Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Breakfast Cereals: What to Eat and What to Skip

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Go Free Corn Flake Cereal in a bowl

Content updated: 2nd May 2024

As diets change and more is learnt about food intolerance, it is our job at Nestlé Breakfast Cereals to provide for those of you who want to have something different on your breakfast table. If you have to go gluten-free, we now have some great gluten-free cereal options for you.

What Is Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten intolerance refers to the entire category of gluten issues, including coeliac disease and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. Symptoms vary from person to person and can include bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and stomach pain. Coeliac disease is the most severe form of gluten intolerance. 

People with this autoimmune disorder cannot eat any gluten at all because the symptoms are so severe. But there are some people who are simply sensitive to gluten, and just feel better in themselves when they avoid it or reduce it in their diet. 

We are excited to announce we’ve got new partners helping us spread the word about gluten-free diets. Keep reading to find out more!

What are gluten-free diets?

Gluten-free diets are eating plans that exclude gluten products completely. This is especially recommended for people who can’t digest gluten properly due to gluten sensitivity or coeliac disease. But sometimes people will also make this dietary choice without suffering from an underlying condition. They just enjoy a gluten-free lifestyle.

 

What is coeliac disease?

Coeliac disease (pronounced see-liac) refers to an auto immune condition that triggers a specific reaction whenever gluten is ingested which is damaging to the lining of the small intestine. It affects one in 100 people in most populations, but only about a quarter of them have actually been diagnosed. 

Symptoms of coeliac disease can range from mild to severe and may include bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, wind, constipation, tiredness, headaches, mouth ulcers, sudden or unexpected weight loss, hair loss and anaemia.  

A full list of symptoms can be found on the Coeliac UK website.

Who are Coeliac UK and why are we partnering?

Coeliac UK is the only charity for people who need to live gluten-free in the UK. Day in, and day out, their experts are working to make life better for people with coeliac disease and other gluten-related conditions. 

They strive for better gluten-free food in more places, improved diagnosis and healthcare provision, and provide trustworthy, evidence-based advice for their gluten-free community. They’re also the largest charity funder of coeliac disease research in the UK – making sure we can one day find the answers to coeliac disease and gluten intolerance. 

As an independent organisation with no government funding, they’re the main organisation in the UK fighting for the gluten-free community. You can help them continue this vital work by making a donation on the Coeliac UK website.
 

What cereals are gluten-free?

You may be wondering exactly which cereal is gluten free?   

Those that are living a gluten-free diet can eat plenty of grains including:

  • Amaranth
  • Buckwheat
  • Chestnut
  • Corn
  • Flax/linseed
  • Hemp
  • Hops
  • Maize
  • Mustard
  • Polenta
  • Quinoa
  • Rice
  • Sago
  • Soya
  • Tapioca
  • Urd/urid/urad flour.

A grain that needs to be checked is Oat. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can often be contaminated by other gluten-containing grains during the harvesting, storage or production process so always double-check.  

 

What foods are not gluten-free?

  • Barley (including products that contain malted barley such as malted drinks, beers, ales, lagers and stouts)
  • Bulgar wheat
  • Couscous
  • Durum wheat
  • Einkorn
  • Emmer (also known as faro)
  • Khorasan wheat (commercially known as Kamut®)
  • Pearl barley
  • Rye
  • Semolina
  • Spelt
  • Triticale
  • Wheat

 

How GO FREE® can help

With our gluten-free GO FREE® breakfast cereal range, those who need to live without gluten can enjoy a delicious breakfast – gluten-free and fortified with vitamins and iron. Whether it’s vegan and gluten-free Rice Pops or Corn Flakes, or it’s our gluten-free Honey Flakes, there’s something for everyone. 

Gluten-free breakfast cereals

Discover delicious GO FREE® Cereals: Corn Flakes, Honey Nut Flakes and Rice Pops, all gloriously gluten-free.

They're so tasty the whole family can join in if they want to. They are also fortified with vitamins and minerals to give you essential nutrients in every bowlful.

 

WHERE WILL I FIND GLUTEN-FREE CEREALS?

Sometimes you’ll find our GLUTEN FREE Corn Flakes in the ‘free-from’ aisle, but most of the time they’ll be in the usual cereal aisle. And you’ll also find they’re affordably priced.
Be sure to check out the rest of our GO FREE® Range, if you'd like some more gluten free breakfast ideas.