People who react adversely to wheat ingredients may have one of several conditions that doctors can identify with medical testing. A simple wheat intolerance, for example, allows some people to eat small amounts of wheat products with only mild health effects. Inability to digest the gluten compounds in wheat may stem from celiac disease, whereas true food allergies cause reactions to even one bite of wheat. To avoid the mouth itching, skin hives and digestive upset that accompany these conditions, patients should avoid ingredients made from wheat and related grains.
Wheat Flour Foods
"White" flour is highly processed wheat that can cause food allergies and wheat intolerance. Baked goods such as bagels, bread, cookies and pies usually contain wheat flour. The University of Maryland (UM) Medical Center adds pizza, pasta, pancakes, waffles and soy and teriyaki sauces to this list. Patients can find many of these food items, however, available in gluten-free forms made with alternative ingredients.
Wheat products also include items made from bread, such as croutons, stuffing and prepared breading. Commercial snacks such as pretzels, cheese curls and some tortilla and potato chips can also trigger illness in people who have wheat sensitivities.
Barley, Oats and Rye
The grains barley, oats and rye share similar protein structures with wheat allergens. Individuals with food allergies must avoid these grains in order to prevent life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis. People with wheat intolerance may wonder why cereals that contain barley or oats or crackers and bread that contain rye disagree with their digestion. Foods made with these grains often also feature wheat products such as flour, bran or kernels.
Patients may encounter rye and oat grains in baked goods such as muffins and barley added to soups or brewed into beer. The UM Medical Center notes that a gluten-free diet, appropriate for any wheat sensitivity, exchanges these problem grains for rice, corn and potatoes.
Wheat Food Additives
Food manufacturers use wheat products as extenders, thickeners and flavor enhancers. Patients with wheat intolerances or food allergies will need to read food labels for ingredients made from wheat or to recognize certain foods that might contain it. For instance, some imitation seafood, hotdogs and coffee substitutes include wheat starch or wheat bran.
Foods to which wheat flour is commonly added at home include gravies and Alfredo sauce. According to the Mayo Clinic, packaged foods to avoid include those with ingredients labeled hydrolyzed vegetable protein, modified food starch and vegetable gum.
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