Ah, the classic: Aunt Jemima Syrup! It's been around for ages - in our kitchens and on our tables, bringing natural sweetness to our fluffy pancakes for decades. But now you need a gluten-free diet: can you still enjoy the iconic maple syrup?
Jump to:
- ❓What is gluten?
- 🥘Where is gluten found?
- 🚫Why should you avoid gluten?
- ✅Does Aunt Jemima Syrup have gluten?
- 📝Ingredients in Aunt Jemima maple syrup
- 🍁Does maple syrup have gluten?
- 🍁Why is some maple syrup made from corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup?
- 🙋♀️Which brands of maple syrup are gluten free?
- 🍑Bottom line
- 🥣Recipes with maple syrup
- 💬 Comments
❓What is gluten?
First things first: what's gluten?
Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat, barley, rye. It's what gives dough its elasticity and helps bread and other baked goods maintain their shape.
Think of gluten like a "sticky glue" that holds a lot of our favourite foods together.
You know that satisfying chewiness in bread or the stretchiness in pizza dough? Well, that's all thanks to gluten!
Unfortunately, for some of us, gluten can be a bit of a troublemaker.
For people with celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, eating foods containing gluten can cause all sorts of unpleasant symptoms like digestive issues, headaches, or fatigue.
If you think you might be gluten intolerant, check out this post for more on the signs and symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity.
🥘Where is gluten found?
Gluten is found in foods made from or containing wheat, barley or rye ingredients.
Here's a list of the top offenders when it comes to gluten-containing foods:
- Bagels
- Bread
- Cakes
- Cereals
- Cookies
- Crackers
- Muffins
- Oats*
- Pancakes
- Pasta
- Pastries
- Tortillas
- Waffles
*Top tip: For oats, buy brands labeled "gluten-free" Regular oats can contain wheat from cross contamination in the field they’re grown in or during processing.
But it's not just grains and grain products made with wheat, barley and rye that contain gluten.
Gluten can be hiding in the most sneakiest of places! Soups, stews, candies and even beer can contain hidden gluten!
Grab this cheat sheet of foods to avoid so that you can avoid gluten and feel better fast!
🚫Why should you avoid gluten?
If you have celiac disease or any degree of gluten sensitivity, eating gluten can lead to a whole bunch of different health issues and discomfort.
Reactions to gluten can involve the immune system (celiac disease) and cause damage to the lining of the small intestine. This makes absorption of nutrients harder and harder for the body.
People with celiac disease also can suffer with stomach pain, cramps, diarrhea and other digestive issues.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity can range from digestive issues to skin rash to fatigue or "brain fog".
This can make diagnosis hard too.
Gluten intolerance or - "non-celiac gluten sensitivity", does not involve the immune system. But the symptoms of gluten intolerance can overlap with celiac disease and other intestinal conditions like irritable bowl syndrome.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance can include:
- Abdominal Pain
- Anemia
- Anxiety
- Bloating
- Brain Fog
- Dark under-eye circles
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Muscle & Joint Pain
- Nausea
- Skin Problems
That's why it's important if you have ANY level of gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance to strictly avoid gluten-containing grains and food products with gluten-containing ingredients.
If you think you're sensitive to gluten, you're gonna want to:
- One, follow a gluten-free diet and
- Two, have a pretty good idea on which foods and ingredients are safe to consume - and which ones aren't
The easiest way to get started with going gluten-free is to cut out any foods made from wheat, barely or rye.
Get start with eating gluten free eating STAT! Go here and grab your Gluten-Free Diet Plan for Beginners now.
✅Does Aunt Jemima Syrup have gluten?
Aunt Jemima maple syrup does not contain gluten. Yay! In fact, most maple syrups are naturally gluten-free.
By the way, did you know that Aunt Jemima is no longer Aunt Jemima! The company underwent a name change and is now Pearl Milling Company.
📝Ingredients in Aunt Jemima maple syrup
According to the company's website, here's the ingredients in their classic maple syrup:
- Corn syrup
- High fructose corn syrup
- Water
- Cellulose gum
- Caramel colour
- Salt
- Natural and artificial flavour
- Sodium benzoate
- Sorbic acid
- Sodium hexametaphosphate
🍁Does maple syrup have gluten?
Luckily for us on a gluten free diet, pure maple syrup does not have gluten. Maple syrup is naturally gluten free.
It's still a good idea to double check ingredient labels in case there are flavours or additives that could introduce gluten to maple syrup.
Many companies offer "pure" maple syrup and others have additional ingredients to preserve the product, add colour or flavour.
And barley-containing sweeteners are really common in the food industry so again, read those ingredient labels.
You may see ingredients like:
- Artificial colours and flavours
- Caramel Color
- Cellulose gum
- Corn Syrup
- Honey
- Mono and /or diglycerides
- Phosphoric Acid
- Sugar
- Salt Natural Flavor
- Sodium Hexametaphosphate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Sorbic Acid (Preservatives)
- Water
Pure and natural maple syrup is out there - you just have to read the list of ingredients to make sure there are no gluten-containing ingredients.
"Pure maple syrup" has one ingredient listed: Pure Maple Syrup!😄
Many companies also have allergen statements which will let you know if a product has any of the most common allergens, including gluten.
🍁Why is some maple syrup made from corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup?
Many of the brands you'll find below and others, use corn syrup as the main syrup, instead of maple syrup.
Some, like Mrs. Butterworth's for example, also use "high fructose corn syrup".
The health risks linked with high fructose corn syrup are many and although eating "fructose" isn't harmful on it's own (fructose means "fruit sugar" and is naturally occurring in fruits), high fructose corn syrup is concentrated sugar.
Eating high fructose corn sugar packs empty calories into you without any nutrition to speak of.
Although not a regulated term, "pure maple syrup", means NOT corn. But you can always read the ingredient list to be sure.
If you want to stay away from artificial sweeteners and other additives, look for "pure maple syrup" and read the labels to be sure.
🙋♀️Which brands of maple syrup are gluten free?
There's a lot to choose from for gluten free maple syrup brands out there.
Here's a few to look for at your local grocery store:
- Aunt Jemima (Pure Maple Syrup)
- Crown Maple
- Log Cabin Maple Syrup
- Mrs. Butterworths
- Vermont Maid
- Maple Grove Farms
- Hungry Jack
- Hidden Springs Maple
- Highland Sugarworks
- Butternut Mountain Farm
- Coombs Family Farms
- Canadian Grade A Maple Syrup (various brands)
Unless stated on the ingredients list, these and other brands of maple syrup makers offer gluten-free maple syrup varieties.
Many of the brands listed above have different flavours of maple syrup too.
Some are flavoured - even "maple flavoured", and some brands have maple syrups with artificial sweeteners too.
Best to avoid those in my opinion and go for pure maple syrup. Aunt Jemima's original maple syrup being one of the best choices.
🍑Bottom line
In terms of being a source of gluten or wheat ingredients, pure maple syrup, including Aunt Jemima maple syrup is naturally gluten-free. So enjoy away!
But if you're pouring that gluten-free maple syrup onto fluffy, gluten-free pancakes, watch your portion size.
Even if it's "natural" and pure, maple syrup could add too many unwanted calories.
Another way to enjoy that amazing maple flavour is to use pure maple syrup in your cooking and baking! It's a delicious way to add some sweetness.
🥣Recipes with maple syrup
If you're looking for more healthy and gluten-free recipes for the whole family, join in below!
Comments
No Comments