A gluten-free diet is one that does not include the protein gluten. Gluten is contained in grain foods including barley, rye and wheat. A gluten-free diet is used to celiac disease, a condition in which the small intestines become inflamed by gluten. Choosing gluten-free foods can help you improve and control symptoms of this condition that include stomach cramping and pains, irregular bowels and nausea. Similarly, dairy products may cause problems for some people. You may need to avoid dairy because of allergies or because you are lactose intolerant.
Grains
There are some foods that you must always avoid if you need to avoid gluten. These include many grain products that specifically always contain the protein gluten. Specific grains to avoid include wheat, barley, rye, farina, graham flour, durum, bulgur, kamut, spelt, tritiacle, semolina and matzo meal. Alternative grains to choose include quinoa, rice and oat bran.
Dairy Foods To Avoid
If you have to avoid dairy products, you must avoid cow's milk, goat's milk, cow's and goat's cheese, ricotta cheese, butter and cottage cheese. In addition, many commercial baked goods, frozen dinners and packaged foods, such as chips, granola bars, and dips and spreads may be hidden sources of dairy. According to FoodReference.com, you can switch to similar products. Soy options, which are dairy-free, include soy cheese and soy milk. You can also find many processed meat replacements and pasta varieties that are made from soy. In addition, other nondairy products include almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk and almond cheese.
Other Foods With Gluten
Some foods may contain gluten because they have been contaminated or processed in facilities that produce foods with gluten. These foods include beer, candies, cakes, pies, cereals, cookies, crackers, oats, pastas and soups. Always check labels to see if these foods are gluten-free.
