain, among others. Unfortunately, some foods one might think are innocuous can contain gluten. Because of this, it is not uncommon for someone with the autoimmune disorder to pick up some gluten-free bread from Aldi and think some peanut butter would be a welcome accompaniment, only to wonder as they pick up a jar: "Is peanut butter gluten-free?"

Thankfully, for those craving an upgraded peanut butter and jelly sandwich, peanuts on their own do not contain any gluten, which means that most peanut butter is free of it as well. However, there are exceptions. Some brands process this product more than others, and in doing so, introduce ingredients into the spread that do contain gluten.

Folks also have to watch out for peanut butter manufactured in buildings that use wheat and other gluten-containing grains to make other commodities. Unless rigid safeguards are followed to ensure that wheat in no way comes in contact with other products, companies can't claim the product is entirely gluten-free. Yet, foods that otherwise don't contain the protein but share a facility with other foods containing it can be labeled "gluten-friendly." Peanut butter without a bona fide gluten-free label would fall into this category. People with celiac disease or a wheat allergy may want to steer clear of these products, but folks with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) might be able to enjoy them.

As if it weren't hard enough to find genuine gluten-free products, certain entities muddy the waters on what exactly is safe to eat by using terms such as "gluten-friendly." Many restaurants can't claim any of their fare is completely free from gluten, which is why there are technically no gluten-free menu items at Taco Bell and many other restaurants. This stems from the fact that bread and other foods containing the protein are present in the establishment. Because there is always the chance that they could come in contact with otherwise gluten-free foods, they can't rightfully declare that anything in the building is actually free of gluten. The same concept applies to facilities that manufacture peanut butter.

They can, however, label specific commodities that don't inherently contain gluten but could theoretically have come in contact with it as "gluten-friendly." This allows companies to entice folks with NCGS to consume their product while avoiding the liability of using the "gluten-free" label when that can't be guaranteed. Whereas someone with celiac disease can't consume any gluten without damaging their small intestine, people with NCGS (also known as gluten intolerance) can consume it without damaging their insides, although they may experience uncomfortable side effects like bloating or diarrhea depending on their level of sensitivity. When buying something like peanut butter, which should be gluten-free under most circumstances but isn't guaranteed to be, look for a certified gluten-free label on the packaging if someone has celiac disease.