Is Pudding Gluten Free?

‍Pudding is a thick and sweet dessert, which also doubles up as a snack. Consumers would like to know if this product is gluten free or not.

Pudding made with cornstarch will be gluten-free while that made using wheat, as one of the ingredients won’t be gluten-free. Ensure you only go for certified gluten-free puddings if you are on a gluten-free diet.

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‍Does Pudding Have Gluten?

Pudding is a sweet dessert, either served chilled or warm. It’s available in a wide range of flavors. Chocolate flavor is the most common one. Other flavors that you may find on the market include banana, pistachio, butterscotch, lemon, tapioca, coconut, pumpkin and vanilla, just to name a few.

There are different types of puddings out there. But, for this post, we will focus on the traditional dessert. Pudding is made from cornstarch, heavy cream, sugar, milk, eggs and flavorings. Instant pudding may also contain thickening agents, which help to give it its distinct texture.

Other ingredients that may be used in pudding include bread, corn, tapioca or rice, to give it the classic texture. The ingredients may vary from one type of pudding to the next. Caribbean puddings may have slightly different ingredients compared to Mediterranean or Asian puddings. Some restaurants will give their customers freebies such as pudding and free chocolate as part of marketing and client retention.

There is a difference between regular pudding and instant pudding. Regular pudding is cooked and it takes a longer time to set up. Instant pudding takes just a few minutes to prepare and it is ready for use.

Pudding carries many benefits. It is a reliable source of protein and calcium, and these two are very important in enhancing the health of the bones and their density.

Medics recommend the use of pudding for vitamin D. This enhances the ability of the body to absorb phosphorus and calcium, and this leads to healthier teeth and bones. Vitamin D is more important for children.

Specific brands such as jell o instant vanilla pudding are fat-free, and they do not have artificial sweeteners, making such jell o pudding healthy to use.

Pudding does not lead to weight gain, unlike many products that are served in restaurants. It contains fewer calories than many common foods. A significant number of pudding brands have low amounts of sugar.

Pudding is rich in fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Scientists state that water is the panacea to many health problems and help the body in hydration. Foods such as pudding are a reliable source of water.

Gluten is a family of proteins that occurs naturally in some plants. It’s mainly found in barley, wheat, rye, triticale and other plants in this family, and gives food products their texture.  Since gluten occurs naturally in these plants, it’s almost impossible to strip it away from the grain.

Gluten has been shown to cause adverse complications in people with celiac disease. Also, some people have gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance, meaning they will also experience negative symptoms once they encounter gluten.

For people with celiac disease, such symptoms include diarrhea and bloating. Such symptoms persist as long as one consumes gluten foods.

To this end, if you experience adverse reactions after consuming gluten, then you have to pay particular attention to everything that you eat and strictly follow a gluten-free diet and avoid gluten ingredients. It is always advisable that one checks food products which are certified gluten free.

If you happen to fall under this group, you may be probably wondering whether pudding has gluten. Is pudding gluten free? Can you eat pudding if you are on a gluten free diet? Is pudding naturally gluten free?

Pudding can be pudding gluten free or not. It all depends on the ingredients that have been used. Classic pudding with cornstarch as the main thickening agent will be gluten-free.

Puddings with wheat as one of the ingredients will certainly not be gluten-free, since wheat is a gluten grain. Bread pudding contains wheat as one of the ingredients, meaning it’s not safe for those on a gluten-free diet.

Is Pudding Safe for People with Celiac Disease?

Pudding can be gluten-free or not, depending on the ingredients used. Whether pudding will be safe for people with celiac disease or not will depend on the ingredients that have been used.

There’s the additional risk of cross-contamination. While a particular type of pudding may not have any gluten-containing ingredients, trace amounts of gluten may also end up in it, if it has been processed in a facility that handles high-gluten foods.

This phenomenon is known as gluten cross-contamination. While cross-contamination may not be an issue for people with mild gluten sensitivity, individuals with serious celiac disease need to be extra vigilant.

They need to avoid any food or drink that may be exposed to gluten. This also applies to puddings which run the risk of contamination.

If you have been recently diagnosed with serious celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance or any other severe gluten-related condition and you are looking to purchase pudding, then you should ensure you read the packaging carefully.

Companies take the labeling of products seriously in order to help the consumers make an informed decision.

Check the ingredients list to see whether any gluten-containing ingredient has been used. Ideally, you should only go for gluten-free certified puddings. Such puddings are fully safe for people with celiac disease.

Gluten-Free Pudding Brands

From our discussion above, you can only be sure the pudding you are consuming is safe, if it has been certified gluten-free. There are several brands out there specializing in gluten-free puddings.

Besides using gluten-free ingredients, these brands also adhere to strict manufacturing procedures, to eliminate the risk of gluten cross-contamination. Some of the top gluten-free pudding brands include Wonderslim, Simple Mixes, Snack Pack, Boost, Sun Tropics and Simply Delish.

If you still have some concerns regarding store-bought puddings, then you can simply prepare gluten-free pudding at home. It will take you around 15 minutes or so to make a gluten-free pudding at home.

You just need to ensure you use gluten-free ingredients while watching out for cross-contamination.

Home-Made Pudding

Like many meals, you can prepare pudding at home, and a pudding recipe is not difficult to follow. Preparing pudding such as chocolate pudding will require a number of ingredients including, and a pudding milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.

If you have celiac disease, you will prepare it as chocolate pudding gluten free. You will also have the liberty to use gluten free pudding mixes and any pudding mixture that will fit your diet preferences.

You can use whipped cream in order to thicken the pudding. Potato starch can be used to thicken the pie filling.

Because pudding does not make use of preservatives, then you will have to follow strict requirements in storing them- this is a perishable product. Freezing and defrosting spoils the texture and density of pudding, and these practices are not recommended.