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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Clinical Nutrition

Gluten-free

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

/ˌɡluːtən ˈfriː/adjectiveCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, gluten-free means: Not containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. In the EU and the US, a food labeled gluten-free must keep gluten below a legal limit of about 20 mg per kg.

In Turkish: glutensiz

How it is used

Used on labels, menus and in clinical diets. A strict gluten-free diet is the main treatment for celiac disease. Dietitians also discuss cross-contamination, hidden gluten and naturally gluten-free foods such as rice, potatoes and buckwheat.

Example sentences

  1. The bakery's gluten-free bread is made in a separate area to avoid cross-contamination.

  2. Starting a gluten-free diet before diagnosis can make tests for celiac disease less reliable.

Common collocations

  • gluten-free diet
  • gluten-free products
  • certified gluten-free
  • naturally gluten-free
  • celiac diseaseAn autoimmune condition in which eating gluten damages the lining of the small intestine and reduces the absorption of nutrients. It is managed with a strict lifelong gluten-free diet.
  • food intoleranceDifficulty digesting or reacting to a food that does not involve the immune system, such as lactose intolerance. Symptoms are usually digestive and depend on the amount eaten.
  • allergenA substance, usually a protein, that can cause an allergic reaction. In food labeling, it refers to specific foods such as peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, wheat or sesame.
  • nutrition labelThe panel on packaged food that lists the energy and the amounts of nutrients, such as fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt, usually per 100 g and per serving.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Clinical Nutrition

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.