Are potatoes gluten free? This is a common question among those with Celiac Disease, an auto-immune disease that affects the small intestine and causes a number of autoimmune diseases. The first thing one must ask oneself when asking are potatoes gluten free is whether or not the potatoes were grown in a facility that supports Gluten free eating. The second thing one must ask oneself is, if the potatoes came from an organic garden does the land have a sign posted stating that it is safe for Celiacs to eat?
Let us take our answer for both questions one at a time. First, are potatoes gluten free if they were grown in a place that supports gluten free eating? It is hard to say without being able to see and touch the product. If the grower is claiming the vegetables were grown without gluten, ask him or her to contact you with the testing on the vegetables. There are celiac disease testing kits available from most Gluten products companies.
Second, are potatoes gluten free if they came from a free-standing organic garden? I was at one time planning on growing my own potatoes from seed but was talked out of that idea by my local organic garden owner. Instead, he asked me if we could go for some sweet potatoes instead. Now my thinking went out the window because I have always used sweet potatoes for rice and other pastas. However, if we could make do with the browns I would try the browns. I found some browns at a local farm’s grocery store, but they were quite expensive.
What about sweet potatoes that contain gluten? These are the ones that are in the “normal” varieties of potatoes and can be eaten with pasta, with bread, with juice, stewed, or even mixed into batter. Do you still need to check to make sure they don’t contain gluten? I guess so, but I wasn’t willing to pay the extra money for them.
And third, are potatoes safe if they come from a “free range” animal? What does that mean? Animals that are not raised on a commercial farm and that are fed a natural diet. These animals can range from chickens to bees. If an animal is being raised in this way, there should not be any ingredients in their diet that could be viewed as “gluten-like”. These potatoes that are in the market may have come from these free-range animals and that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are safe.
I didn’t buy any potatoes last week because I was shopping for a gluten-free recipe and I needed a quick, cheap snack. I couldn’t afford anything fancy like French fries so instead I went for the browns. Did I end up eating them and not regret it? Yes, they are potatoes that aren’t free and that’s why I love potatoes!