Mr. Goodbar is one delicious candy bar: creamy chocolate with crunchy peanuts. What's not to like? And with no gluten ingredients, this popular chocolate bar could be a safe choice for a lot of us with gluten intolerance. Read on to get the whole scoop on Mr. Goodbars and gluten.
🍫Is Mr. Goodbar Gluten Free?
Here's the thing: there are no gluten containing ingredients in Mr. Goodbar.
However, on the Hershey website, they do not list Mr. Goodbar as a gluten-free chocolate bar.
See all of Hershey's gluten-free products here.
Jump to:
Sooo does Mr. Goodbar have gluten or not?
For all intensive purposes, no, Mr. Goodbar does not contain gluten.
However, Mr. Goodbar has not been certified "gluten-free" by the US Food and Drug Administration.
So there is still a chance of cross-contamination in products that are not certified as "gluten-free".
Depending on how sensitive you are to gluten, there's a chance that you might react to a low level of gluten that might be present from cross-contamination.
Cross-contamination can occur if the chocolate is processed in a facility that also handles gluten-containing products. Look for labels that indicate the product was processed in a facility that processes wheat or gluten.
For me personally, I have learned from trail and (painful) error, that I am not sensitive to the low levels of gluten that would likely be present in a cross-contamination situation.
But ACTUALY gluten, ie, products that contain gluten containing ingredients, such as wheat, barley or rye, do cause significant issue for me.
But the thing is: you need to know YOUR body and how YOU react.
📝Ingredients in Mr. Goodbar
Here's the ingredients in a Mr. Goodbar, as listed on Hershey's website:
- Sugar
- Peanuts
- Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Shea Oil, Sunflower Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Safflower Oil)
- Chocolate
- Skim Milk
- Reduced Protein Whey
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Cocoa Processed With Alkali
- Lecithin
- Salt
- Natural Flavor
As you can see from the list, there is no gluten or gluten-containing ingredients in a Mr. Goodbar😄
🚫Allergen information for Mr. Goodbar's
From Hershey's website, the allergens listed as: "Contains: Peanuts, Soy, Milk"
Again, gluten is not listed as an allergen on the label of a Mr. Goodbar.
While it's good to check the website, if you're really concerned about gluten in products, check the product label to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.
🍫Certified Gluten Free Chocolate Options from Hershey's
On their website, Hershey's lists the current products listed that have been fully evaluated and qualify as gluten-free using standards established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Here are some examples of chocolate and chocolate bars to look our for as they are certified gluten-free:
- Health Milk Chocolate English Toffee Candy Bar
- Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolate Candy
- Mounds Dark Chocolate and Coconut Candy Bar
- Reese's Miniature's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
See more of Hershey's gluten-free products here.
🚫How does gluten get into chocolate bars?
You might think that gluten and chocolate wouldn't be that common because hey we're not talking chocolate covered past here (but wait...).
Here's the thing: gluten can be hiding in chocolate and candy and it's not obvious at all!
Here's a few ways chocolate can be a source of gluten:
- Wheat-based Ingredients: Some chocolate bars contain wheat-based ingredients like malt extract, malt flavoring, or wheat flour. Check the ingredient list for any mention of wheat, barley, or rye.
- Artificial Flavors: Some artificial flavors and extracts can be derived from gluten-containing grains. Check the ingredients for any artificial flavorings or extracts that may be a concern.
- Crispy Fillings: Chocolate bars with crispy or crunchy fillings may use ingredients like malted barley, which contains gluten. These fillings may not always be clearly labeled as containing gluten.
- Caramel Fillings: Caramel used in chocolate bars can sometimes be thickened with wheat-based ingredients. Check the ingredient list for any wheat-based thickeners.
- Cookies or Biscuits: Chocolate bars with cookie or biscuit pieces may contain gluten, as these pieces are typically made from wheat flour. Always check the ingredient list for these types of inclusions.
- Natural Flavors: The term "natural flavors" can sometimes hide gluten-containing ingredients. It's best to contact the manufacturer or look for a gluten-free certification on the packaging.
- Confectioner's Glaze: Some chocolate bars use confectioner's glaze as a coating, which can contain wheat-based ingredients. Check the label for this ingredient.
It's important to remember that even products that have very small amounts of gluten can be labeled gluten-free.
How is that possible?
The US Food and Drug Administration considers products "gluten free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million gluten. Which obviously is very small but "trace" amounts could be present.
🙋♀️Bottom line on Mr. Goodbar and Gluten
The official word is that Mr. Goodbar cannot be labeled as "gluten-free" because it has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to meet the requirements to be labeled “gluten free”.
It is truly possible that Mr. Goodbar may pass the evaluation and contain less than 20 parts per million gluten but it has not been evaluated as of yet.
Mr. Goodbar has no gluten-containing ingredients and therefore, would only pose a small risk of causing a reaction in those with gluten sensitivity. Cross-contamination with gluten cannot be ruled out.
Always read the labels on any food product for the most up-to-date information as companies can change their products' ingredients from time to time.
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