A Gluten - Free Diet : What Is Gluten Free Diet
Free Diet
- A gluten free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten
is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between
wheat and rye).
A gluten-free
diet is used to treat celiac disease. Gluten causes inflammation in the
small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps people with celiac
disease control their signs and symptoms and prevent complications.
Initially, following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating. But with time, patience and
creativity, you'll find there are many foods that you already eat that are
gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you
can enjoy.
The gluten-free diet is a treatment for celiac
disease.
Diet details
Many specialty grocery stores sell gluten-free foods. If
you're just starting with a gluten-free
diet, it's a good idea to consult a dietitian who can answer your questions
and offer advice about how to avoid gluten while still eating a healthy,
balanced diet.
Allowed foods
Many healthy and delicious foods are naturally
gluten-free:
·
Beans,
seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
·
Fresh
eggs
·
Fresh
meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
·
Fruits
and vegetables
·
Most
dairy products
It's important to make sure that they are not processed
or mixed with gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives. Many grains
and starches can be part of a gluten-free
diet:
·
Amaranth
·
Arrowroot
·
Buckwheat
·
Corn
and cornmeal
·
Flax
·
Gluten-free
flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
·
Hominy
(corn)
·
Millet
·
Quinoa
·
Rice
·
Sorghum
·
Soy
·
Tapioca
·
Teff
Always avoid
Avoid all food and drinks containing:
·
Barley
(malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
·
Rye
·
Triticale
(a cross between wheat and rye)
·
Wheat
Avoiding wheat can be challenging because wheat
products go by numerous names. Consider the many types of wheat flour on
supermarket shelves — bromated, enriched, phosphated, plain and self-rising.
Here are other wheat products to avoid:
·
Bulgur
·
Durum
flour
·
Farina
·
Graham
flour
·
Kamut
·
Semolina
·
Spelt
Avoid unless labeled 'gluten-free'
In general, avoid the following foods unless they're
labeled as gluten-free or made with corn, rice, soy or other gluten-free grain:
·
Beer
·
Breads
·
Cakes
and pies
·
Candies
·
Cereals
·
Cookies
and crackers
·
Croutons
·
French
fries
·
Gravies
·
Imitation
meat or seafood
·
Matzo
·
Pastas
·
Processed
luncheon meats
·
Salad
dressings
·
Sauces,
including soy sauce
·
Seasoned
rice mixes
·
Seasoned
snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
·
Self-basting
poultry
·
Soups
and soup bases
·
Vegetables
in sauce
Certain grains, such as oats, can be contaminated with
wheat during growing and processing stages of production. For this reason,
doctors and dietitians generally recommend avoiding oats unless they are
specifically labeled gluten-free.
You should also be alert for other products that you
eat or that could come in contact with your mouth that may contain gluten.
These include:
·
Food
additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others
·
Medications
and vitamins that use gluten as a binding agent
·
Play
dough
Watch for cross-contamination
Cross-contamination occurs when gluten-free foods come
into contact with foods that contain gluten. Some food labels include a
"may contain" statement if this is the case. Cross-contamination can
also occur at home if foods are prepared on common surfaces or with utensils
that weren't thoroughly cleaned after being used to prepare gluten-containing
foods. People with celiac disease who eat a gluten-free diet experience fewer
symptoms and complications of the disease. People with celiac disease must eat
a strictly gluten-free diet and must remain on the diet for the remainder of
their lives.
In some severe cases, a gluten-free diet alone can't
stop the symptoms and complications of celiac disease. Avoiding grains with a
gluten-free diet may mean eating
fewer of these enriched products. Not sticking to the gluten-free diet
If you accidentally eat a product that contains
gluten, you may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea.
