Is Ginger Beer Gluten Free?

‍Ginger beer is a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage and a popular cocktail mixer, with a spicy, sweet flavor. But, is ginger beer gluten-free?

Ginger beer is naturally gluten-free. It’s made using gluten-free ingredients, meaning it’s safe for people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and other gluten-related complications. However, ensure you only go for certified gluten-free ginger beer if you are on a gluten-free diet.

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‍About Ginger Beer

Ginger beer is a popular refreshing drink enjoyed throughout the world. It’s usually formulated using ginger, water and sugar. Its refreshing and spicy flavor makes it a great substitute for traditional sodas. This drink has been very popular in England and other places such as the US and Canada.

While its name suggests otherwise, ginger beer is non-alcoholic. So, if you are attending a party and you don’t drink alcohol, you can simply sip on this drink without drawing too much attention. This product has been identified as an ideal product for recreation.

Ginger beer is also used as a cocktail mixer, mostly the notable Moscow mule. You can also use it as a substitute for club soda in the Paloma cocktail or to add ginger flavors to a margarita. It's worth noting that this product is bottled before the process of fermentation.

But, we should point out that ginger beer is not the same as ginger ale. As much as they share names, they have some differences. Ginger beer is usually produced using fermented yeast. Ginger ale, on the other hand, is simply carbonated. Also, ginger beer’s taste is more intense compared to ginger ale.

So, while people may use them interchangeably, they are not the same thing. However, both are non-alcoholic drinks and they can be used as cocktail mixers.

Benefits of Ginger Beer

Unfortunately, not many research studies have been made on ginger beer. Conclusions on the benefits of ginger beer are made from the few research studies and the individual experiences.

There are various reported benefits of ginger beer. To start with, ginger beer is believed to enhance the health of the stomach through promoting better digestion and preventing nausea. Thus, people who experience stomach disorders may turn to ginger beer for better health outcomes.

It has been noted that the use of ginger beer may enhance anti-cancer properties in the human body. This is more so when it comes to colorectal cancer.

Ginger beer reduces the level of cholesterol in a human being. In addition to that, it lowers the level of blood pressure. The benefit that comes with this is that one is able to prevent heart diseases.

Ginger beer can be used to manage aging and promote the mental health of an individual. Taking ginger beer enhances a youthful appearance. Moreover, ginger beer slows down the onset of memory loss, Alzheimer disease, and dementia. Furthermore, ginger beer promotes learning.

This product has been used by people with diabetes in order to reduce the level of blood glucose. In short, it slows down the progression of the disease.

What is Gluten?

Several grains in the grass family come with a type of protein called gluten. Barley, wheat, and rye have one of the highest concentrations of gluten in this family.

And, gluten can trigger adverse reactions and complications in the bodies of individuals with gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, celiac disease and wheat allergies. These conditions are not properly diagnosed making it very difficult for the affected people.

Again, these medical conditions have high cost implications, the use of antacids for instance.

If individuals with these complications accidentally consumed gluten, they will experience minor and major reactions, depending on the level of sensitivity. For instance, gluten may cause intestinal damage, which will in turn trigger bloating, nausea, diarrhea, anemia, malabsorption and unintentional weight loss, among others.

Therefore, if you have any gluten-related complications, then you already know the importance of adhering to a gluten-free diet. And, this also means you have to be extremely cautious of anything that you consume.

At the center of this is the need to take foods which are certified gluten free in order to prevent the symptoms of celiac disease and related conditions. The gluten free market has a lot to offer, and one just needs to peruse through the market.

Some organizations such as FDA are making a deliberate attempt to ensure that the consumers are informed about data and information on gluten. Again, individual companies are taking it upon themselves to give the consumers data and information that will help them.

Is Ginger Beer Gluten-Free

So, is ginger beer gluten free? If you are on a gluten free diet and you love taking non-alcoholic drinks, you may be probably wondering; is ginger beer gluten-free? Does ginger beer have gluten? Can you take ginger beer if you are on a gluten-free diet?

The answer to the above questions all comes down to the ingredients used to make ginger beer. As we’ve highlighted above, ginger beer is made of three main ingredients, fresh ginger, sparkling water and sugar. However, ginger flavoring may also be used in place of fresh ginger.

And as you can see, none of the ingredients used to make alcoholic ginger beer has gluten. So, we can confidently say that true ginger beer is beer gluten free and is naturally gluten free. If you are on a gluten free diet, then ginger beer should be safe for you.

Can People with Celiac Disease Drink Ginger Beer?

Ginger beer doesn’t contain any gluten grains or ingredients. The ingredients used are sugar, water and fresh ginger or ginger flavoring. Therefore, ginger beer should be safe for people with celiac disease.

However, some manufacturers use alternatives like maltodextrin and wheat syrup to make ginger beer. And, both these substances contain gluten.

Also, some manufacturers of ginger beer produce other beverages made using gluten grains. And unfortunately, they use the same manufacturing facilities, meaning there’s a possibility of ginger beer gluten cross-contamination.

So, if you have celiac disease and you want to take ginger beer, you should make sure you check the label. You should only buy certified gluten-free ginger beer. And in case you have doubts or can’t confirm that it’s 100% gluten-free, then it’s advisable to avoid it altogether.

The Top Gluten-Free Ginger Beers

If you are in the market for gluten-free ginger beer, then you have plenty of available options.

Some of the most popular gluten-free ginger beer brands include Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew, Q Ginger Beer, Maine Root Spicy Ginger Brew, Fentimans Ginger Beer, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer and Bundaberg Ginger Beer, just to name a few.

You can also make your own gluten-free ginger beer at home. You just need readily-available ingredients like fresh ginger, sparkling water, sugar, and lemon juice.

From there, you can use gluten-free ginger recipes to proceed. You simply need to ensure the ingredients you are using haven’t been contaminated with beer gluten and you avoid such gluten ingredients at all cost.

For example, if you decide to use soy sauce, it should be soy sauce gluten free,and you will be able to enjoy your few ginger beers.