Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. If you have celiac disease, you need to follow a diet free of gluten-containing foods. Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten causes inflammation of your small intestines. Consuming gluten-free foods can help relieve and control these symptoms. Casein is another food that some people may need to avoid due to allergies, sensitivities, or other health conditions. Casein is an ingredient found in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, according to the National Institutes of Health. You may need to avoid specific foods and check ingredient labels to ensure you do not consume products with casein. However, there are many acceptable casein-free and gluten-free foods that you can consume.
Grains That Are Gluten-Free
Since gluten is a protein found in grain products, you must be cautious when purchasing and consuming grain foods. However, there are many gluten-free grains, including rice, amaranth, potato quinoa, buckwheat, and teff. You can also consume these grains in the form of flour to make pancakes, muffins, and breads. These grains are also free of casein, making them suitable for a casein-free diet. It is important to be aware that certain grains always contain gluten and must be avoided on a gluten-free diet. They include barley, durham, bulgar, graham flour, kamut, rye, matzo, farina, semolina, wheat, triticale, and spelt. You will have to avoid these grains and check the labels of foods in order to avoid consuming products containing these ingredients.
Other Foods That Are Gluten-Free
Other foods are safe to eat on a gluten-free diet since they contain no gluten. These foods are also casein-free. These include fruits and vegetables such as corn, broccoli, dark leafy greens, berries, apples, and bananas. Other foods include animal proteins such as poultry, meat, fish, and eggs. Some foods may be potential sources of gluten. You will have to check their labels for gluten or other ingredients that contain gluten before consuming them. The foods that may contain gluten include breads, pies, candies, beer, cookies, crackers, cakes, gravies, oats, and pastas. Other potential sources include soups, sauces, gravies, luncheon meats, and imitation seafood.
Casein-Free Milk Products
In order to avoid or eliminate casein in your diet, it is important to avoid dairy beverages such as milk. However, dairy alternatives do exist. Good choices include rice milk and oat milk. You can also purchase nut milks such as almond milk, hemp milk, and coconut milk.
Other Foods Free Of Casein And Gluten
Many specific brand name foods may offer you both gluten-free and casein-free foods, according to " Talk About Curing Autism.org". These include certain Gerber baby foods, specifically labelled bread mixes from Bob's Red Mill, Environkidz cereals, specific brands of mustard and sauces, Earth Balance spread, flax seed, Sunshine burgers, nut butters, coconut oil, olive oil, Amy's soups, and rice protein powder. It is important to know that labels and food ingredients may change at any time. Therefore, you must check ingredient labels on all foods before consuming them to ensure they are either gluten-free, casein-free, or both.
