Many individuals with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease have asked whether it would be safe for them to continue drinking coffee once making the decision to go gluten free. Plain coffee should be gluten-free (assuming it hasn’t been cross-contaminated with any gluten ingredients). However, certain flavored coffee beans and add-ins could pose potential dangers when it comes to drinking gluten free.

Gluten is most frequently present in coffee through traditional add-ins like creamers and syrups, which may contain wheat, barley and rye grains as well as fillers like corn twigs, soybeans or dirt – even if this gluten protein has been extracted via distillation process it could still cause reactions in people highly allergic to gluten.

Another possibility is that flavored coffee beans could be produced in facilities where gluten is used in food manufacturing. This risk is higher for instant coffee as it’s more likely to become cross-contaminated than whole bean or ground coffee varieties. If this concerns you, try buying whole bean organic coffee and grinding it yourself so as to prevent cross contamination issues.

If you are concerned about how your flavored coffee might be produced, look for brands that expressly state that their coffee is gluten free. One such brand is Expedition Roasters which offers delectable Dunkin’ Donuts-worthy flavors such as coffee crumb cake and churro! Plus they provide sampler packs so you can see if their blend suits your palette!

One thing to keep in mind when drinking coffee is that its proteins can trigger similar responses as gluten proteins in those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. If your symptoms suggest your coffee might contain gluten, try cutting back for one week and slowly reintroducing it slowly so that your body can adjust.

Jane Anderson, medical journalist and expert on gluten sensitivity, celiac disease and gluten free diet is pleased to offer this article as part of her services. For more information on her offerings please visit her website.

Plain coffee, when properly prepared, should not trigger symptoms in those sensitive to gluten. Flavored coffee can increase the likelihood of allergic reactions due to added gluten ingredients like creamers and syrups found in creamers and syrups as well as flavor-infused beans; to protect yourself it’s wiser to only drink unflavored whole bean coffee; certified gluten free varieties can be especially valuable; for this reason if you are sensitive, Expedition Roasters has great gluten-free, certified organic, fair trade offerings in Disney-esque flavors that you may find yourself drawn towards!