Identifying food sensitivities can be difficult. Symptoms may not appear until 30 minutes to two days after eating food you're sensitive to, according to the World's Healthiest Foods. If you suspect you might be gluten intolerant or have Celiac disease, an autoimmune response to gluten, your doctor may recommend that you eliminate foods that contain gluten from your diet. These include rye, barley and all types of wheat.
The list of what you can't eat is extensive, as gluten grains are a staple of the typical American diet. But a bit of creativity will help you put together a positive list of what you can eat, instead of what you can't eat.
Rice
Rice flour is a common ingredient in gluten-free baked goods, and rice on its own makes a healthy side dish. Rice chips, rice pasta, rice crackers and rice pizza crusts are also sold--gluten-free versions of foods that usually contain wheat. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, rice is a particularly good choice for the food sensitive, because it's not likely to contain pesticide residues, oxalates or purines, which may aggravate food sensitivities.
Corn
Corn is another gluten-free grain. If you're dying for a tortilla chip but need to avoid gluten, have corn tortilla chips. But check the label carefully to make sure the chips are made only with corn, not a mixture of wheat and corn. Corn also makes a pleasant hot cereal for a gluten-free breakfast, and you can have cornbread--just make sure the recipe calls for cornmeal only, with no wheat flour.
Flax
An ancient seed, flax is often mixed into gluten-free flours and hot cereal mixes. You can also grind flax seeds and use them to thicken gluten-free hot cereal. Flax is high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
Arrowroot
Gluten is often added to foods as a thickener, and it's part of what gives baked goods a pleasant texture. Arrowroot is a gluten-free alternative that blends well with gluten-free flours.
Legumes
All legumes are naturally gluten free. Eat them sprouted, cooked or ground into flour and meal in gluten-free baked goods. Black beans are sometimes used to make gluten-free crusts, and garbanzo beans are ground and mixed with sesame tahini to make hummus.
Nuts
Nuts are all gluten free. Enjoy them on their own as snacks--almonds, hazelnuts, cashews and macadamia nuts are widely sold for snacking. Nuts are also ground into gluten-free flour or flour additives.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a South American seed that makes a tasty, gluten-free side dish, or add-in to stir-fry and soup. You can also find quinoa pasta, a gluten-free version of the food that's usually wheat based. There are a few dry cereals made of quinoa, too.
Fruit
All fruits are gluten free, although you should be wary of canned or prepared fruit sauces that might have been treated with gluten as a thickener.
Vegetables
All vegetables are naturally gluten free. As with fruits, be wary of prepared vegetables. Vegetable soups, in particular, may have gluten-containing flour added as thickener.
References
- World's Healthiest Foods: Food Sensitivities
- HealthNOW Medical Center: Guide to Avoiding Foods Containing Gluten
- Celiac Sprue Association: Grains and Flours Glossary
- Medical News Today: What is Gluten Intolerance? What is Celiac Disease?
- Gluten Intolerance Group: Could Gluten be Causing Your Health Problems?
