If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose real rye bread: rye contains gluten. For a weekday breakfast, look for bread explicitly labelled gluten-free, then compare the ingredients, fibre per 100 g and convenience. Gluten-free oat bread is only an option if you tolerate oats.
You’re looking for bread without rye and check the current packaging to make sure the finished product is labelled gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Society and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre list rye as a gluten-containing grain.
You miss the dark appearance and firm texture of rye bread. A gluten-free seeded loaf may suit your preference in terms of ingredients, but it isn’t rye bread and won’t necessarily taste the same.
You want to be able to pick up bread as part of your regular shop, so you check the packaging, storage instructions and availability at your local shop. When buying it again, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging too.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking that the finished product is labelled gluten-free and reading the ingredients list. Then compare the bread’s texture with your preferences and think about how it fits into your morning routine.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and rye-free | Check the current packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the ingredients list. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to avoid mistaking a dark bread for a gluten-free one when it contains rye. For around 50% of consumers looking for this kind of breakfast alternative, gluten-free suitability comes first. |
| Texture and fibre | Check the grains, kernels and seeds, and compare the fibre per 100 g. If it contains oats, check that it is labelled gluten-free too. | I’m mainly looking for a dark bread with a firm texture, without expecting it to taste like rye bread. Around 30% of these consumers give that bread-like quality top priority. |
| Convenience on weekdays | Check the packaging and storage instructions, and see whether the bread is available at your local shop. | On a busy morning, I want to be able to use the bread without having to make a separate shopping trip. For around 20% of consumers, everyday convenience matters most. |
Real rye bread contains rye. A search term or a dark product photo doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Search for gluten-free dark bread or gluten-free seeded bread, and check the label on the packaging of the product you choose.
Oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains. The Dutch Coeliac Society also points out that not everyone with coeliac disease can tolerate pure oats.
Only choose an oat product labelled gluten-free, and take your own tolerance for oats into account.
A dark colour or a name that mentions seeds doesn’t confirm that bread is gluten-free. Other allergens need to be checked separately: Jumbo states that its Lekker Vrij seeded bread contains soya and may contain almonds, egg and milk.
Check the gluten-free label first, then read the ingredients and allergen information before comparing the nutritional details.
Ingredients and allergens can change. A product listing also won’t tell you whether the bread is available at your local shop when you go to buy it.
Check the packaging again when you buy it, and check availability if you want to use the bread for several breakfasts.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free range includes dark and light seeded bread, crispbread and oat products.
Jumbo’s gluten-free range includes brown bread and seeded bread.
Yam has stocked a dark gluten-free seeded bread made with gluten-free oats.
Schär’s gluten-free multigrain bread is listed at PLUS, while its classic bread is listed at Dirk.
Not if the bread really contains rye: rye is a gluten-containing grain. The Dutch Coeliac Society and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommend avoiding rye if you have coeliac disease, so look for a different bread with a gluten-free label.
Look for a ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the current ingredients list. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product for the final consumer can be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. A dark colour or the absence of wheat in the name isn’t enough.
It can be, as long as the bread is labelled gluten-free and you tolerate oats. Oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains. The Dutch Coeliac Society also notes that some people with coeliac disease react to pure oats. Talk to your healthcare professional or dietitian if you have symptoms after eating oats.
Check the ingredients list for the specific bread to see whether it contains iodised salt or baker’s salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes baker’s salt as a possible source of iodine compounds in bread, so don’t assume that all gluten-free bread uses the same type of salt.
