Is Hominy Gluten Free?

Last Updated on September 1, 2024

Is hominy gluten free? Before we determine its gluten-free status – you may be wondering what hominy even is! We’ll be taking a look at what hominy is, along with its health benefits and nutritional facts in this post.

What Is Hominy?

Hominy is actually made from corn kernels. They are treated with an alkali and undergo a chemical process to make the grain more versatile, and use in a variety of ways. Hominy is around twice the size of typical corn, so you’ll instantly be able to tell it apart from corn, or most other grains.

Hominy is most common in Mexican cooking. It can be used in a range of casseroles, soups, and stews. It tastes like corn and has quite an earthy taste.

Is Hominy Gluten Free?

Good news – hominy is completely gluten-free. As hominy is a byproduct of corn, and corn is gluten-free – hominy is also gluten-free. Hominy is used in products such as tortillas. However, it’s often the wheat flour that gets added to tortillas that make them unsuitable for a gluten-free diet. Hominy is completely safe!

Is Hominy Ever Not Gluten Free?

Unfortunately, yes. While natural hominy is gluten-free, it’s highly likely to come into contact with gluten-containing grains when milling and harvesting. Because of this, it’s always best to opt for hominy that carries a clear gluten-free label. This means the product is tested for gluten and will not have been a victim of cross contact. It’s very frustrating – but this is the same reason why we can only consume gluten-free oats, even though oats are naturally gluten-free.

Gluten Free Hominy

There are plenty of gluten-free hominy products available. If you’re buying from a can, it’s far more likely to be gluten-free – so bear that in mind when shopping for your hominy.

La Preferida White Hominy

La Preferida is a US brand, that just so happens to be gluten-free! It’s a canned product and only has the following ingredients: water, salt, white hominy, and sodium bisulfite.

Per half a cup of this particular hominy, the nutritional value is:

• Calories: 80
• Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrate: 16g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Sugars: 0g
• Protein: 3g
• Vitamin C: 4%
• Iron: 2%

Kroger White Hominy

Kroger Hominy is another canned brand that is made in the US. It’s not labeled as gluten-free, but it does not contain any gluten ingredients. The ingredients are white hominy, salt, water, and sodium metabisulfite.

The nutritional value of the Kroger White Hominy is:

• Calories: 90
• Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrate: 19g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Calcium: 10mg
• Iron: 0.7mg

Juanita’s Mexican Style Hominy 

Juanita’s is not just gluten-free, but it’s also a far healthier option too because of the lower amounts of sodium in it. The ingredients in this hominy are quite simple, water, salt, and hominy. As natural as can be!

The nutritional value is:

• Calories: 90
• Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrate: 18g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 2g
• Calcium: 22mg
• Potassium: 24mg

Teasdale Mexican Style Hominy

Teasdale Mexican Style is yet another canned variety! It definitely seems the safest option when it comes to gluten-free hominy. The only ingredients are white hominy, salt, water, citric acid, and hydrated lime.

The nutritional information is:

• Calories: 60
• Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrate: 10g
• Dietary Fiber: 6g
• Sugars: 4g
• Protein: 2g
• Vitamin A: 2%
• Vitamin C: 2%
• Calcium: 2%
• Iron: 4%

Health Benefits Of Hominy

If added to a balanced diet, hominy can host a range of health benefits. Some of these include:

• low in sugar
• low in calories
• good value of fiber content
• great source of vitamin B
• low in fat
• free from gluten

Hominy Nutrition Facts

If we’re looking at a cup of hominy, it contains the following nutrition:

• Calories: 119
• Fat: 1.5g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 4g

While the carbohydrate content is high, hominy is seen as a grain that is typically good for you, if enjoyed in moderation (like most things in life!).

Substitute For Hominy

If you’re looking for a gluten-free substitute for hominy, there are several options. Let’s take a look at our top two picks.

Corn Polenta (Or Corn Grits)

If you’re looking for the same great flavor, but a different texture – I would definitely recommend corn polenta (or you may know them as corn grits). Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Yellow Corn Polenta is my go-to choice. Be sure you’re opting for the “gluten-free” option, as they do have a standard version too, which is not considered gluten-free. All of Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free products are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Raw Chickpeas

Chickpeas are another great substitute for hominy – and I personally much prefer the taste of chickpeas. Chickpeas can also be a victim of cross-contact, so although they’re naturally gluten-free, always opt for chickpeas that carry a gluten-free label. I would recommend these organic raw chickpeas from nuts.com, which is a fantastic site for gluten-free grains!

Read more about: Is Kroger Chicken Broth Gluten-Free?

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped to answer the question: is hominy gluten-free? And give you a few brands to try if you’d like to incorporate hominy into your gluten-free diet. It’s super easy and can be really beneficial too. Just add to any casseroles or stews you’re making to make them even more delicious.

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