If you recently cut out gluten, you know avoiding traces of gluten is challenging, and you always risk cross-contamination.
As a gluten-conscious coffee drinker, you might wonder, “is Green Mountain Coffee gluten-free?
We understand the concerns of people who follow gluten-free diets and the importance of having a clean cup of coffee.
So, we researched Green Mountain Coffee by delving into all the brand’s flavors to see how they measure up.
Comparing labels and diving into Green Mountain Coffee’s nutritional information, we found it’s not precisely cut and dry.
The brand doesn’t have a gluten-free certification label, but that doesn’t mean you can’t drink anything from their line.
If you have a box of Green Mountain Coffee K-Cups and are wondering if you should use them, read on before you make the final decision.
Is Green Mountain Coffee Gluten Free?
Green Mountain Coffee is gluten-free. It is generally safe to drink Green Mountain Coffee products because they are certified gluten-free and produced on clean machinery.
Since the company only makes coffee, they have no reason to use gluten or work with gluten-contaminated machinery.
Further, Green Mountain Coffee’s partner companies, including Keurig, have vetted the products.
Since most Green Mountain Coffee products are Keurig-friendly, they fall under Keurig’s promise that all but one flavor of K-cup is gluten-free.
That said, it’s important to note that Green Mountain Coffee does not have a certified gluten-free label from any significant scientific organization.
That means that while the company reports no issues with cross-contamination in and around its coffee, there are no organizational studies or confirmations.
Generally, the unflavored coffees would not have additional processing, leaving them open to contamination.
Try sticking with a box of light or medium roast K-cups. Keurig lists these particular varieties on their “gluten-free” page, making them extra safe for consumption.
You might run into trace amounts of gluten when you start drinking the flavored versions.
For example, seasonal flavors such as pumpkin or holiday spice don’t feature listings of allergens. If you are gluten intolerant, it might be best to avoid the flavored varieties.
Does Coffee Have Gluten?
Coffee beans are a naturally gluten-free food. Coffee does not contain gluten, as it isn’t a starch or grain but a bean.
The beans used to make coffee grounds and drip coffee do not have gluten protein, making them safe for gluten-free diets.
While coffee doesn’t have gluten and should be naturally gluten-free, cross-contamination in certain related products may occur.
Companies that make multiple products might manufacture foods on the same machines that process wheat or grain.
They could spell trouble for gluten-intolerant people, like those with Celiac disease.
If you have concerns about your coffee and cross-contamination, stick with whole beans and unflavored coffee grounds.
They are least likely to have traces of gluten. The more flavors or additives in the coffee mix, the more likely it is to run into contaminants at some point.
What K-Cup Coffee Brands are Gluten Free?
According to the K-Cup website, all official K-Cup coffee brands are gluten-free except Timothy’s Lemon Blueberry K-Cup, which has cross-contaminated gluten and oats.
Keurig is not the only company to make coffee pods to fit their machines. If you experiment with other brands, you must check the individual brands and flavors to see if they are gluten-free.
Off-brand k-cups are not guaranteed to be certified gluten-free.
Regardless of your brand, checking the nutrition labels for the ingredients list and allergen information before purchasing coffee pods is wise.
Remember, some coffee companies may use gluten-free labels or indicate the potential of cross-contamination, but not all do.
Since coffee isn’t technically a food, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require labels to indicate whether it’s gluten-free.
What Coffee Brands Have Gluten-Free Options?
Regular coffee beans and coffee grounds are usually gluten-free. A few exceptions, and a few brands deal with cross-contamination due to processing multiple food and beverage products.
You have one question to consider as you shop for coffee, a naturally gluten-free item. What has been added to the grounds?
Many major coffee brands, including Green Mountain Coffee, are typically gluten-free, with a few exceptions.
However, it would be best to be wary of cross-contamination as you explore flavors and coffee with additives.
Seasonal flavors are the worst offenders. For instance, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice is infamous for not being gluten-free.
The same is true for other specialty flavors because of the many added ingredients.
However, you can always find gluten-free coffee options in the grocery store.
The easiest way to look for them is to go to the organic coffee section. Organic coffee brands are more likely to invest in a gluten-free certification.
How Can I Tell Which Coffee Brands Are Gluten-Free?
To avoid traces of gluten in your coffee grounds, start with the labels. Gluten-conscious coffee roasters can use several labels to identify their coffee as gluten-free.
These labels mean that the food has undergone tests for gluten and cross-contamination.
- An image of a butterfly with “certified gluten-free” (Celiac Disease Foundation)
- A green sheaf of wheat with a white slash through it (Beyond Celiac)
- A blue NSF logo with “certified gluten-free” (National Science Foundation)
- “Certified Gluten Free” with a lowercase G (org)
Since the FDA does not have a standard procedure, these organizations developed independent, rigorous testing procedures.
If you see any of the above marks on your coffee bag, it is certified gluten-free and safe to consume.
You can also flip the bag over and look for a cross-contamination warning. Look underneath the nutrition facts for something worded like this: “This product was packaged in a factory that also produces wheat allergens.”
A warning like this means it could be cross-contaminated.
Final Thoughts
Although most Green Mountain Coffee products are naturally gluten-free, the lack of a gluten-free label might give you pause.
However, Keurig lists several types of Green Mountain Coffee among the company’s K-Cup gluten-free guarantee.
If you have concerns, avoid the flavored varieties and stick with traditional, unflavored K-cups, whole beans, or ground coffee.