Decoding the BROWS acronym: the easy way for coeliacs to remember which grains contain gluten

So what actually are BROWS? (Nope, not the ones on your head... 😊)

This handy acronym has been designed to help coeliacs remember which grains to look out for when reading food labels.

Why the BROWS acronym is so handy

The BROWS gluten acronym is one of the first things I learnt after my official coeliac disease diagnosis, and was a gamechanger for me as a newbie coeliac.

It's pretty straightforward: the acronym acts as a quick reminder of which grains you can't eat and can help jog your memory of the name of these grains, if for instance you're out at the supermarket buying your weekly shop, or are checking the back of a pack of food from your fridge quickly before cooking.

What is the meaning of BROWS?

Barley

Often found in soups, stews, salads, cereals, and bread

Rye

Often found in bread

Oats

Commonly used for porridge and found in breads and other baked goods

Wheat

Found in bread, pasta, sauces, baked goods, etc.

Spelt

A type of wheat, sometimes found in breads

FAQs

Are gluten free oats safe for coeliacs?

Yes, oats that are specifically marked as 'gluten free oats' are typically safe for coeliacs (as long as you do not also have an oat/avenin intolerance*).

Oats are the trickiest of the BROWS grains because (unlike barley, rye, wheat, and spelt) oats themselves don't actually contain gluten. However due to how they are processed, there is a high risk of gluten contamination and so coeliacs should avoid oats that aren't labelled gluten free. Oats sold as 'gluten free oats' in the UK have been produced in a way that minimises cross-contamination, and so are safe for coeliacs to consume.

*Oat intolerance in coeliacs: as oats contain avenin (a protein with a similar structure to wheat gluten), some coeliacs are unable to tolerate oats and so have to omit even gluten free oats from their diet.

How to read labels for gluten?

If, like me, you're based in the UK, the great news is that the term "gluten free" is a legally protected term here - so if a product in the supermarket says "gluten free", it's definitely safe for you to consume.

The second piece of good news is that all UK food packaging legally must declare the 14 major food allergens if included in that food.

As 'cereals containing gluten' are one of the 14 major food allergens, you will always find gluten-containing grains (i.e. the BROWS grains) clearly marked on food packaging if included.

Legally, allergens must be emphasised in the ingredients list, which makes them easier for people to spot: for example, allergens are often marked in bold, or sometimes in CAPITALS if the rest of the ingredients are in lower case.

This is where knowing what the BROWS acronym stands for can really help: when looking at the ingredients information for any allergens, you shouldn't just look for the word "gluten". Check the ingredients list for the specific grains that contain gluten (Barley, Rye, Oats, Wheat, or Spelt).

Food suppliers can also voluntarily include a 'may contain' warning on their food packaging which indicates that there is a real risk of cross-contamination with these allergens during production. This means that items marked as 'may contain gluten' are not considered safe for coeliacs to consume. (Note: some brands and supermarkets word their precautionary messages differently, so keep an eye out for these to avoid being caught out - e.g. "Not suitable for coeliacs", "Made in a factory that handles gluten," etc.)

BROWS is a great starting point, but...

... it's not a complete list of every ingredient or grain containing gluten (e.g. durum wheat, semolina, couscous, bulgur wheat, etc.). Don't worry about memorising everything immediately, but maybe do a bit of research once you've familiarised yourself with BROWS. Plus, the more labels you read, the more familiar these terms will become.

How to find gluten free foods?

The easiest place to start for newbie coeliacs would be to check the 'free from' aisle in your local supermarket, and look for items specifically marked as 'free from gluten' or 'gluten free' (this is because the 'free from' aisle also caters to other allergies like dairy or soy - not all items may be gluten free so it's best to check!)

However, you'll be pleased to know that there's a whole wide world of naturally gluten-free foods out there too - from fruits and vegetables to eggs, rice, and potatoes to meat and fish.

Once you're feeling more confident at reading food labels for gluten-containing ingredients, you'll be surprised how many of your usual staples may be gluten free - you'll just need to check to be sure. Remember that:

A) each product from a brand can be different - e.g. Haagen Daazs cookies & cream ice cream is not coeliac-safe, but Haagen Daazs Belgian chocolate ice cream is gluten free - yay!)

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B) product ingredients can change over time, so it's best to have a glance at the ingredients even for products you've been eating safely for a while (I was once caught out by jarred pesto that changed to a may contain warning after years of me buying it!).

The added bonus of being confident reading food labels for gluten is that you will be able to save yourself some money, as you likely don't need to buy the pasta sauce from the 'free from' section at the higher price, as a similar jar in the regular section may be naturally gluten free (and, happily, also much cheaper).

How to remember the BROWS acronym?

It took me a little while to remember each of the 5 BROWS grains off the top of my head when I started out, and this really slowed me down when doing my food shopping (not what any of us want, right? Life is hectic enough without spending all of my free time reading labels in the supermarket!).

My top tip if you're struggling is to have a small print-out in your bag, or to keep the acronym pinned in your phone notes so that you can quickly refer to it if needed. One day you will find you can suddenly recite off all 5 BROWS grains by memory in seconds, but don't stress about trying to memorise them - it will just happen naturally over time as you gain confidence. :)