Gluten-free fruits are a healthy part of a gluten-free diet. This diet is the main treatment for gluten allergy, or celiac disease. Gluten is a protein found in many grains including wheat, barley and rye. For people with a gluten allergy, ingesting even small amounts of gluten damages their small intestine. Damage to the small intestine can lead to malnourishment, osteoporosis, depression and delayed growth in children.
Many of the foods we regularly eat contain gluten, including pasta, grains and cereal. Eating a gluten-free diet means eliminating foods containing gluten from your diet. The good news is that there are still many tasty, healthy foods allowed on the gluten-free diet. All fruits are gluten free and easy to find. Every grocery store stocks gluten-free fruits. On this diet, you can eat fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits. To keep your diet interesting and varied, try including a wide variety of fruits when you stock up on gluten-free foods.
What to Look for
Since damage to the intestine blocks nutrients from being absorbed by the body, it is important to get the most vitamins and minerals in every bite. Although gluten-free fruits are easy to find, not all fruits are created equal. To get the healthiest gluten-free fruits, look for the freshest fruits available in your store. Not only will this will ensure that you are buying fruits with the most nutritional value, but also the best tasting fruits for your money.
For a change of pace from fresh fruits, purchase dried fruits. Dried fruits are great for snacking and are a tasty alternative to gluten-filled crackers and other snack foods. Dried fruits are also a concentrated source of nutrients and fiber.
Common Pitfalls
Avoid prepared fruit products. With prepared fruits, it can be difficult to tell which items contain gluten and which ones do not. Instead of buying fruits in sauces, choose unprepared fruits, which you know will be gluten free. In particular, try to avoid fruits in sauces. Many companies use ingredients containing gluten to thicken sauces. Thickeners could include flour or gluten powder.
If you do decide to buy prepared fruits, it is important to read food labels. Look for an alternative item, if the list of ingredients contains any ingredients with gluten in them. Gluten may not be listed in the ingredients, so be sure to know which ingredients may contain gluten.
