Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye. When flour meets water, these proteins form the stretchy network that lets a roti puff up and bread rise. For most people gluten is harmless — but for some, even a small amount can cause real health problems. This guide explains what gluten is, where it hides in everyday Indian food, and who should avoid it.
Where is gluten found?
Gluten comes from three grains and anything made from them:
- Wheat in all its forms — atta, maida, suji/rava (semolina), dalia (broken wheat), and wheat varieties such as spelt, durum and khorasan (kamut)
- Barley (jau) — including malt and malt extract
- Rye — and triticale, a wheat–rye cross
That means most rotis, parathas, naan, bread, pav, rusks, regular biscuits, cakes, samosas, kachoris and many namkeens contain gluten. Gluten can also appear in less obvious places: many soy sauces, some ready-made masalas and soup mixes, and compounded hing (asafoetida), which is often blended with wheat flour.
Foods that are naturally gluten-free
Indian kitchens are full of naturally gluten-free staples: rice, ragi (finger millet), jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), makki (maize), besan (gram flour), rajgira (amaranth), kuttu (buckwheat), sabudana, potatoes, dals, vegetables, fruit, milk, paneer, eggs, meat and fish. The catch is cross-contact: these flours are often milled, stored or cooked alongside wheat, so a product is only reliably gluten-free if it has been handled to prevent contamination. Learn more in our guide to gluten-free flours and millets.
Who should avoid gluten?
People with celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which eating gluten triggers the immune system to damage the lining of the small intestine. Symptoms vary widely — diarrhoea, bloating, weight loss, anaemia, fatigue, poor growth in children — and some people have few obvious symptoms at all. The only treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. It is more common in India than many people realise: a large study of more than 23,000 Indian adults presented in 2015 found a prevalence of about 1.2% in northern India, compared with about 0.1% in the south.
People with a wheat allergy
A wheat allergy is an immune reaction to wheat proteins (not only gluten). Reactions can range from hives and a runny nose to, rarely, severe anaphylaxis. People with a wheat allergy need to avoid wheat but may be able to eat barley or rye — their doctor or allergist will advise.
People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity
Some people get symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain or tiredness after eating gluten, without having celiac disease or a wheat allergy. This is often called non-celiac gluten (or wheat) sensitivity. It is diagnosed only after celiac disease and wheat allergy have been ruled out.
Is gluten-free healthier for everyone?
Not automatically. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten is essential. For everyone else, there is no strong evidence that cutting out gluten on its own is healthier. What matters more is the overall quality of the food — whole grains, fibre, and fewer refined ingredients. That is why our bakes are built on millets and whole ingredients rather than simply swapping maida for another refined starch.
Eating gluten-free in Delhi
Going gluten-free in a city that loves its parathas and kulchas takes some planning, but it is very doable. Read labels carefully (our guide on how to identify gluten-free products in India explains what to look for), ask restaurants how food is prepared, and keep a few safe snacks at hand. Our gluten-free cookies, biscuits and granola are baked in Delhi with millets and gluten-free ingredients, so everyone at the table can share the same box.
Gluten-free biscuits, baked in Delhi. Millet cookies, biscuits and granola — vegan-friendly, high fibre and lab-tested gluten-free.
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