If you have coeliac disease, avoid regular rye bread, even if it’s made with sourdough: rye contains gluten, and sourdough doesn’t make bread gluten-free. Instead, look for bread labelled ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging. Then check whether you want sourdough and which allergens and storage instructions matter to you.
If you’re looking for an alternative to regular rye bread, it’s important to bear in mind that rye itself contains gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists rye as a gluten-containing grain. So, start by looking for bread clearly labelled gluten-free, even if you prefer a hearty or dark loaf.
Gluten-free sourdough bread offers an alternative to rye sourdough. Compare the ingredients, allergen information and storage instructions for the bread you’re actually buying.
If you store and prepare both types of bread in the same kitchen, what happens after you buy it matters too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
When choosing bread for someone with coeliac disease, look for a gluten-free label before considering sourdough or a particular texture. Then check the allergens and storage instructions, and take steps to prevent cross-contact at home.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging; don’t assume regular rye bread is suitable just because it says ‘sourdough’. | When I buy bread for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘sourdough’ when rye contains gluten. For around 50% of consumers, proven gluten-free suitability is the top priority. |
| Sourdough and bread texture | Check whether the gluten-free bread is made with sourdough and which ingredients are used to create the texture you’re looking for. | I want to keep the sourdough character without going back to rye sourdough. Around 30% of consumers say that combining gluten-free bread with sourdough is their top priority. |
| Allergens and everyday use | Read the allergen information and storage instructions, and think about how you’ll prepare the bread at home separately from gluten-containing bread. | In a shared kitchen, I want to be able to store and prepare bread without cross-contact, while also keeping an eye out for any other allergens. For around 20% of consumers, everyday use comes first. |
Rye contains gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that regular rye bread is therefore not suitable for the gluten-free diet required for coeliac disease. The way it’s made doesn’t change that.
Avoid regular rye bread and rye sourdough, and check that any alternative is labelled gluten-free on the packaging.
Gluten-free bread may also contain ingredients that matter to someone with another allergy or intolerance. The breads reviewed differ in their labelling for oats, soya and the possible presence of other allergens.
Every time you buy bread, check the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen.
Even bread bought as gluten-free can come into contact with crumbs from gluten-containing bread at home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a stray crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
Store the bread separately and use clean or separate kitchen utensils when slicing and toasting it.
The rules described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority for iodine in baker’s salt don’t mean that every loaf contains iodised salt. The label ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you that either.
If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for the specific bread.
The details below apply to the specific bread varieties mentioned, not to a brand’s entire range.
Albert Heijn describes its gluten-free sourdough bread with poppy seeds as a sourdough variety made with ingredients including buckwheat, millet and tiger nuts.
YAM Desem Brood Glutenvrij, 600 g, described by Jumbo, is made with sourdough from gluten-free oat flakes and rice flour.
Jumbo describes its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Meerzaden Brood as gluten-free bread made with tapioca starch, kernels and seeds.
No. Regular rye bread and regular rye sourdough aren’t suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Rye contains gluten, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out; ‘sourdough’ on its own doesn’t mean a product is gluten-free. Look for bread labelled gluten-free instead.
Bread sold as ‘gluten-free’ in the Netherlands must meet the EU limit of no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product as sold. The Dutch Coeliac Association describes the Crossed Grain quality mark as an additional check on ingredients and the production process. Check whether the mark appears on the packaging of the bread you’ve chosen.
If you have coeliac disease, only consider unpackaged bread if the seller can clearly confirm that the specific bread is gluten-free. Ask about allergens too: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, sellers of unpackaged food must tell customers about any allergens present. That information alone doesn’t confirm that the bread meets the gluten-free limit.
You can’t tell from the type of bread. The rules described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority for iodine in baker’s salt don’t require all bread to contain iodised salt. Check the ingredients information for the bread you choose.
