A Guide to Eating Gluten-Free
What is Gluten?
Gluten is the name of one of the protein found in wheat. Gluten acts as a glue that helps food maintain its shape and stick together. And because gluten is added to processed foods, it's not always clear if a particular food contains it.
Use the following list to help guide your eating and shopping choices while following a gluten-free food plan.
Gluten-Free
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Bean flours (garbanzo, fava, Romano, etc.)
- Buckwheat, buckwheat groats (kasha)
- Cassava flour
- Chia seeds
- Corn (maize), cornmeal
- Flax, flax meal
- Hominy
- Manioc flour
- Mesquite flour
- Millet
- Montina flour
- Nut flours and meals (almond, coconut, hazelnut, etc.)
- Oats (gluten-free)*
- Pea flour
- Potato flour, potato starch
- Quinoa
- Rice (all), rice bran
- Sago
- Sorghum flour
- Soy flour
- Tapioca flour
- Teff
- Yucca
Gluten-Containing
- Barley
- Bulgar (bulgur)
- Cereal binding
- Chapatti flour (atta)
- Couscous
- Kinkel
- Durum
- Einkorn
- Emmer
- Farina
- Farrow
- Fu
- Gluten, gluten flour
- Graham flour
- Kamut
- Malt (malt beverages, extract, flavoring, syrup, vinegar,etc.)
- Matzoh meal
- Oats (oat bran, oat syrup)*
- Orzo
- Rye
- Seitan (“wheat meat”)
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Textured vegetable protein (typically contains gluten)
- Triticale
- Wheat, all varieties (bran, germ, starch
*Gluten-free oats have a similar structure to gluten-containing grains. Also, they may be contaminated with gluten-containing grains during processing. Because of these factors, gluten-free oats may cause negative symptoms in some patients. Those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance should use caution when consuming oats.
Why go gluten free?
- Gluten can be inflammatory
- Gluten is a common allergen
- Gluten has been linked to thyroid problems
- Gluten free diets can help you make healthier food choices
- Going gluten free may help improve bloating & abdominal cramping
- Gluten free diets improve IBS symptoms
- No more brain fog
- Improved nutrient absorption
Going gluten free may seem difficult at first. Fortunately, there are many healthy and delicious foods that are naturally gluten-free. These include fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy products, beans, legumes, and nuts.
