Is Rice Gluten Free? Not Necessarily!
“Lucky for us rice IS gluten free! Hooray! Brown rice, jasmine rice, short grain, long grain … it’s all good to go! You can make all sorts of delicious, healthy and satisfying meals with rice. Buddha bowls, paprika chicken and rice, and paella being some of my personal favorites.”
- by Lena Abraham, delish.com 1
Now, before you go rice crazy, there are a few things to consider. As stated, rice alone IS gluten free, but there are several common preparations that introduce gluten. When cooking or ordering rice, look out for rice prepared in the following ways:
1. Sushi Rice
Vinegar is often added to sushi rice to keep it sticky. Check in with your server to make sure the vinegar used in the restaurant is gluten free. Additionally, lots of sushi is seasoned with soy sauce, which often has gluten. Make sure to check the bottle to ensure you’re in the clear.
2. Boxed Rice Mixes
Pre-seasoned, quick-cooking rice can be a real dinnertime lifesaver. Unfortunately, many rice brands mix some wheat based thickeners or wheat-based flavorings. Make sure to look for the gluten-free seal on the box before purchasing.
3. Dishes Cooked With Broth
Cooking rice in broth can really boost the flavor, but the broth may not necessarily be gluten free. Many broth brands include trace amounts of wheat, so inspect the label carefully when selecting your broth. Most major brands now offer gluten-free broths, so you should have no problem finding one that suits your needs.
1 https://www.delish.com/food/a21206941/is-rice-gluten-free/
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