Going Gluten-Free in Taiwan

What to eat when you can’t eat anything.

Up until a few months ago, I prided myself on being a true gourmand. I wasn’t picky, I had no allergies, and I was always happy to let others choose where to eat. That all changed when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid. While the disease has a global prevalence of just 7.5% overall, almost one in five women are estimated to be affected by it.

The good news? Medical research suggests that with strict adherence to a complicated list of dietary restrictions,  it’s possible to slow the progression of the disease.

The bad news? Those restrictions are extensive. I was told by the doctor to avoid foods high in iodine, including seaweed, dairy, white fish, soy sauce, and scampi. Soy sauce proved particularly challenging, given its ubiquity in East Asian cuisine. Sushi, a personal favorite, subsequently became problematic – though I’ve learned to bring a discreet bottle of coconut aminos as a soy-free dipping alternative.

Some doctors also suggest that cutting back on inflammatory foods can make a significant difference. The list was long and disheartening: sugar, fast food, fried food, processed meat, pork, eggs, dairy, and even unexpected items like eggplant, potatoes, raw kale, mangoes, and watermelon.

The hardest thing to give up? Gluten. Found in wheat and other grains, gluten has been reported by patients to exacerbate Hashimoto’s symptoms. Its molecular structure closely resembles that of the thyroid, making it a likely trigger for autoimmune responses. In Taipei, where awareness of gluten-free diets is still relatively low, avoiding it felt like an uphill battle.

What followed was a relentless search for gluten-free and anti-inflammatory food in Taipei. Rejection became part of my routine as I asked every Italian restaurant I visited whether they offered gluten-free pasta. The blank stares from my Taiwanese friends when I explained “gluten” didn’t exactly inspire confidence either.

Against my better instincts as a writer, I’ll share my conclusion early: if you have severe food allergies and live in Taipei, you’re better off cooking at home. For those with celiac disease, it’s nearly impossible to guarantee no cross-contamination at most eateries. However, if you’re avoiding gluten for health reasons and can tolerate trace amounts, solutions do exist – it just takes persistence, creativity, and a willingness to embrace trial and error.

Gluten-free stories

On a sunny November day, I make my way to one of Taipei’s rare, dedicated gluten-free eateries – Indus Chai. There, I meet Jenna Dodson, an English teacher living with celiac disease.

Dodson moved from Colorado to Taipei in the summer of 2023, a decision shaped by curiosity and spontaneity. But living with celiac disease has turned the experience into a complex balancing act of discovery, adaptation, and advocacy.

Diagnosed as a child, Dodson has always required vigilance in her relationship with food. “Celiac isn’t a fad diet,” she says. For Dodson and others like her, even a tiny amount of gluten can cause symptoms ranging from rashes and fatigue to serious intestinal damage and even death. Her condition also excludes oats, often mistaken as safe for gluten-free diets but harmful due to a protein called avenin.

Navigating Taiwan’s food landscape has been a challenge. “I didn’t come here for the food,” Dodson admits. Dining out often means ordering a bowl of plain rice or relying on helpful friends to interrogate restaurant staff about ingredients. “You’ve got a good friend when they’re googling ‘celiac’ in Chinese on a bus ride,” she says with a smile.

Language barriers and cultural differences can make gluten-free dining daunting. Soy sauce, a staple in Taiwanese cuisine, is a common source of hidden gluten. Dodson uses what she calls her “video game cheat code” – her twin brother, fluent in Chinese, who helps her decode ingredient labels via text.

Despite the hurdles, Dodson has found some gluten-free havens. One favorite, Zero Living, offers gluten-free pizza and waffles. Still, these spots are rare, and Dodson often relies on her rice cooker to prepare meals like tomato-egg rice and homemade sushi rolls.

Beyond personal survival, Dodson is passionate about raising awareness of celiac disease. “This isn’t just about feeling better,” she says. “Left untreated, celiac can lead to malnutrition, infertility, and even cancer.” She hopes Taiwan’s growing focus on health and wellness will lead to greater understanding and accommodation for food allergies.

The owner of Indus Chai is Rajat Majitha, an Indian engineer turned entrepreneur, who along with his Taiwanese wife Stella Ku has created a space where tradition meets innovation.

Majitha’s journey to this unlikely venture began with pain – literally. After moving to Taiwan in 2019, he experienced debilitating health issues, including chronic pain on the left side of his body. It wasn’t until a celiac friend educated him about gluten contamination in unexpected places, like soy sauce and certain Indian spices, that he recognized his intolerance.

“Why don’t we make my weakness into our strength?” Majitha recalls asking himself – a question that spurred him to embrace a gluten-free lifestyle and, eventually, a business.

While Majitha tackled his health, his wife discovered a passion for chai during visits to India. Together, they embarked on a mission to introduce Taiwan to authentic chai. But the road was far from smooth. Importing high-quality, organic tea leaves and spices from India proved challenging due to strict regulations. And months of trial and error went into perfecting their gluten-free recipes for samosas.

“The first time I made samosas, it took me eight hours to create six pieces,” Majitha admits. Yet persistence paid off. Today, the couple’s gluten-free samosas, with a North Indian-style potato and pea filling, are a standout item.

Gluten-free samosas at Indus Chai. Rajat Majitha has perfected the recipe through trial and error.

Their chai preparation, too, is an exercise in authenticity and patience. Unlike quick-service tea shops, where beverages are churned out in minutes, Indus Chai’s chai takes 10 to 12 minutes to brew. “You can’t rush chai,” Majitha says. “Cooking it fresh is part of the experience. The aroma prepares your body for what’s to come.”

But their mission goes beyond food and drink. For Majitha, educating Taiwanese customers about Indian culture is just as important. “Masala chai is a myth,” he explains. “In India, masala simply means spices. There’s no universal masala chai recipe – it’s about balancing spices to suit your body’s needs.” He also aims to dispel misconceptions about Indian food being low-quality or overly spicy, emphasizing the medicinal and cultural significance of ingredients.

“We’re bringing two cultures together through chai,” Majitha says. Despite the challenges, he views the venture as a labor of love. “This isn’t just a business. It’s about creating something meaningful for people like me, who need options.”

Being diagnosed with celiac disease or an autoimmune condition can be deeply disheartening. I’ll admit, I’ve shed tears over the thought of the foods I’ll never enjoy again. But for anyone grappling with this condition while navigating life in a foreign country, I’ll share the words of Dodson, offering me a perspective I didn’t know I needed:

“Dealing with it is hard,” she says. “But it’s not as hard as dealing with the consequences of not taking care of yourself.”

For those moving to Taiwan with celiac disease, Dodson’s advice is simple: find a translator or a friend who speaks Chinese as soon as possible. “It makes a huge difference,” she says. She also stresses the importance of self-advocacy, recalling how she carries photos of Chinese phrases to ensure clarity when ordering. Meanwhile, Majitha recommends you support dedicated gluten-free restaurants monthly to encourage their continuance.

More gluten-free eateries

Even before I discovered my gluten intolerance, one of my favorite restaurants in Taiwan was Plants. This vegan, gluten-free haven also caters to those seeking raw, nut-free, or allium-free options. With menu highlights like pizza and noodles, it’s a godsend for anyone avoiding gluten.

The dishes are fresh, flavorful, and perfectly paired with options like super-smoothies, kombucha, or even a glass of wine. As a returning customer, this time around I decide to try the Alfredo zoodles and the vegetable korma with pilaf. Both dishes are as nourishing as they are delicious – a true testament to the creativity and care behind the menu.

The real standouts, however, are the drinks. My friend and I sample the ashwagandha latte and the “Bunny Loves Your Eyes” superfood smoothie. The latte is smooth with subtle spice, featuring ashwagandha – an ancient adaptogen revered in traditional medicine – along with anti-inflammatory turmeric and coriander. The smoothie, on the other hand, is a vibrant and nourishing blend of superfoods like turmeric, ginger, rosemary, pineapple, carrot, and lemon, delivering both flavor and health benefits.

For anyone with food restrictions, I – together with Jenna Dodson and many others – will continuously recommend Safudou. The staff at this dedicated gluten-free restaurant are well-educated on all types of food restrictions. As I sit down to eat, I overhear the waitress talking to one customer who doesn’t eat onion and another who can’t have soy. She knows exactly which items on the menu they can enjoy. I try a pasta dish and the soufflé pancakes. No one could ever convince me that gluten-free alternatives taste like “the real deal,” but both dishes are still scrumptious.

While the Italian restaurant doesn’t actively advertise it, DiVino is another location offering gluten-free pasta in Taipei. Enrico, the owner of the Da’an and Shilin branches as well as their sister restaurant Focoso, is married to a woman with celiac and is well aware of the struggles that come with this disease.

Among other options, Oma’s German Bakery serves gluten-free cakes, cookies, and bread, as well as low-sugar goods for those on a particular diet. Vegan Day also offers vegan and gluten-free cake, and Hearties Gluten-Free Snacks sells popcorn conveniently delivered through Shopee. To the delight of many, the prolific Taiwanese restaurant chain Din Tai Fung also offers a gluten-free menu.

Offerings included in DinTai Fung’s gluten-free menu.

If you’re seeking additional choices, the Facebook group Gluten Free Taipei is a great resource. Despite its name, members share gluten-free eateries from all over Taiwan. The person behind the blog My BF is GF has also visited Taiwan and compiled a list of gluten-free eateries here.

Surprising options

Yes, you can enjoy – some – gluten-free and non-inflammatory noodle dishes in Taiwan. Cellophane noodles (粉絲, fensi), also known as glass noodles, are mostly made from mung bean, potato, sweet potato, tapioca, or canna starch. If you have Hashimoto’s, however, you might need to beware of the potato starch.

Meanwhile, qing dan (清燉) soups at beef noodle shops contain no soy, just boiled stock. Glass noodles (冬粉, dongfen) are generally gluten-free (again, if you are celiac I wouldn’t recommend taking unnecessary risks). While rice noodles (米粉, mifen) are mostly gluten-free, I have spotted wheat starch in the ingredients list of at least one brand in Taiwan.

Sushi can be a relatively safe option, but it comes with caveats. Steer clear of soy sauce, imitation crab meat, and fake wasabi, as these often contain gluten. For those with Hashimoto’s, it’s best to opt for seaweed-free nigiri and sashimi to avoid potential triggers while still enjoying the fresh, clean flavors sushi offers.

To my great disappointment, not a single chicken breast at 7-Eleven is free of soybean oil. This is troubling news for those with autoimmune thyroid disease, as approximately 40% of individuals with Hashimoto’s are sensitive to soy. For anyone managing this condition, it’s another reminder of the challenges in finding convenient, diet-friendly options.

Safe lunch options often mean sticking with the simplest healthy bento. Fortunately, Taipei is filled with spots offering nutritious bento boxes, typically featuring purple rice (a Hashimoto’s-friendly carb!), boiled sweet potatoes (another safe carb!), a protein of your choice, and blanched vegetables.

Personally, I’ve been a loyal customer of Get Power (給力, geili) for the past three years. For those following a strict anti-inflammatory diet, you can easily customize your order by skipping the boiled egg and avoiding inflammatory vegetables like corn. It’s a convenient and satisfying way to stay on track.

Nutritious chai by Indus Chai, a gluten-free cafe in Taipei.

Hot pot can be another excellent choice for a safe and customizable meal. To avoid any hidden gluten in the broth, Indus Chai’s Majitha suggests asking for plain boiling water as a base, then seasoning it yourself with salt, pepper, garlic, and other spices. Select vegetables and meats that align with your dietary needs, and since you prepare your own dipping sauce, it’s easy to stick to ingredients that won’t trigger flare-ups. This hands-on approach makes hot pot a reliable option for those managing strict diets.

If you’re looking for a drink

If you’re a bubble tea fan, it’s worth noting that boba and most toppings are inherently gluten-free. However, their safety can depend on the specific shop and whether any additives or ingredients in the boba syrup contain gluten. For those managing Hashimoto’s, bubble tea is generally off the table, as it contains ingredients that don’t align with an anti-inflammatory diet. Additionally, it’s wise to scrutinize any syrups or powders used in flavored drinks. Maltodextrin, while typically safe for most celiacs even if derived from wheat, may still warrant caution depending on individual sensitivities.

Let’s be honest – if you have an autoimmune disease, alcohol is best avoided. However, if you’re like me and can’t help but search for a silver lining, you’ll find Western studies suggesting that low to moderate alcohol consumption might actually have some benefits for those with Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune diseases. That said, every body is different, and it’s crucial to research thoroughly and decide what works best for you based on your own experience and health needs. Moderation, as always, is key.

If you decide to indulge occasionally, some choices are better than others. Red wine, tequila, and champagne are among the least problematic options. In contrast, whiskey, beer, and other grain-based alcohols are best avoided due to their potential to trigger inflammation or other adverse reactions.

Red wine is rich in beneficial antioxidants like resveratrol, which has been shown to support heart health and may even help reduce certain inflammatory markers. However, these potential benefits only apply when consumed in moderation. Be mindful that some red wines can contain mycotoxins – harmful byproducts of mold that may contribute to various health issues.

If Taco Tuesday is your favorite day of the week, you’ll be glad to know that tequila can be a surprisingly healthy alcohol choice. High-quality tequila contains antioxidants and even probiotics. To reap these benefits, ensure you’re choosing a product made from 100% agave, as some brands mix grains with agave.

If your drink of choice is a glass of bubbly, here’s some good news: champagne, thanks to its fermentation process, boasts probiotic properties that may support a healthy balance of good bacteria in your gut microbiome. When it’s time to celebrate, champagne is an excellent option. For an equally festive yet lower-sugar alternative, consider cava, which is made using the same traditional method as champagne. I’d recommend cava over prosecco for its balance of flavor and health-conscious appeal.