The protein part of rye, wheat, barley and other grains is called gluten. Some people encounter problems with gluten as it passes through the small intestine, prompting them to follow a gluten free diet. The small intestine is not the only thing affected by gluten. There is also a skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis, which is activated by the intolerance of gluten. A gluten free diet has also been reported to help children who suffer from autism.
Gluten causes injuries to the lining of the small intestine in those suffering from celiac disease. A patient will experience bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, gas, abdominal cramps, as well as mineral or vitamin deficiencies. When patients follow a gluten free diet, they will give the lining of the intestine a chance to heal, but this is not an easy task to complete.
Everywhere you turn, many foods contain the grains that are filled with gluten. There are so many ingredients to take into consideration; you may even unknowingly consume gluten.
Sticking with a gluten free diet as a dietary change for life, the gluten-effected conditions that an individual suffers from can greatly improve. A dietician or nutritionist can provide necessary help in order to stay on track. The main foods that will be removed to adhere to a gluten free diet include cereals and anything created with wheat, rye, barley and other grains.
Particular care should be taken in regards to oats. Most patients with celiac disease can tolerate oats, but it is suggested to test oat products out for about 6 months. Sometimes oats can be contaminated with wheat products since they are often manufactured in the same area. Below you will find a list of foods that are allowed, as well as not allowed while on a gluten free diet:
Foods Allowed on the Gluten Free Diet include:
Dairy: Eggs, Sour cream, whipping cream, yogurt, cheese spreads, all aged cheese (cheddar, Swiss, parmesan), cottage cheese, cream cheese, as well as fresh, dry, evaporated or condensed milk
Meat Products: Fresh meats, fish, seafood, poultry, fish canned in oil and water, hot dogs, lunchmeats.
Starches: White potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, hominy, rice, wild rice, gluten-free noodles.
Cereals: Hot cereals made from cornmeal, Puffed Rice, Kellogg’s Corn Pops, Cream of Rice.
Fruits & Vegetables: All plain, fresh, frozen or canned vegetables or fruits, dried peas, dried beans, lentils, dried fruits, all fruit juices, as well as some canned pie fillings.
Fats: Butter, margarine, vegetable oil, nuts, peanut butter, hydrogenated vegetable oils, some salad dressings, mayonnaise and nonstick cooking sprays.
Drinks: Coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, rum, some root beer.
Flours & Thickening Agents: Arrowroot starch, corn bran, corn flour, cornmeal, corn starch, potato flour, rice bran, rice flour, rice starch, soy flour, tapioca starch, bean and lentil flours, nut flours.
Soups: Homemade broth and soups made with allowed ingredients, some commercially canned soups and specialty dry soup mixes.
Desserts: Cakes, quick breads, pastries, and puddings made with allowed ingredients; tapioca, rice puddings; some pudding mixes, custard, ice cream with few, simple ingredients; sorbet, meringues, mousse, sherbets, frozen yogurt.
Treats: Jelly, jam, honey, brown and white sugar, marshmallows, molasses, most syrups, some candy, chocolate, pure cocoa, coconut.
Foods NOT Allowed While on the Gluten Free Diet include:
Dairy: Malted milk, some commercial chocolate milk, some nondairy creamers, any cheese product containing oat gum, some veined cheeses (bleu, Roquefort, gorgonzola).
Meat Products: Prepared meat containing wheat, rye, oats, or barley; tuna canned in vegetable broth.
Starches: Regular noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, most packaged rice mixes, seminola, spinach noodles, frozen potato products with wheat flour added, as well as all breads containing wheat, rye, oat, or barley flours.
Cereals: All cereals containing wheat, rye, oats, or barley, bran, graham, wheat germ, kaska, bulgur, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, kamut.
Fruits & Vegetables: Creamed vegetables, vegetables canned in sauce, some canned baked beans, commercially prepared vegetables and salads, thickened or prepared fruits; some pie fillings; raisins and dried dates that have been dusted with flour.
Fats: Some commercial salad dressings, wheat germ oil, nondairy cream substitutes, most commercial gravies and sauces.
Drinks: Ovaltine, malted milk, ale, beer, gin, whiskey, flavored coffee, herbal tea with malted barley.
Flours & Thickening Agents: Amaranth, wheat germ, bran, wheat starch; all flours containing wheat, rye, oats, or barley, buckwheat, quinoa, kamut, millet.
Soups: Most canned soups and soup mixes, bouillon and bouillon cubes with hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
Desserts: Commercial cakes, cookies; pies made with wheat, rye, oats, or barley, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, kamut; prepared mixes; puddings; ice cream cones; Jell-O instant pudding; cream fillings; products made with brown rice syrup.
Treats: Commercial candies dusted with wheat flour, butterscotch chips; flavored syrups; sweets containing malt/malt flavorings; some brown rice syrup; some corn syrup.
Additional food and cooking items to avoid include:
Curry powder, dry seasonings mixes, gravy extracts, meat sauces, catsup, mustard, horseradish, chip dips, most soy sauce, some distilled white vinegar, instant dry baking yeast, some cinnamon, condiments made with wheat-derived distilled vinegars, communion wafers/bread, some alcohol-based flavoring extracts.
When reading food labels, a clue that a grain containing gluten has been used in the product is when you spot the following words: stabilizer, starch, flavoring, emulsifier, as well as hydrolyzed plant protein.
