Is Corn Gluten-Free? Does Corn Have Gluten? Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Diets Gluten-Free How Safe Is Corn When You're Gluten-Free? Corn is not a gluten grain, but not all corn products are gluten-safe By Jane Anderson Jane Anderson Jane Anderson is a medical journalist and an expert in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the gluten-free diet. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 19, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Cara Lustik Fact checked by Cara Lustik Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter. Learn about our editorial process Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Plain Corn Processed Corn Creamed Corn Is Popcorn Gluten-Free Corn Cross-Reactivity Frequently Asked Questions Corn does not have gluten; it is not one of the gluten grains. But if you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you need to know when to use caution with corn products. If you follow a gluten-free diet, you don't want to avoid corn unnecessarily. Sometimes it makes a great substitute for gluten grains. Most people with gluten sensitivity can safely enjoy corn long as they avoid products made with gluten-containing ingredients and those at risk for cross-contamination. Plain Corn Is Usually Gluten-Free Plain corn—the kind you eat right off the cob—is always gluten-free. Corn is usually free of gluten in other forms, too, but there are some important caveats. As long as the corn was protected from cross-contamination with gluten while it was being processed and prepared, corn dishes that contain no other ingredients (such as corn on the cob or sweet corn niblets) shouldn't contain any gluten. If you're shucking corn yourself and cooking it in your gluten-free kitchen, you shouldn't have any issues. Even if you aren't using fresh corn, you'll find that most frozen and canned corn doesn't contain gluten ingredients. That said, you'll still want to carefully check the label and ingredients list on any corn product. Unless clearly certified and labeled as such, you can't assume a product is gluten-free. Depending on how sensitive you are to trace gluten, you may need to contact the manufacturer to determine if corn has been processed on equipment or in a factory where gluten is present. Research has shown that cross-contamination of gluten occurs in both industrialized and non-industrialized products. Processed Corn Products If you're shopping for products or dishes made with corn, don't assume that they're free from gluten. Cornmeal should be safe, but again, it's always a good idea to ask the company if the product could have been cross-contaminated in processing. The same goes for other commercial products made with cornmeal or other corn-based ingredients: unless it's specifically labeled gluten-free, you'll need to confirm the product's gluten-free status with the manufacturer. For example, most recipes for commercially made corn muffins call for more wheat flour than cornmeal, meaning they're most certainly not gluten-free. Is Creamed Corn Gluten-Free Creamed corn (the type that comes in a can) is not necessarily gluten-free. While your homemade creamed corn is probably made with real cream, canned versions get their "cream" from food starch. The canned recipes also often use other ingredients, like salt and sugar (or another sweetener), which may contain gluten. While most manufacturers use corn starch (which also acts as a thickener), it's never safe to assume. In addition to the type and source of the food starch used, canned cream corned may experience gluten cross-contamination during processing. Is Popcorn Gluten-Free Regular whole-kernel unpopped popcorn is naturally gluten-free. If you pop your own popcorn at home, you can help keep the snack gluten-free. Microwave popcorn is also gluten-free. Most brands of popped bagged popped popcorn at the grocery store will also be gluten-free, but always make sure to check packaging. Movie theater popcorn, while not always labeled gluten-free, is likely safe from gluten. However, reach out to the theater to confirm, especially if you have a serious gluten intolerance. Corn Cross-Reactivity Advice periodically circulates in the gluten-free community suggesting that people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity need to avoid corn. Corn is a type of grain, as are wheat, barley, and rye. However, corn is from a different branch of the grain family than the gluten grains wheat, barley, and rye. Corn contains a substance known as "corn gluten," but this is not the same gluten that people with celiac or gluten sensitivity need to avoid. Some researchers have proposed that corn gluten affects the body in ways similar to how gluten protein in wheat, barley, and rye does. However, studies on the subject remain limited and few have demonstrated evidence in support of the theory. A Word From Verywell In general, eating corn should not pose a problem for those on a gluten-free diet, but it's important to know how your corn was prepared and whether there is a risk of cross-contamination. Carefully reading the label and ingredients list will help, but you may need to contact the manufacturer of a corn product directly. People who are allergic to corn need to exercise caution, but the extra consideration is separate from concerns related to gluten sensitivity. Contrary to popular myths, corn gluten is not typically a problem for people who can't have gluten. 11 Best Gluten-Free Popcorn Brands Frequently Asked Questions Does maize have gluten? Maize, also known as corn, is naturally gluten-free. Corn on the cob, canned corn, and corn flour are all gluten-free, but always make sure to check the label. Does cornbread have gluten? Most cornbread recipes include wheat flour, which means the cornbread includes gluten. However, if you prepare your own cornbread using gluten-free flour, you can keep the dish gluten-free. Learn More: Which Types of Flour Are Gluten-Free? What are the symptoms of corn intolerance? If you're allergic to corn, symptoms will appear approximately two hours after consuming food with corn. Symptoms include stomach nausea, discomfort, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, or vomiting. You may also experience hives and skin rashes, difficulty breathing, asthma, or bodily and face swelling. 6 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Celiac Disease Foundation. Gluten-free 101: What you need to know. Falcomer AL, Santos Araújo L, Farage P, Santos Monteiro J, Yoshio Nakano E, Puppin Zandonadi R. Gluten contamination in food services and industry: A systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(3):479-493. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1541864 Celiac Disease Foundation. Sources of Gluten. Batey IL, Huang W. Gluten and modified gluten. In: Reference Module in Food Science. Elsevier, 2016. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.00157-8 Kristjánsson G, Högman M, Venge P, Hällgren R. Gut mucosal granulocyte activation precedes nitric oxide production: studies in coeliac patients challenged with gluten and corn. Gut. 2005;54(6):769-74. doi:10.1136/gut.2004.057174 Ortiz-Sánchez JP, Cabrera-Chávez F, De la Barca AM. Maize prolamins could induce a gluten-like cellular immune response in some celiac disease patients. Nutrients. 2013;5(10):4174-83. doi:10.3390/nu5104174 Additional Reading Corn Refiners Association (CRA). Starches. Molina-Infante J, Carroccio A. Suspected non-celiac gluten sensitivity confirmed in few patients after gluten challenge in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;15(3):339-348. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2016.08.007 U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Questions and answers on the Gluten-Free Food Labeling Final Rule. By Jane Anderson Jane Anderson is a medical journalist and an expert in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the gluten-free diet. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles These 34 Vodka Brands Are Safe If You're Gluten-Free Is All Vodka Really Gluten-Free? 11 Best Gluten-Free Popcorn Brands Gluten-Free Sausage Options for Breakfast and Dinner Is Rye a Safe Option for Your Gluten-Free Diet? Can You Trust Cornstarch If You're on a Gluten-Free Diet? Is Oatmeal Gluten-Free and Can Celiacs Eat Oats? Is Rice Always Gluten-Free? 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