Whether you enjoy snacking on bars or think of them as emergency food only (like me), you’ll want to read this article. Several readers asked me if CLIF BARs are gluten-free and safe to consume if you have celiac disease. In this article, I share why CLIF BARs are controversial, if they’re safe, and whether or not you should eat them. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.
If you’ve been gluten-free long enough, you may carry a [protein] bar in your purse, pocket, or car in case you need it.
I consider bars as “emergency food” and never eat them unless it’s my only option and I’m starving.
Nevertheless, bars can be an excellent snack for people avoiding gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats.
One of the most popular brands of bars is CLIF BAR, and you may be wondering if CLIF BARs are safe to eat when you’re on a gluten-free diet.
In this post, I’ll share what CLIF says about its gluten-free status and reveal how one of its bars stood up when tested for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor. More on Nima in a bit.
Read my articles to see how Nature Valley, RXBars, and Kind Bars fared when tested for hidden gluten.
Are CLIF BARs Gluten-Free?
CLIF BAR says on its website that its signature CLIF BAR is NOT gluten-free. Most of the bars I’ve seen contain barley malt and rolled oats. Oats may contain gluten (more on oats in a bit).
If you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, I recommend avoiding CLIF BAR to prevent getting sick.
However, the brand “CLIF” offers a few gluten-free options, including its CLIF Builders protein bars, LUNA Bars (yes, CLIF makes LUNA Bars), and CLIF Kid Zbar Protein Bars.
CLIF Creates Confusion Among Gluten-Free Shoppers
CLIF makes CLIF Kid Zbars with Protein and without Protein.
But only the CLIF Kid Zbars WITH Protein are labeled gluten-free. Way to confuse us, CLIF!
CLIF says that its CLIF Kid Zbar is made with organic oats, which may contain gluten. The company does NOT use gluten-free oats.
However, CLIF Kid Zbar Protein is labeled gluten-free and made with gluten-free oats.
The company says, “We wanted to make our Zbar Protein bars available to a larger community of kids who often are unable to enjoy snack bars due to gluten allergies or sensitivities.”
Pictured: ZBar vs ZBar with Protein. ZBar is not labeled gluten-free; Zbar Protein is labeled gluten-free. Confusing, right?!?
Why Oats Are Controversial
Remember, oats are a controversial ingredient in gluten-free land.
While oats are naturally gluten-free, how they’re harvested and produced makes them highly susceptible to cross-contamination with wheat.
I encourage you to read my article, Are Oats Gluten-Free? Unpacking Confusing and Contradictory Information, for more information on this important topic, especially if you’re new to a gluten-free diet.
Testing CLIF Kid Zbar Protein for Hidden Gluten
I tested CLIF Kid Zbar Protein for hidden gluten at a reader’s request using my Nima Sensor.
Nima is a portable gluten-detecting device that enables you to test a small portion of your food for gluten.
You can learn more about the device in my in-depth article, What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy – Perspective from a Celiac & Nutrition Professional.
To use Nima, you put a small sample of the food you’d like to test inside a single-use test capsule, then place the test capsule inside the device. In about 2-3 minutes, Nima will reveal whether or not it found gluten.
I found the CLIF Kid Zbar Protein bar at my local Safeway. It comes in three flavors: Cookies & Cream Protein, Chocolate Chip Protein, and Chocolate Mint Protein. All three flavors are clearly labeled “gluten-free.”
As you can see from the ingredient label below, the Zbar with Protein does not contain barley malt. It does, however, contain oats.
Because the product is labeled gluten-free, it means the company has tested its final product to ensure it meets the FDA’s Gluten-Free Labeling Guidelines and contains less than 20 ppm of gluten.
I purchased the Cookies & Cream flavor (it looked good), and as you can see, Nima displayed a smiley face, which means it didn’t find any hidden gluten. It would display a wheat symbol, and a “gluten found” message if it found gluten.
The Bottom Line
If you’re following a strict gluten-free diet, do not consume CLIF BARs. The signature CLIF BARs are not labeled gluten-free; the manufacturer says they’re not gluten-free.
However, the CLIF Kid Zbar Protein bars are gluten-free. But read labels carefully to avoid confusing them with the CLIF KID Zbar (without protein), which is not gluten-free.
Be careful, gluten-free friends. And always be sure to read those ingredient labels carefully.
Additional Reading
You might enjoy these articles, too:
- Are Nature Valley Bars Gluten Free?
- Are Kind Bars Gluten-Free? Nima Tested!
- Are RXBARs Gluten-Free? Testing for Hidden Gluten
- Is Orgain Protein Powder Gluten-Free? I Tested It For Hidden Gluten
- 42 Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas For Kids and Adults
- 75+ of the Best Gluten-Free Snacks
- Are Oats Gluten-Free? Unpacking Confusing and Contradictory Information
- Beware of Malt and these 21 Potential Sources of Barley (Gluten)
- Formerly Gluten-Free Products that Now Contain Gluten
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