QuiltE

......... or often, accurate info, giving the impression that a product has special attributes
over other similar ones (when truly it does not!).

When some consumers get on a "bandwagon" ... then food marketers jump right on with them!
Almost like taking advantage?

Shoofly1

Labels are an interesting conversation. Here is something you never see on labels and it's pretty scary: https://www.biosludge.news/

cashs_mom

I'm not sure how being gluten free could mean you didn't get some nutrients. Gluten is an additive to processed foods. If you go gluten free by buying whole foods and cooking them yourself, you're probably eating healthier than if you eat gluten. Now if you go gluten free by eating the same processed foods you ate before, you won't be eating healthy. But then you weren't eating healthy before so you're not going to miss anything you weren't missing before.

bearisgray

This is what I have believed gluten to be:

https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/what-is-gluten/

It is naturally occurring in some grains.

ptquilts

Right. You could eat all natural, organic whole wheat and you would get tons of gluten. I never heard of it being an additive, except maybe for high-gluten flour.

Onebyone

I am an avid label reader and have learned what most of the tricks are. I stick to as few ingredient as possible on the label. I won't buy grown in Mexico food or pet food manufactured in China.

My DD had a college friend that was vegan and gluten free and all her food had to be organic and nothing with a face being a part of it. I thought she was recovering from an illness when I first met her. She didn't know that organic growers at the farmer's market used animal manure as fertilizer. She tried to get others to protest that and make a scene over it. My DD distanced herself from her and I was curious to what the sad girl ever found to eat

QuiltE

Though by eating that natural, organic whole wheat, you would not be
eating any more gluten than if you ate non-organic whole wheat.

Organic has nothing to do with gluten and vice-verse!

When reading products labels you can often find gluten-containing ingredients
in foods that you would not expect to have grains in .....

BearIsGray's link gives a good explanation about gluten.
... as well as as an overview as to where one may find gluten that they would not expect.
For example, food colouring was a total surprise!!

Like who would ever have thought that?
Well, at least not me!

ptquilts

Even in foods that do not naturally contain gluten, people who are very sensitive to it need to look for the GF label, to make sure there is not cross-contamination in the manufacturing and packaging. For instance, Cheerios have the GF label, store brand "toasty-o's" do not.

origamigoldfish

I work in a supermarket deli; all of our lunchmeat and cheeses are gluten free, but marketed in different ways.

the name brand hams and turkeys come in with the name of the company and 99% fat free and gluten free already printed on the wrapper. the gluten free part is about the size of my house key.

the store brand hams and turkeys come in with a plain clear wrapper. Interestingly, they are also a name brand meat, just seasoned to our chain's individual specifications. We have a big roll of stickers with our store name on it, plus the words gluten free. the sticker is about the size of my hand. We don't have always have the stickers to put on the store brand meats, but you would be surprised at how many more customers buy the store brand 'because it's gluten free' when we have and use them. these are the same customers who refuse to buy anything but the name brand lunchmeats when we don't use the giant gluten free store brand stickers.

I am not sure how many people are very educated about what gluten-free is by their buying habits. I think they mostly know that there is a diet thing going around about gluten, and it is a snap decision to be a little more healthy. I only have a handful of customers with actual gluten allergies, and they always make sure to educate themselves on how we slice and handle our products before they buy anything. In fact, I have one customer who is so sensitive to gluten they cannot buy our lunchmeats because we share prep areas and a kitchen with the bakery, and don't have separate sinks, etcs.

Sandygirl

Remember “ one size fits all” clothing labels?

Now they read “one size fits most”.