Elimination Diet Saboteurs

Wheat in soy sauce—who knew? There are many foods that can derail even the best-planned elimination diet. (For more on the elimination diet, click here.) Scan food labels carefully, and look for required “may contain” clauses, which the FDA mandates on all products with wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and soy. Remember, though, that wheat free doesn’t necessarily mean gluten free, and foods like corn and eggs don’t warrant disclosure at all. Here are some of the surprising places where elimination foods play hide-and-seek.

Corn: baking powder, deli meat, pickles, salad dressing, white vinegar, molasses, ketchup, and synthetic vitamin C that has been added to foods

Soy: vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, cereals and vitamin E

Gluten: canned and jarred soups, gravies, malt, hot dogs, marinades, modified starch, seasoned tortilla chips and candy

Eggs: gluten-free bread, bouillon, lecithin (an emulsifier), meatballs and meatloaf, noodles, breaded meats, salad dressings, and mayonnaise

Dairy: breath mints (which may contain the milk protein casein), deli meats, boxed cereals, cereal bars, protein powders and bars, bread crumbs, and some imitation dairy products