Healthy Living for Every Body
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
Whether you suffer from Celiac Disease or have a wheat allergy, the end result is the same: it’s important for you to avoid gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in a number of grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and to some extent, oats. It can be an overwhelming task at first to try and figure out what you can eat, what you need to avoid, and how to incorporate healthful gluten-free foods into your diet. However, with some research, eating can go from a source of anxiety to an enjoyable experience again.
MAKE SURE YOU AVOID
Currently, there is no universal understanding among food manufacturers as to what “gluten-free” means. So, it’s important for you to become label-savvy and to recognize when a product has a gluten-containing ingredient. It’s important for you to avoid foods that list any of these ingredients:
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Most breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries
-oats (may be contaminated with wheat during milling process)
-Bread crumbs
-Pasta
-Couscous
-Many breakfast cereals
-Kamut (cereal grain)
-Crackers
-Enriched flour
-Whole wheat flour
-Graham flour
- Wheat (bran, germ, malt, starch, gluten)
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Farina
- Durum
- Bulgar
- Cracker meal
- Gluten (one of the wheat proteins)
- High-gluten flour; high-protein flour
- Vital gluten |
These ingredients often contain wheat:
-modified food starch
-gelatinized starch
-hydrolyzed vegetable protein
-natural flavorings
-soy sauce
-vegetable gum or starch |
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NOT WHERE YOU EXPECTED
There are some gluten-containing products that you may never expect. Make sure you read the label carefully for gluten-containing ingredients in these products:
-ales, beer, and lagers
-breading and coating mixes
-brown rice syrup
-communion wafers
-candy
-lunch meats
-broth
-pasta
-roux and sauces
-soup base
-stuffing
-self-basting poultry
-imitation bacon/seafood
-soy sauce
-marinades, thickeners
-medications
-vitamin and mineral supplements
-lipsticks, glosses, and balms
BUT WHAT CAN I EAT?!
The list of foods to avoid can be overwhelming, but there are vast arrays of gluten-free foods you can include in your diet. If you enjoy cooking and baking, you may want to experiment with other flours to replace wheat flour. Make sure you use the appropriate equivalents of other flours.
1 c wheat flour equals:
-1 c potato flour
-1 1/3 c rolled oats/oat flour
-1/2 c potato flour + ½ c rye flour
-5/8 c potato starch
-5/8 c rice flour + 1/3 c rye flour
You run a greater risk of eating foods with gluten when you eat processed foods. If you do most of your shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, meat, and dairy sections), you increase the variety of foods that you can choose from. Also, a greater number of products are available now that are gluten-free in your grocery store such as pizza, muffins, and other foods that were formerly off limit. Check your area’s bigger food chains and organic/health food stores for a greater variety of these products. 
One issue to be aware of at home is cross-contamination. You may eat gluten-free bread, but if you use the same toaster that’s used for wheat-containing bread, you run the risk of getting some of these crumbs on your bread. Also, make sure that work surfaces in your kitchen are thorough cleaned before using them to decrease the risk of cross-contamination.
GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE
Maintaining a gluten-free diet is possible when eating in a restaurant—it just takes a little bit of research before going out. A lot of restaurants have web-sites which post their menus, so you can check to see if your favorite ones have gluten free foods for you to eat. Some restaurants, like Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, even post a gluten-free menu online. When ordering,  don’t be afraid to ask how different food items are prepared. It’s important for you to know the ingredients in marinades and whether french fries are deep fried in the same oil as breaded items for cross-contamination issues. Make sure your first visit to a restaurant isn’t during peak hours, so that the restaurant staff isn’t so rushed and can take the time to help you make food choices.
Sources:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Gluten-Free Diet for Families, published by CDHNF
Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network
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