When I order a blue cheese salad, I always tell the chef to swap out the blue cheese. It had become so natural that I had forgotten why… was it when I was avoiding dairy? Is there gluten in blue cheese? What is it that’s giving me the cheese blues?
After researching it again (I must have done this before and forgotten), I got it. There may be a gluten issue with blue cheese. While cheeses are naturally gluten free, some of the molds used to create blue cheese are first grown on gluten-breads and then transplanted. The question remains as to IF the small bit of gluten could really impact a gluten-sensitive individual.
I tell my clients to read the messages from their body to determine what works and doesn’t. many of my clients are steering away from dairy (or casein) so it’s becoming a non-issue; but for those that are enjoying cheeses, it’s a very bio-individual thing. There was a Canadian study done which concluded that when gluten bread mold is used to make blue cheese, “a variety of brands tested found no detectable levels of gluten in the final product…” so it should be okay. But I know many people would rather avoid blue cheese unless labelled gluten free (Athenos, BelGioso (website-verified), Boar’s Head, Cabot, & Organic Valley (website).. But I still say let your body be the judge… not some study participant, some Celiac association, and not me. You do you!
