Is Sour Cream Gluten Free? | Build a Stash

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Key Takeaways

  • Sour cream in its natural form does not contain gluten
  • It is ideal to check any gluten information before buying sour cream
  • Cross-contamination can occur when sour cream brands share their equipment
  • There are many sour cream brands in the world
  • Not all sour cream brands have been certified to be gluten-free

Sour cream is a flexible condiment with a unique taste and can be used with various dishes. So, is sour cream gluten-free?

Sour cream is considered to be gluten free when the brands use the primary ingredients only. However, even though most brands are known to make gluten-free sour cream, a few do not follow the gluten standards required. Therefore, it is ideal to evaluate the product before buying it.

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About Sour Cream

Sour cream is a well-liked and popular condiment that introduces lactic acid bacteria into dairy cream. It is a product that has been used in various cuisines, especially in Eastern and Central Europe. Later, it gained popularity and was introduced to other countries mainly through immigration.

Sour cream is an ideal component in American kitchens that helps decorate sweet potatoes and soups, thicken different types of sauces, and act as a dipping sauce. It is also known to make tenderized hard-baked goods become soft.

When you buy sour cream, it is ready for use since it doesn’t require cooking. It is mostly added to food products at the end of cooking because the product is known to have heat sensitivities. When exposed to heat, sour cream curdles and loses its texture.

Many individuals confuse sour cream with cream cheese. Cream cheese is made from milk as well as cream, but sour cream is derived from cream.

Coconut cream is an ideal sour cream dairy free product,and dairy free sour cream is a good substitute for people with lactose intolerance.

There are several benefits of sour cream. To start with, sour cream is a food product which has a diverse composition. It contains high fat content and its cholesterol level cannot harm you.

Sour cream has many culinary benefits. For example, it is a good-fit product when it comes to serving salad.

Some varieties of sour cream carry probiotics. This enhances various body activities such as digestion.

About Celiac Disease And Gluten Sensitivity

The Celiac Disease Foundation is concerned about the number of Americans who have developed a reaction to gluten after taking wheat products. The organization seeks to build awareness over this issue, and help affected people cope with the condition.

This body notes with concern that many Americans who have celiac disease have not received proper diagnosis. This makes it very difficult for such people to know what is ailing them.

If you are living with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you must follow a gluten free diet and avoid gluten containing ingredients. The market is saturated with gluten free foods, and you are not going to have a problem getting them.

Is Sour Cream Gluten-Free?

So, is sour cream gluten free? Is sour cream naturally gluten free? Is sour cream safe for people with celiac disease?

Typically, sour cream is gluten-free because sour cream does not contain any ingredients that have gluten peptides. As a result, it may be suitable for individuals having gluten sensitivities.

By taking this product, you are taking sour cream gluten free and most sour cream brands show this.

However, since gluten is known to hide in food products, it is still advisable to check on parameters such as the ingredient information, the gluten levels, and any other thing that certifies the product to be gluten-free.

One of the main reasons why you can find gluten in sour cream is due to cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when brands share their machines by making sour cream and other products that could contain gluten.

Additionally, other brands put extra additives and other flavorings into their product that may contain gluten. Therefore, whether sour cream is gluten-free will depend on the brand's production process and use of ingredients.

If you are not sure that the market will give you gluten free sour cream, then you can think of making your own. The process of doing this is simple, and you are going to use ingredients which are safe for you.

In addition to that, you will be able to experiment with your kitchen and try new cooking strategies. Again, by preparing some foods at home, you are going to use what is at your disposal, and you will also be keeping the grocery bill in check.

Are There Standards To Be Followed When Making Sour Cream?

In the US, known regulatory bodies make standards regarding the amount of gluten level or concentration safe for everyone. Therefore, if a sour cream brand decides to use gluten ingredients, it should disclose that information to its consumers through labels.

Additionally, the food and drugs administration (FDA) will only certify them if the product has less than 20 parts per million of gluten. It follows a thorough process in doing this and a comprehensive product evaluation.

When a brand has a risk of cross-contamination due to using shared equipment and machines, the Gluten-free Certifying Organization (GFCO) mandates that their gluten level be less than 10 ppm to be certified. Again, processes such as adding sour flavor may be vulnerable to contamination with gluten.

Overall, these regulatory bodies have researched and estimated that the gluten standards provided are safe for everyone.

Is Sour Cream Safe For People Having Celiac Disease?

Typically, the majority of individuals who have celiac disease are known to have secondary lactose intolerance, which makes them unable to digest lactose that is present in dairy products.

But since sour cream is made by adding lactic acid bacteria into the dairy cream, it is lactose-free. Therefore, people with celiac disease can safely consume sour cream since it does not contain lactose.

Brands Trusted To Make Gluten Free Sour Cream

The Cabot Sour Cream

Cabot natural sour cream is one of the popular sour cream brands headquartered in Vermont. The brand makes sour cream using three primary ingredients: enzymes, milk, and cream. Therefore, additional components or flavorings containing gluten are not used.

According to the brand's website, all of its sour cream products are made in a gluten-free facility, and they ensure that their products are tested before leaving the facility. Cabot sour cream is found in supermarkets or ordered from online platforms such as Walmart and amazon.

The Daisy Sour Cream

Daisy sour cream is a popular brand headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The brand is well known; most of its products are found in grocery stores and supermarkets.

According to their brand's website, all their products must undergo a gluten test under their facility before they start distributing them to the market. Apart from the lack of gluten, daisy sour cream comes at an affordable price of about $2 per product.

The Organic Valley Sour Cream

The Organic Valley sour cream is also a trusted brand that makes gluten-free sour cream. Depending on your taste and preference, they also provide low-fat and high-fat sour cream varieties.

What makes organic valley unique is how they incorporate its ingredients to make sour cream. Typically, they use organic dairy cream, lactic acid bacteria, non-fat milk, and a vegetarian enzyme.

According to the brand's website, all its products are certified gluten-free and are available for $3 to $4.