Gluten-Free Nuts: I tested 5 brands for hidden gluten

If you’re searching for brands of gluten-free nuts, I’ve got you covered in this post. I share what the major nuts brands – including peanuts and tree nuts – say about gluten and which brands are truly safe. I also tested several brands for hidden gluten, revealing the results in this article. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

While peanuts and tree nuts are naturally gluten-free, many brands of nuts cannot guarantee their products are free from gluten. Why not?

Many nuts contain coatings that may not be gluten-free. On top of that, many are processed and packaged on manufacturing equipment that is also used to process and package foods containing gluten, such as pretzels and crackers.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats. It can be harmful to anyone on a gluten-free diet to consume, particularly people with medical conditions such as celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

I looked at what the most popular nut brands say about gluten, and I was disheartened to find out that so many of them are not safe to consume by the gluten-free community.

In addition to researching what each brand says about gluten, I independently tested several brands for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor, a portable gluten-detecting device. Nima enables consumers to test a small portion of their food for hidden gluten.

Keep in mind, however, that Nima has some limitations, which I write about in this article, What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy.

Also, note that my results do not mean every item in each brand’s repertoire will receive the same results. It also does not mean you will be able to replicate these exact results when you test any of these products of hidden gluten.

This post simply provides you with additional insights about the specific products I’ve tested to help you decide whether you deem a product safe for you.

Are Blue Diamond Almonds Gluten-Free?

Blue Diamond says that most of its products do not contain wheat or other gluten grains except for its Jordan almonds and wasabi and soy sauce-flavored almonds.

Please note that Blue Diamond also manufactures Almond Breeze dairy-free milk alternative, which it says is gluten-free. The company also makes Nut-Thins crackers, which it says are tested and certified gluten-free by the GFCO.

I independently tested Blue Diamond almonds with my Nima Sensor, and Nima displayed a smiley face, which means it did not find any gluten.

Are Emerald Nuts Gluten-Free?

A company spokesperson confirmed that all Emerald Nuts are certified gluten-free by the GFCO. You’ll see the certified gluten-free label on the individual packaging but always double-check just to be sure.

Are Fisher Nuts Gluten-Free?

According to the Fisher website, some of its nuts contain gluten and are produced and packaged in the same facility as nuts that do not contain gluten.

The company says it employs “separation, segregation, and sanitation measures” and that consumers on a gluten-free diet should only purchase Fisher products labeled “gluten-free,” which, according to the company, have been routinely tested to ensure they do not contain traces of gluten.

For example, the walnut halves & pieces shown below are labeled “naturally gluten-free,” which means the company has verified them to be safe for the gluten-free community.

However, the glazed pecans are not labeled “gluten-free.” While they do not have gluten-containing ingredients, the company says it does not guarantee the same oversight that goes into the products labeled “gluten-free.”

Bottom line: When buying Fisher nuts, look for products marked “gluten-free” or “naturally gluten-free.”

Are Kirkland (Costco) Nuts Gluten-Free?

Many Kirkland nuts, unfortunately, are not safe for the gluten-free community. Why? Most of them have an allergen warning statement that goes something like, “Processed on equipment that also packages products that may contain peanuts, other tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk, and eggs.”

While I typically avoid products with such disclaimers, I wanted to test Kirkland walnuts for hidden gluten to see what Nima Sensor had to say. As you can see, Nima was all smiles, which means it didn’t find any gluten.

That said, buyer beware. Nima only checked one tiny piece of walnut, which may not indicate other packages of the same nut or different varieties of nuts due to the risk of cross-contamination.

Are Nuts.com Nuts Gluten-Free?

Nuts.com is a gluten-free haven, as most of its nuts are labeled gluten-free or certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP). The GFFP is an organization endorsed by the National Celiac Association.

The certification guarantees that the products contain less than five parts per million (ppm) of gluten. Nuts.com has recently switched (in 2022) to the GFFP program, but since the shift, some packages still contain the GFCO’s logo, as pictured below.

The company further says that while some gluten-free products aren’t GFFP-certified, Nuts.com still adheres to federal guidelines set by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), ensuring the products contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. And the company says it maintains a separate gluten-free production line in its warehouse to ensure the purity of its products.

I independently tested several Nuts.com varieties with my Nima Sensor, and Nima displayed a smile. It didn’t find any hidden gluten.

Are Planters Nuts Gluten Free?

Unfortunately, Planters nuts are not labeled gluten-free; however, the only ingredients in most nut varieties are nuts (i.e., cashew, almond, peanut), sea salt, and peanut oil. The label does not contain any “may contain” or other allergen disclosure statements about shared equipment or manufacturing facilities.

Hormel manufactures planters, and according to Hormel, some Planters products are formulated without gluten-containing ingredients, including:

• Planters^® Mixes (Heart Healthy, Men’s Heath, Omega-3)
• Planters^® Nut-rition^® Mixes (Antioxidant, Energy, Essential Nutrients, Fiber, Heart Healthy, Men’s Health, Omega-3, Vitality Blend, Wholesome Nut)

However, Hormel says nothing about Planters salted and plain nuts on its website. I emailed the company, and a representative said, “If any of these gluten components are in any product, it will be declared in the ingredient listing.”

I also independently tested Planters salted cashews for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor, and Nima smiled, which means it didn’t find any gluten.

Are Trader Joe’s Nuts Gluten-Free?

Trader Joe’s says if a product is labeled “gluten-free,” the grocer has independently confirmed that the product contains less than 20 ppm of gluten per the FDA gluten-free labeling guidelines.

However, most of the nuts at Trader Joe’s are not labeled gluten-free, although some appear to contain no gluten-containing ingredients nor bear any “may contain” or allergen disclosure statements.

While I cannot say if Trader Joe’s nuts are gluten-free, I can tell you that I’ve tested several for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor. Nima smiled every time, which means the device didn’t find any hidden gluten.

Are Wonderful Pistachios Gluten Free?

Pistachios are naturally gluten-free and make for an excellent snack. Hence, the aptly named Wonderful Pistachios are considered safe for the gluten-free community because they’re labeled gluten-free and do not contain any allergen disclosure statements.

According to the Wonderful website, even flavored pistachios do not contain any gluten. They do not come in contact with any form of gluten during the processing of the nuts.

Other Nut Brands

Sahale Snacks makes a variety of flavored nut snack packs. All Salhale products are certified gluten-free by the GFCO. Check labels to ensure a product is safe, as ingredients and formulations can change.

Great Value (Walmart) makes privately-labeled nuts; however, its packaging displays an allergen disclosure statement that says the nuts may contain wheat.

Favorite Day nuts sold at Target contain an allergen disclosure statement that says it’s processed in a facility that contains wheat.

Beware of store brands of nuts from Kroger and Safeway-Albertsons. Read the ingredient statements carefully, as most privately-labeled brands display a “may contain wheat” statement.

A Word About The Nuttery

The Nuttery offers gourmet nuts, chocolates, and candies and because it’s Kosher, it’s very popular among the Jewish community.

I’ve received several gifts from my Jewish friends from the Nuttery, so I asked the company if any of its products are gluten-free and safe for me to consume.

A spokesperson said NONE of their products are gluten-free. Do not eat these items nor send them as a gift to your gluten-free friends. Thank you.

How to Protect Yourself

Buy nuts from reputable brands that are either labeled gluten-free or, even better, labeled certified gluten-free. Nuts.com is a great way to find certified gluten-free nuts at a great price, and the company will ship them right to your doorstep. All Emerald nuts are certified gluten-free, too.

Read labels carefully, as the ingredient statement will always have the best and latest allergen information for any product.

Test with a Nima Sensor if you want to test specific brands of nuts yourself. This is an expensive way to buy nuts you like, so you’re better off just buying certified gluten-free nuts from Nuts.com instead, to be honest.

If there’s a brand of nuts missing from this article or one you’d like me to test, please get in touch with us and let us know!