Cooking oil is a vital part of many recipes, not only helping avoid burning your food, but also to pack in extra flavor. Food allergies can get in the way however, and toasted sesame oils are no different in this regard. So can you enjoy it on a gluten free diet?
Is sesame oil gluten free? Yes! Naturally gluten free, toasted sesame seeds have no gluten content when pressed into oil. However, always check the allergen statement of your plain sesame oil, in case of cross contamination with gluten containing ingredients.
Known for its nutty flavor, roasted sesame oil is called for in your average Asian dish. Like any oil, it is a versatile product used for cooking, a sautee, or frying foods. Grocery stores often carry plain sesame oil in a World Foods section or by other cooking oils in a cooking oil aisle.
Thanks to its depth of flavor, you can use roasted sesame oil is all kinds of dishes. However, Asian cuisine is not always friendly to a gluten free diet, so you may need to swap out your noodles for example. Rice noodles or even sesame noodles are common gluten free alternatives.
What is Sesame Seed Oil?
Sesame seeds are used in all kinds of healthy dishes. Toasted sesame noodles, healthy sesame chicken, black sesame cake, tahini in hummus, and of course sesame seed oil. However, there are different type of sesame oil. Although, only two types of sesame oil are majorly different.
When looking at sesame oil brands, you may find oil made from white or black sesame seeds. Both of these will be safe to eat, unless you have a sesame allergy, and raw sesame seeds are actually commonly used as a garnish or a perfect side dish.
Gluten free sesame noodles use white seeds, while some edible sesame oil may use black. Other than this distinction, you may also find a light sesame oil. Light sesame oil has a lower fat and caloric intake compared to the more common toasted sesame seed oil.
However, toasted sesame seed oils actually contain a healthy fat. The fat in most sesame oil brands is unsaturated, helping brevent cholesterol clog your arteries and keep your heart healthy. So if you want some sesame flavor without raw sesame seeds, check which types of sesame oil are best for you.
Safe Brands of Sesame Oil
The most popular brand that is safe for a gluten free diet is Kikkoman sesame oil. Known for similarly gluten free alternatives with oyster sauce for example, Kikkoman sesame oil is the go to choice for many celiacs interested in Asian cuisine.
If you choose not to use Kikkoman sesame oil, then check containers at grocery stores for an ingredient list. Allergen information is often put in bolded text, so keep an eye out for wheat, barley and malt grains.
Double checking ingredients is important when cooking using the Asian method, as all these delicious recipes can’t always be enjoyed on a gluten free diet. Many delicious dishes from the west are much the same, such as a batter recipe.
Substituting gluten containing ingredients with a gluten free ingredient, such as roasted sesame oil, isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Sauce ingredients and other additional ingredients can use delicious sesame seed oil, depending on the cooking style.
When buying any edible products, Asian products especially, reading the actual product packagaing is important. All shop products will have allergy information on the actual product packaging, regardless of the cooking process involved in your recipe.
Recipe Ideas
With gluten free sesame noodles, you can make a healthy Asian dish ideal for a gluten free diet. Other than gluten free sesame noodles, the sesame flavor pairs well with many common ingredients. Healthy sesame chicken, and delicious sesame cake are both popular.
Delicious sesame chicken is ideal unless you have a sesame allergy. For other dishes, you may use savory sesame sauce as a perfect side dish. This savory sesame sauce adds the sesame’s essential flavor to dressings or other sauces, and can make a delicious salad.
Sesame can be a good base for salad dressings, thanks to its role as a common garnish. A delightful breakfast salad or a crisp salad for lunch is great for those looking to lose weight. With some chicken pieces, pepper flakes, and cauliflower rice you can make a salad suitable for food allergies and a gluten free diet. 
Health Benefits of Sesame Oil
Containing unsaturated fats, sesame oil (much like canola oil) will not clog your arteries. In addtion to this, acids in sesame oil promote healthy digestion, keeping your bowel happy and healthy without the use of fiber.
Hey'all I'm Amy, a born foodie and diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago. I refused to cave into tasteless, boring gulten free food and create my own!
On my blog you'll find info & cool facts along with recipes, all on gluten free foods!
