Gluten, a protein found in many grains, provides heft to breads and chewiness to pasta. It can be toxic to people with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition. If you have celiac disease, consuming gluten causes the villi in your small intestine to no longer absorb nutrients, resulting in digestive problems, skin rashes, weakness and other symptoms. The only treatment for celiac disease is a 100-percent gluten-free diet. To avoid adverse reactions and health issues, know which grains contain gluten so you can maintain your gluten-free diet plan. Always discuss dietary changes with your physician.
Wheat Types
People on gluten-free diets know to avoid wheat, but identifying this ingredient on food labels is not always easy. Abyssinian hard, dinkle, durum, einkorn, emmer, faro, spelt and kamut are all types of wheat. Semolina, a common ingredient in couscous and pasta, comes from the endosperm of durum wheat and contains gluten. Bran, the hard, outer layer of the wheat kernel, also contains gluten. Bulgur is a type of cereal made from wheat. All flours made from wheat contain gluten, including all-purpose, bleached, bread, enriched, high-gluten, graham and whole-wheat.
Barley
Barley is a gluten-containing grain often used in soup or, when malted, in beer and whiskey. You may find barley malt syrup or barley meal in processed foods such as cereals, granola bars and crackers. Pearl barley, barley grits and scotch barley can be found in health-food stores and some supermarkets.
Rye
Rye is a cereal grass that contains less gluten than wheat; the lower gluten level affects rye's capacity to help bread to rise. Because it still contains some gluten, rye is off-limits for those with gluten intolerance. Rye flour may be labeled medium rye flour, light rye flour, dark rye flour or pumpernickel.
Triticale
Triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye, contains gluten. Like rye, it contains less gluten than wheat but is still restricted for gluten-free dieters. Triticale comes in whole berry, flake and flour forms.
Oats and Gluten
Oats do not contain gluten, but many manufacturers process them on machinery that also processes wheat. Even the tiniest bit of gluten can cause problems for celiac patients, so oats are often off-limits for gluten-free dieters. If you consume oats prepared in a dedicated, gluten-free facility, you can tolerate up to 1 cup per day, according to the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.
