Being coeliac makes everyday shopping and dinner-making that bit harder, with those suffering from the condition having to swap out regular food items in their diet for alternatives they may not be familiar with. Lentils are a ‘health superfood’, but can people with gluten intolerance eat them? We wanted to find out, so we investigated how gluten-free this small but mighty food product is.

If you’re gluten intolerant or have a family member who is, supermarket aisles can sometimes feel like an impossible maze, while seeing ‘Contains Gluten’ labels on products can feel like frustrating dead-ends. 

You’ll always be trying to find the right alternatives that are both nutritious and tasty, as well as ones that you’re absolutely certain will be kind to your gut. 

So, to help you in the decision-making process, we took an extensive look at lentils and whether they’re the right option for coeliacs. 

The basics

What is coeliac disease? 

When you eat gluten (a protein in grains like wheat, barley, and rye), your immune system attacks your body’s tissue. This is what happens if you have coeliac disease, a common and long-lasting condition.

The disease can cause a range of symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and indigestion, as well as even more extreme symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea. 

So, no guesses as to why many people who have coeliac disease call themselves ‘gluten-intolerant’!

What are lentils?

Lentils are edible legumes (other famous legumes you might already be familiar with include green peas, chickpeas and soybeans). 

Lentils are a staple in many food cultures worldwide and are frequently used in dishes in many south Asian countries, such as India. 

The popularity of lentils is due to the fact that these small, pin-shaped foods are incredibly healthy and are bursting with many of the essential nutrients that the body needs. They’re very high in fibre and rich in complex carbohydrates, while also being low in fat and calories. 

On top of that, they’re also high in protein and can act as a perfect alternative to meat, making them a prime choice for those who are vegetarian or vegan. 

So far, so good, right?

Are lentils gluten-free then? 

The short answer is – yes. 

Lentils are naturally gluten-free. 

While gluten is present in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye, it is not naturally occurring in legumes, meaning, therefore, that it’s not naturally occurring in lentils. 

If you’re new to lentils, you might be curious about the fact that there are different types – such as puy lentils, red lentils, and green lentils. You might then be wondering if some lentils are gluten-free and not others. 

Well, you’re in luck. All lentils are naturally gluten-free.  

So, are lentils suitable for those with gluten intolerance? 

The longer and more complicated answer is – most likely. 

You may have noticed that we used the word ‘naturally’ a lot in the previous section, and that’s because it’s important to get the details right. 

You might hear people say that lentils are good for you if you can’t eat gluten – they have a lot of nutrients, you can use them in many ways, and they fit well with almost any dish. But be careful, because sometimes lentils touch other products that have gluten in them.

Lentils, like oats, are classed as having a heightened risk of cross-contamination from gluten products such as wheat and barley. This cross-contamination can occur in the production procession. Food facilities that harvest, store, process, and package both lentils and gluten products may expose the lentils to gluten by letting them touch each other.

So, the longer answer is that there can sometimes be a risk that your box, bag or can of lentils has come into contact – or been contaminated by – gluten produce. 

What do the experts say about gluten and lentils? 

A recent study titled ‘Lentils and Gluten Cross Contact’ helped provide a clearer picture of whether you’re likely to come across gluten while eating lentils. 

In the study, 25 different bags of lentils were purchased from retail outlets throughout the USA and tested to determine if they contained gluten products or traces of gluten. The results indicated that two of the bags contained gluten grains, while twelve bags contained an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten.

This does not mean that almost half of the lentils bags include gluten, but just that customers should be cautious about what might be in their food. (It should also be noted that the study was only conducted in one country, the USA, and that different countries may have vastly different food safety laws.)

We already emphasised this point in our article, but the study confirmed it: gluten products can touch lentils and even contaminate them, putting them at a higher risk. 

The conclusion:

So, should you be eating lentils if you are gluten intolerant or have a family member who is gluten intolerant? 

We know how hard it is to do your weekly shop if you’re gluten intolerant. You want to do your best, you want to read every label, and you want to make sure you’re getting the right foods for yourself and your family. 

We also know that advice on the internet can sometimes be overwhelming, contradictory and downright confusing.

It’s worth noting that a major issue that families in the modern world face is the uncertainty around where, exactly, many of our food products come from. We often wander the supermarket aisles far away from the places where our food products came from. Someone or something sourced, grew, harvested, cultivated, stored, and/or packaged them before they reached us.

This means, quite simply, that we have to be that extra bit more careful about the products that we buy. 

Our best advice, if you want to include lentils in a gluten-free diet, is to always do thorough research on the brands, suppliers, and producers that you’re buying from. 

Most trusted brands should have a gluten-free label on them – some of them may even have a ‘certified’ gluten-free label – which makes your job easier. 

In addition, if you’re familiar with a store, you can always talk to shop assistants for advice and information. Alternatively, you can read up about each individual brand on their website. 

Anything else that you should know? 

As well as everything laid out in the last section, it’s perhaps just as essential to listen to what your body is telling you when it comes to food.  

If you have a gluten intolerance, you’ll already know that you have to be very attentive to how your body reacts to each and every meal. 

We understand that this can sometimes be a frustrating process, but it’s important for making sure your gut stays healthy. If you pick up a box of lentils from an unknown brand and find yourself with stomach aches or bloating, then maybe you were one of the unlucky few who got a rare batch that was contaminated. 

Don’t let it put you off lentils entirely, but simply let it help you in your decision-making process in the future. 

Is there anything useful that consumers can do when making dishes with lentils? 

As with all food products, it’s useful for customers to follow basic food safety practices when it comes to lentils. 

You can avoid cross-contamination in your lentils by sorting them by hand. Just rinse them under a fine-mesh colander or sieve and look for any foreign materials in the batch. Sometimes a grain of barley or wheat might sneak in during the production process, but you can easily take it out. Then you can decide if you want to go ahead with your meal or switch to a different brand of lentils.

Added advice:

How should I use lentils? 

If, like me, you’ve quickly grown to love lentils and find yourself eating them almost every day, your next step is discovering some excellent lentil-based, gluten-free meals to try. 

Lentils are an extremely versatile food, meaning that they can be used in a variety of dishes, either hot or cold.  

Daal curries are often seen bubbling away in great, big, colourful pots in households and restaurants throughout India – and it’s very easy to see why. Normally made with lentils and rice, daal is a delicious, nutritious, adaptable meal that can be as flavoursome, spicy, and chocked-full of vegetables as you like. Once you start trying to make your own, you’ll spend your life trying to perfect this incredible, tasty dish. 

Alternatively, if you’re looking for something quick, there are any number of easy lentil salads to make. Lentils have a rich texture and really absorb flavours, which means they’re perfect when mixed with things like carrots, onions, cucumber, and feta cheese. 

Happy eating!