Are Bugles Gluten Free? [Corn Snacks TRUTH You Should Know!]

written by

Husein Gradasevic

research-based

Out of all the different snack options available in the market, Bugles is still your favourite, right? Bugles have been a great variety of snacks for almost every household for many years now.

You must wonder if these bugles serve on a gluten-free diet? Is this corn snack really the right fit?

Bugles are specifically made from corn, and corn ‌doesn’t have gluten. So it is free from gluten for the most part. However, it is not a certified gluten-free product because the flavoring agents might contain gluten in them.

There is also a possibility of cross-contamination with other gluten substances.

This article talks about various ingredients found in Bugles and their nutritional profile. Can you enjoy the snack even if you’ve given up gluten? We will also talk about their different flavors and which one we think is the best!

Table of Contents

What are Bugles?

Bugles are a very popular brand of snacks being sold in the US. It is manufactured by General Mills and Tom’s Snacks. Bugles was first manufactured in the 1960s and was then introduced in the market.

These are available in a variety of flavors in various supermarkets and departmental stores in and around the US.

Bugles are made with corn as the key ingredient and also have varied shapes and sizes. The most common shapes Bugles shapes include finger hat shapes followed by oval tub shapes, pizza shapes and flower shaped.

The most popular Bugles’ flavors include the Original flavour, Bugles Salt & Vinegar Corn Snacks, Bugles Smokin’ BBQ, Sweet & Salty Bugles Caramel, Nacho Cheese, Peanut Butter and other such flavors which are really enjoyed by their loyalists.

What is Corn?

Corns are small yellow-colored kernels which are embedded in the cob and are covered with a covering known as the husk. It is also known as maize in many parts of the world.

Corn is a great source of vitamin C and used in a variety of ways to be included in the food items.

Corn is a starch-enriched cereal grain which can be eaten after a little roasting or is converted into flour to make other dishes and snacks, including Bugles, tortillas, etc.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein which is found in flour which gives the flour a sticky texture upon adding a liquid. Majorly, gluten is found in wheat flour and also normal white-flour which is made after rigorous churning of wheat.

Gluten gives stickiness to the flour because it acts as a glue to the flour and is responsible for holding the flour together.

Gluten is considered to be harmful for health and increases the fat content of the body because of its constituents which include proteins such as prolamin, glutelin, etc.

What is the importance of gluten-free food?

A gluten-free diet means consuming food which does not include any ingredient with gluten as its constituents.

Gluten-free food is preferred because it helps in monitoring the medical condition of the body. Intake of a lot of gluten in any form can be a cause of celiac diseases.

In celiac disease, the lining of the stomach is damaged, which leads to a weak immune system. Because of weak immune system, the body will become more prone to diseases and cannot fight diseases.

Therefore, in an era where people prefer a healthy lifestyle, gluten-free has a new-found popularity!

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What are the ingredients of Bugles?

As per the packaging label, the below listed items are the major ingredients of the Bugles:

Degraded yellow cornmeal, coconut oil, Palm kernel oil, Sugar,Salt, Baking soda, BHT- butylated hydroxytoluene, Citric acid.

Out of all these ingredients, BHT is added as a preservative.

Bugles’ Nutritional Profile

According to Eatthismuch the nutritional data of serving of 23 grams of Original Bugles are as follows-

Calories- 160
Total Fat – 9g
Saturated fat – 8g
Sodium – 310mg
Carbohydrate – 18g
Protein – 1g

Are Bugles Gluten Free?

While Bugles do not contain wheat explicitly, their flavoring agents may be comprised of gluten particles. So if you just want to minimize your gluten intake for overall well-being, feel free to have Bugles.

But if your medical condition doesn’t allow ANY kind of gluten whatsoever, steer clear of this snack. Any snack which is truly gluten-free and free from contamination will have a “gluten-free” mark on its label.

But that’s not the case with Bugles.

What are the Different Flavours of Bugles?

There are many flavours of bugles available in the market for the customers to choose from:

Bugles Bold BBQ
Bugles Chile con Queso
Bugles Chilli Cheese Flavor
Bugles Flavor Crazed Southwest Ranch

Bugles Nacho Cheese Flavor Crispy Corn Snack
Bugles Old El Paso Salsa Crispy Corn Snacks
Bugles Original Flavor
Bugles Salt & Vinegar Corn Snacks

Bugles Smokin’ BBQ
Sweet & Salty Bugles Caramel
Sweet & Salty Bugles Chocolate Peanut Butter
Tom’s Bugles Ranch

Walkers Bugles Cheese
Walkers Bugles Southern Style BBQ

Which Flavour of Bugles is Gluten-free?

These flavours mentioned above have almost the same basic ingredients which includs degermed cornmeal, kernel oil, coconut oil, etc. But the difference lies in the ingredients used in their seasoning.

If you go through the packaging of the Bugles, it clearly states that it contains wheat ingredients. This information is present on all the packets despite the flavor you pick. This shows a clear presence of gluten in Bugles.

Thus, all flavors of bugles contain gluten. You cannot choose any one particular flavor assuming it to be gluten-free.

Conclusion

Corn snacks are technically supposed to be gluten-free as they do not contain any gluten. But the problem arises when they are made in a shared facility with other gluten-rich items.

Even the flavoring agents can constitute the gluten particles in the product.

So if you are looking for a 100% gluten-free diet or if you are allergic to gluten, Bugles is clearly not for you!