People with coeliac disease who want to eat organic
Rye bread is not suitable because rye contains gluten, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains. When choosing a replacement, check that it is gluten-free and organic separately.
Who is this relevant to?
Anyone comparing bread for breakfast or lunch
If several breads meet your requirements, you can compare their ingredients, allergens, fibre, salt and storage instructions.
Anyone looking for suitable bread at the supermarket
You want to know in advance which bread is both gluten-free and organic. Check the current range and read the packaging of your chosen product when you buy it.
What to look for in an alternative to rye bread
If you have coeliac disease, the bread you choose must be gluten-free. If organic certification is also a requirement, check for that separately. You can then compare the nutritional information and how practical each option is for everyday use.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for the gluten-free label on the packaging and don’t choose bread made with rye. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on an organic label or the ingredients list alone. For around 50% of consumers, certainty that a product is gluten-free comes first. |
| Organic certification | Check for the EU organic logo on pre-packed organic bread produced in the EU. | If I make organic a firm requirement, I want to see that label once I’ve found gluten-free bread. Around 30% of consumers give this additional requirement the most weight. |
| Nutritional information and use | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the allergens and storage instructions. | If I eat bread regularly, I want to know what ingredients it contains and how to store it after opening. For around 20% of consumers, this comparison matters most once their essential requirements have been met. |
Common mistakes when choosing
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Assuming organic means gluten-free
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, rye naturally contains gluten. So an organic label doesn’t make organic rye bread a gluten-free alternative.
First check for the gluten-free label, then consider organic certification as a separate requirement.
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Reading only the ingredients list
Even if you can’t see rye in the ingredients, that alone doesn’t tell you whether the finished product contains gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Association explains that to be labelled gluten-free, a finished product must contain less than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
If you follow a strict gluten-free diet, look for the gluten-free label on the packaging.
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Assuming all gluten-free breads are the same
The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you which other allergens a bread contains, or what its nutritional information and storage instructions are.
Read the label on the specific bread and compare the information per 100 g.
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Assuming a product you’ve seen before will still be available
A bread you’ve seen in a shop may not be in stock the next time you visit.
If you need a specific organic gluten-free bread, check the current range in advance and read the label again when you buy it.
Brands and shops to consider
A gluten-free bread category doesn’t automatically mean that every bread is organic too. Check both labels for each product, whichever shop you buy from.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists gluten-free bread products and labels its Consenza seed bread as both gluten-free and organic.
- The product page gives you a specific bread to check against both requirements.
- Not every gluten-free bread in the range is organic too, so check the packaging of the one you choose.
Jumbo
Jumbo has an online category for gluten-free products, including gluten-free bread from Schär.
- You can browse a range of gluten-free bread options.
- Check whether each individual bread also meets your organic requirement.
Lidl
Lidl provides information about additional gluten-free products, which may not always be available.
- Its gluten-free product information can be a useful starting point for your search.
- If you’re looking for a specific organic gluten-free bread, check what your local shop actually stocks.
ALDI
ALDI lists gluten-free bread options and also provides information about organic products.
- You can browse both product categories separately.
- Those separate categories don’t confirm that a particular bread is both gluten-free and organic, so check the product label.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is organic rye bread gluten-free?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, rye naturally contains gluten, so organic rye bread isn’t a gluten-free alternative for someone with coeliac disease.
Is bread with no rye in the ingredients automatically gluten-free?
No. If you follow a strict gluten-free diet, check that the finished product is labelled gluten-free. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, this label means the finished product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
How can I check whether gluten-free bread is organic too?
Check the organic label separately from the gluten-free label. Skal Biocontrole states that pre-packed organic food produced in the EU must carry the EU organic logo.
Does gluten-free bread in the Netherlands always contain iodine?
No. The Dutch rule mentioned above doesn’t mean iodine is always present. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread and other baked goods through the addition of baker’s salt, up to a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Check the ingredients of the specific bread if this matters to your choice.