Just keep reading this guide for the answer to the question, “Is miso soup gluten-free?”
Miso is actually a well-rounded paste that can be added to several dishes that you can enjoy.
By the end of this guide, you will have all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not eating miso is the best bet for you.
Is Miso Gluten-Free?
In the case of just the main ingredients, miso should be gluten-free, but most times, it has several other ingredients added that are mostly not gluten-free.
It is important that you check the ingredient label and/or any allergen claims to see if the specific miso you want is safe for someone on a gluten-free diet.
Gluten is a protein that is found in several different grains, including barley, rye, wheat, or oats if they were not grown in a separate place from gluten-containing grains.
This is important because you might just see these ingredients on the ingredients list of the nutrient label rather than the word “gluten” itself.
A product can only be labeled gluten-free in the US if it has less than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram, according to the FDA.
What Is Miso Soup?
Miso soup is made with miso paste and dashi stock, and it is served at Japanese restaurants.
It is regarded as comfort food, and in Japan, it is quite common to serve miso soup with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
It is important that you look at the names of the misos when you are shopping for them.
Mugi miso is made with barley, whereas in the case of Tsubi miso, it is made with rye and wheat.
It is important that you do not eat wheat, rye, or barley if you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or a true wheat allergy.
Is Miso Soup Gluten Free?
Normally, miso soup is not gluten-free, given that the miso used to make the soup could have gluten, as this is determined by what the miso paste was fermented from.
It can be confusing if you are eating at a Japanese restaurant, are on a gluten-free diet, and have celiac disease.
It is definitely not gluten-free if the miso is fermented from wheat.
Miso is simply a fermented paste that uses various types of beans as well as grains such as chickpeas, amaranth, rice, millet, or soy, which are all naturally gluten-free.
There are some different types of miso paste that use wheat, rye, and barley, and they are all gluten-containing grains.
So, that being said, what the original miso was fermented from is what determines whether or not miso soup is gluten-free.
Is Traditional Miso Soup Gluten Free?
Naturally, most of the ingredients used to make miso soup are gluten-free.
Although the miso paste used to make the miso soup might not be gluten-free.
As previously mentioned, miso paste is fermented from chickpeas, barley, wheat, soybeans, or buckwheat with koji.
This is to say that the miso paste might still have gluten protein left in it if it is fermented from a wheat-based grain such as barley.
If the chef flavors the miso soup with soy sauce, then the soy could find a way to sneak into your miso soup.
And soy sauce is fermented from wheat, which means it definitely has a lot of gluten in it.
Cross-contamination is another issue, given that Japanese cuisine uses a lot of soy sauce and miso paste.
This means that the traditional miso soup you order at a Japanese restaurant could be cross-contaminated.
However, don’t worry too much, as there are ways to enjoy gluten-free miso soup if you like miso soup.
You can also make GF miso soup at home with just miso paste that is fermented from non-gluten sources and use tamari to relish the soup rather than soy sauce.
Are There Gluten-Free Miso Paste Brands?
You have the option of buying a pre-made paste from the store, particularly if preparing the paste at home feels like a lot of work for you.
That being said, the question now is, “Are there gluten-free miso paste brands?”
Luckily, there are a few brands out there that provide you with gluten-free miso paste, and this answers the previous question.
Miso Master, Marukome miso paste, Awase miso paste, Hikari miso paste, Yuho miso paste, and Roland miso paste are some of the most popular gluten-free miso paste brands.
Furthermore, keep in mind that companies change their ingredients all the time.
This is to say that you should ensure that you read the product label carefully before you purchase miso paste from any of the above brands, as this is to ensure that it does not have any gluten-containing ingredients.
And, if possible, I suggest you only go for certified gluten-free miso products and only use naturally gluten-free ingredients when you cook meals at home.
Make sure that you carefully check the gluten-free label before you buy any product.
In the past few years, there has been an increase in transparency among companies regarding their interactions with their customers, and they are also willing to provide vital information to their consumers.
Simultaneously, the best thing to do if you are not able to make a decision is to contact a doctor who will be in a position to give you reliable information.
Can You Make Miso Soup at Home?
It is quite clear now that miso soup can either be gluten-free or not, as this is determined by the ingredients used and the preparation process.
In a way, this means you can never be totally sure whether the miso soup you are ordering from a restaurant will be gluten-free or not.
However, this does not mean that those on a gluten-free diet cannot enjoy this soup.
There’s always the option of making miso soup at home and enjoying this tasty Japanese soup.
You get full control over all the ingredients that will go into the soup when you make your miso soup at home.
And this is so important when you have gluten allergies, celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity.
It is even easy to prepare miso soup at home, and a miso soup recipe is not hard to follow.
All you need to do is find a gluten-free miso soup recipe that you can work with.
After that, you will then find gluten-free ingredients and proceed to make your own GF homemade miso soup.
You also have the freedom at home to use ingredients that will suit you, like gluten-free miso pastes.
If you want to give your soup a deep flavor, just opt for brown rice miso and mugi miso to boost your soup.
The accompaniment you choose is also based on your preference; soy sauce is an example.
Does Miso Soup Have A Lot of Gluten?
The short answer is no; miso soup does not have a lot of gluten.
Even when it comes to miso soup, which does have gluten, it does not have a lot of gluten.
The miso paste in miso soup only contains a small portion of the miso soup, and the rest of this traditional Japanese soup is made up of naturally gluten-free ingredients.
Final Thoughts on “Is Miso Soup Gluten-Free”
It is quite clear that not all miso soup is gluten-free. Ensure that you use gluten-free miso paste in order to make GF miso soup.
Typically, gluten-free miso pastes are labeled “gluten-free.”
If that is not the case, just check the ingredient list to ensure that it does not contain any ingredients with gluten, like barley or wheat.
This brings about the end of this guide, as you now have a detailed answer to the question, “Is miso soup gluten-free?”
