I've tried lots of new stuff, but first...

Sample of a product with the Gluten Free tag at Whole Foods. I didn't eat this food -- just an illustration of the GF label.

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I recently stopped at Whole Foods for a specific item for my sister-in-law, and decided to do a little browsing. I've found that I can generally get what I need for gf living at the nearby Giant supermarket for less than Whole Foods, but when I find myslef in the aisles, I poke around a bit.

I noticed "Gluten Free" tags on products that I hadn't seen before. I first noticed it in the boxed tea selections. I always appreciate being pointed in the right direction, but I thought it was weird that there were some teas that got the GF label, and others that I know are gluten free that didn't. What gives?

I went to the Whole Foods website and found a pretty comprehensive GF resource: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/gluten-free.php. Pretty cool and hip. Thanks, Whole Foods!

But it doesn't solve the mystery of why some teas were marked with the label and not others. I followed links that took me to the local store's GF product list, and it didn't list ANY tea. Marketing ploy to sell one brand over others? More investigation is required. I'll write the company and see what they say.

In the meantime, it is important to note that I HAVE found some teas that have gluten. Specifically, Yogi Healthy Fasting Tea has barley in it. It just goes to show that you can't just assume that there's not gluten in something because you think "Why would there be?" Gotta read the labels and know what to look for. (The Republic of Tea's Get Lost tea is gluten-free, and pretty tasty!)