The Best Gluten-Free Options at America's Fast Food Chains

Source: Delish.com

In March 2017, CNN published a report on the rise and fall of gluten’s popularity throughout history. Since its emergence in the 40s, the gluten-free diet has been the standard prescription given to people suffering from celiac disease.

Gluten, commonly found in wheat, barley, or rye, causes an autoimmune reaction in celiac sufferers, leading to digestive problems like bloating, chronic diarrhea, constipation, and gas among other symptoms. Similarly, in the early 2000s, studies in the United States found that some people, while testing negative for celiac disease, nevertheless also experienced symptoms akin to celiac disease when exposed to gluten or wheat.

Some scientists also explored the association between gluten and diabetes, multiple sclerosis, autism and schizophrenia. For these two groups, going gluten-free is the only option since the alternative means organ damage and ultimately an untimely death.

However, in the last decade, the gluten-free diet has gained popularity among people who profess that going gluten-free helps them lose weight, gain more energy, and make them simply healthier all-around. Whether this is truth or myth, “gluten-free” has now become the buzzword in grocery store aisles, table service restaurants, and even fast food joints.

Now, let’s weigh in on America’s top fast food establishments, and their gluten-free* menu items:

*Remember that gluten is found in many foods other than those containing wheat, barley or rye, examples include American favorites like barbecue sauce and beer. Also, cross-contamination with non-gluten-free items cooked or prepared in the same area, through handling by untrained staff, is always a risk with mass-produced items in fast food establishments.

Chick-fil-A

In a recent survey in the U.S. by Business Insider and Foursquare, Chick-fil-A dominates as the most popular fast food chain in almost all of the states. Chick-fil-A does offer many gluten-free choices, and their comprehensive six-page gluten-free menu actually lists many of the ingredients used in their food items.

Gluten-free options include the Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a gluten-free bun and Breakfast Hashbrowns and Waffle Fries, which are cooked in a dedicated gluten-free fryer (separate from their Breaded Chicken). The top honors go to their Grilled Chicken Nuggets, which are not breaded like their other fried options!

McDonald’s

There has been a debate on whether McDonald’s famous fries are indeed gluten-free. The chain’s official statement is that the fries themselves are gluten-free when tested. Still, the oil that the fries go into is also used to fry their hash browns, which are not gluten-free.

Big Mac fans should also be aware that this iconic sandwich’s special sauce is in fact not gluten-free and contains wheat. This leaves some items, like their Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad, as the best GF options in the McDonald’s chain. Even so, take note that McDonald’s website doesn’t list their gluten-free items; their reason being that they change suppliers frequently. Cross-contamination is a big risk too.

Wendy’s

Ready for something… cool? Wendy’s Frost is definitely gluten-free! Wendy’s is one of the GF community’s top-of-mind choices for a gluten-free fast food restaurant. The chain maintains that most or all of their baked potatoes are 100 percent gluten-free. Gluten-free sides like their chili and some salads also make the cut.

Burger King

Rounding out the Big 4 of fast food chains, Burger King’s way of a GF offering is their Whopper sans the bun. Just order this with lettuce and it’s good to go with a choice of shake or sundae. Their corporate website gives a fair warning though; they admit there’s a really high risk of cross-contamination in their establishments.