Gluten Free Eating Plans

These plans exclude gluten-containing foods such as wheat, rye, barley, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye). Eliminating gluten from the diet helps people who have celiac disease.

Others have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) which is a condition characterized by intestinal symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten but have not had a diagnosis of celiac or an allergy to wheat.

Avoidance of gluten is essential to manage the symptoms of celiac and gluten sensitivity. Some people without symptoms to gluten may choose to lower carbohydrate intake and therefore avoid foods containing gluten.

Diet

Special attention is needed when selecting foods for a gluten-free diet. Some gluten-free foods to include in the diet are:

Fruits and vegetables
Eggs
Lean non-processed meats, fish and poultry
Soy products
Beans, legumes, nuts/seeds in unprocessed forms
Dairy products

Grains, starches and flours that can be included in a gluten-free eating plan are:

Amaranth
Arrowroot
Buckwheat
Corn — cornmeal, grits and polenta labeled gluten-free
Flax
Gluten-free flours — rice, soy, corn, potato and bean flours
Hominy (corn)
Millet
Quinoa
Rice, including wild rice
Sorghum
Soy
Tapioca (cassava root)
Teff

Grains not allowed

Avoid all foods and drinks containing the following:

Wheat
Barley
Rye
Triticale
Oats, if they are not labled gluten free

Oats are naturally gluten free but can be contaminated during production.

All of these are varieties of wheat:

Durum
Einkorn
Emmer
Kamut
Spelt

All of the following flours contain wheat:

Enriched flour
Farina
Graham flour
Self-rising flour
Semolina

Gluten free food labels

Read labels when buying processed foods. Foods that contain wheat, barley, rye or triticale have to be labeled in the ingredient list. According to the USDA, foods that have fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten can be labeled gluten free.

Alcoholic beverages made from grapes or juniper berries are naturally gluten free. Watch out for gluten containing alcoholic beverages s, can be labeled gluten-free.

An alcoholic beverage made from a gluten-containing grain (wheat, barley, rye and hybrid grains such as triticale) should be avoided. Also, any product that was processed to remove gluten needs to confirm the final product is gluten free.

Processed foods that often contain gluten

Read labels and look for gluten containing ingredients. Avoid the following:

Beer, ale, porter, stout (usually contain barley)
Breads
Bulgur wheat
Cakes and pies
Candies
Cereals
Communion wafers
Cookies and crackers
Croutons
French fries
Gravies
Imitation meat or seafood
Malt, malt flavoring and other malt products (barley)
Matzo
Pastas
Hot dogs and processed lunchmeats
Salad dressings
Sauces, including soy sauce (wheat)
Seasoned rice mixes
Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
Self-basting poultry
Soups, bouillon or soup mixes
Vegetables in sauce

Gluten free at home and in restaurants

The following tips can help prevent cross-contamination in your own food preparations at home when you eat out:

Store gluten free and gluten containing foods in different places
Keep cooking surfaces and food storage areas clean
Wash dishes and cooking equipment thoroughly
Toast bread in the oven — or consider separate toasters — to avoid cross-contamination
Read restaurant menus online ahead of time if possible to be sure there are options for you
Notify your server that you eat gluten free
Eat out early or late when a restaurant is less busy and better able to address your needs

Gluten Free Whole Grains

Here are some options to eat whole grains that don’t contain gluten. Just click on the link for more recipes from the Whole Foods Council.