A gluten-free diet is essential for people who suffer from celiac disease, which is the inability to tolerate the gluten found in many foods. Because this disease affects the small intestine, it prevents nutrients from being properly absorbed. The villi, the tiny bristles that line the small intestine, become damaged or destroyed and the person begins to suffer from stomach pain, diarrhea, malnutrition and mood swings. A gluten-free diet is also recommended for people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or an allergy to wheat.
Permitted Foods
Just because you cannot tolerate gluten (the storage protein found in wheat, rye, barley and processed oats) doesn't mean that you don't have a huge range of delicious options. Take a look at this list of permitted foods and you'll see that you have no reason to feel deprived:
Nuts, flax seeds, eggs, herbs, cheese (but not cheese spreads), yogurt, dried beans, peas, pulses, rice, corn, millet, quinoa, amaranth, teff (and all flours and crackers made with these grains), pure and uncontaminated oats, buckwheat, arrowroot flour, yeast, baking soda, cream of tartar, soy sauce, tamari, gelatin, guar gum, Xanthan gum, sorghum, cider, tea, honey, molasses, cider vinegar, wine vinegar, distilled vinegar and vegetable oils (including sunflower and olive oil).
Fruits and Vegetables
A gluten-free diet can include as many fruits and vegetables as you like, which help add vital and necessary vitamins and minerals to your body. As a wonderful way to detoxify the body while adding loads of antioxidants and fiber, you can eat any fresh or dried fruit along with all vegetables.
Organic Meats
Organic meats, game, poultry, shellfish and fresh fish are excellent additions to a gluten-free diet, providing you with the necessary protein and, in the case of fish, the essential oils, such as the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, that are so good for the brain.
Wine and Beer
You can drink wine and gluten-free beer. Gluten-free beer is made from sorghum along with millet, rice or buckwheat, all of which can be tolerated. Read the labels carefully, as most beer is made with barley, which contains hordein, a compound similar to the gliadin found in wheat. As this is not tolerated well, make sure that the label specifies "gluten-free."
