Health & Gluten-free Diets

If you are allergic to, or intolerant of, gluten, eliminating gluten from your diet and going completely gluten-free is essential to maintain good overall health. A gluten-free diet means eliminating many of the foods belonging to the grain food group including whole grains, which may deprive you of some important nutrients. However, a balanced and healthy gluten-free diet can be nutritionally adequate.

Avoiding Gluten

Gluten is a term referring to a type of protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is present in so many foods that it may seem impossible to eliminate it from your diet. Gluten causes problems in people with celiac disease because they cannot digest it. Those who are gluten sensitive, or have gluten intolerance, simply cannot tolerate it. Bread, bagels, muffins, cookies, pasta, breakfast cereals and granola bars are almost always made with wheat or other gluten-containing flours. Wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients may also be present in trace amounts in many foods in which you would not suspect it such as soy sauce, marinades, salad dressings, breading, texturized vegetable protein and barbecue sauces. Carefully reading the ingredient list or opting for foods that are certified to be gluten-free is important to completely rid your diet of gluten.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease affects 1 out of every 133 Americans, making it twice as prevalent as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and cystic fibrosis combined, according to the University of Maryland Celiac Research Center. People diagnosed with celiac disease may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, malnutrition, weight loss and chronic fatigue when exposed to even the tiniest amounts of gluten. Although some celiacs do not experience a lot of problems when eating gluten, eating gluten always causes damage to the lining of the intestines in celiacs and increases the risk of potentially life-threatening conditions, including an increased likelihood of developing some cancers. There is no cure for celiac disease. The only treatment is following a gluten-free diet for a lifetime.

Gluten Intolerance

Gluten intolerance has been ignored for years because it does not lead to the same intestinal damages observed in people with celiac disease. However, it is now recognized that 6 percent of Americans, or about 18 million, are sensitive to gluten, according to information provided in 2011 from the University of Maryland Medical Center. Gluten sensitivity can lead to numerous health problems, including abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, tingling in the extremities and a foggy mind. Many patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and children affected by ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, may be intolerant to gluten and their conditions could benefit from a gluten-free diet. Following a gluten-free diet can help gluten sensitive people improve the quality of their lives and overall health.

Healthy Gluten-Free Carbohydrates

To follow a nutritionally sound gluten-free diet, it is best not to rely too much on gluten-free alternatives to bread, crackers, breakfast cereals, pasta and other grain-based foods. The gluten-free alternatives are often made with rice flour or a blend of gluten-free flours that do not provide a lot of nutrition, except for a high amount of carbohydrates that will spike your blood sugar levels. To get the nutrients your diet is missing by eliminating gluten-containing whole grains, include generous servings of vegetables, especially non-starchy vegetables, and whole fruits to your diet. These foods are naturally gluten-free and provide an abundance of health-protective nutrients such as fiber, healthy carbohydrates and all types of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Quinoa, sweet potatoes, winter squash and brown basmati rice can be your main sources of healthy gluten-free carbohydrates.

Balancing Your Gluten-Free Diet with Protein and Fat

Include protein, from chicken, fish, meat, eggs or cheese, and healthy fats, from olive oil, avocado, nuts and nut butter, at most of your meals to balance your diet. Choose fresh ingredients and avoid processed foods, especially foods that are marinated, breaded, seasoned or in sauce, to avoid contaminating your diet with gluten.