Foods like pasta or bread are made from wheat flour, so they are not gluten free. But since most of the eggs we eat are laid by chickens, they are considered a naturally gluten-free food.
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, or barley, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Therefore, any food made from these grains (such as pasta and bread) probably also contains gluten.
But just because eggs are safe for gluten-sensitive or gluten-intolerant people doesn’t mean that the egg dish you’re ordering at brunch is necessarily safe.
Eggs are gluten free, but watch out for cross contamination
Cross contamination occurs when food or ingredients come into contact with gluten during preparation or manufacturing. If you’re ordering eggs at a restaurant: Before ordering, you’ll want to confirm that the dish contains gluten-free ingredients and is prepared with separate utensils.
In some cases, restaurants may even mix pancake batter with scrambled eggs and tortillas to produce a fluffier consistency, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, so you should always check with a waiter to confirm proper action has been taken.
If you are buying a pre-prepared egg dish from a supermarket: make sure to check the nutrition panel first for any hidden gluten ingredients. Also, take a look at the allergen list to confirm that it is wheat and gluten free.
Another sign to look for is a gluten-free label on the package of the food you are buying. This label is regulated and confirms that the foods you are buying contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, which is generally safe for most people.
Or choose foods that are certified gluten-free by a trusted third party such as the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. The GFCO tests and certifies hundreds of products, verifying that they contain less than 10 ppm gluten.
Do grain-fed chickens lay gluten-free eggs?
You may be curious about the gluten-fed chickens and the eggs they produce. Although it seems to make sense that grain-fed ones produce gluten-free eggs, there is little evidence to support this.
All eggs are naturally gluten-free, regardless of the hens’ diet. The animal will break down gluten during digestion and restructure the resulting amino acids to meet its metabolic needs. Therefore, gluten from animal products, such as eggs, will not be passed on to consumers.
The same goes for meat fed grain. So whether you’re making eggs or hamburgers, the grains the animal eats won’t affect the gluten content of your plate.
