You must follow a gluten-free diet if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, and you may consider it if you have a gluten intolerance or want to see if a gluten-free diet will make you feel better, as it does for some people. Regardless of the reason, going gluten-free is a matter of removing the gluten-filled products from your diet and replacing them with other foods. When dining out, you may want to call ahead to see if they can accommodate a gluten-free diet. Also, check the websites of your favorite restaurants to see if they have gluten-free options available. Read labels carefully when grocery shopping, as gluten has found its way into many products you might not consider. Be willing to be creative, try new foods and be patient with yourself.
Foods to Avoid
On a gluten-free diet, there are several gluten-containing grains you need to avoid. Do not eat anything with wheat or white flour. Other grains with gluten include rye, barley, bulgur, couscous, durum, graham flour, kamut, matzo, seitan, semolina, spelt and triticale. You'll also need to check the ingredients on products like cakes, cookies, bread, croutons, gravies, soups, pastas, salad dressings and sauces. Some products need to be specifically labeled as gluten-free or else you risk contamination. Products like oats, beer, candy, imitation crab, imitation meats and lunch meats may contain gluten if they do not state otherwise. Lipstick, vitamins, medicine, play dough and toothpaste may also contain gluten, so check the labels.
Safe Grains to Eat
Gluten-free grains include amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, corn, kasha, millet, quinoa, risotto, sorghum, tapioca, teff and rice. Going gluten-free is a good excuse for experimenting with new grains. Try amaranth or teff for breakfast and quinoa or millet for dinner. Breads, flours and snacks made from these grains are considered safe to eat. Oats are also gluten-free, but may have been cross-contaminated in wheat fields, so only eat them if they're specifically labeled as gluten-free.
Other Safe Foods
Gluten generally only affects grains, unless added to other foods. You should safely and easily be able to enjoy fish, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats, poultry and wine. Keep in mind that marinades, breading and batters probably contain gluten, so avoid these. Look for gluten-free alternatives in products such as breadcrumbs, bagels, beer and barbecue sauce. Check your grocery store for a gluten-free section, and look in health food stores and online for gluten-free products.
Menu Ideas
If you are used to a diet filled with gluten, you might feel overwhelmed when you have to exclude the grains you are familiar with. In time you will find you can easily adapt most recipes to make them gluten-free as well as find substitutes for foods that contain gluten. Replace your bread with gluten-free bread for toast, French toast, stuffing and sandwiches. Use gluten-free cereals for breakfast and try eggs, yogurt, smoothies and gluten-free granola. Use gluten-free mixes to make pancakes, brownies, cookies and pizza crust. Gluten-free crackers, salad dressing and croutons will make it easy to create lunches, snacks and dinner salads. Rice noodles, brown rice spaghetti and quinoa pasta are all alternatives for Asian or Italian meals. Replace flour tortillas with 100 percent corn tortillas for tacos or quesadillas. Choosing whole foods as often as possible, like fresh meats, steamed vegetables and wild rice, will eliminate the need for substitutions because these foods are naturally gluten-free.
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