Going Gluten Free

Transitioning to a gluten free and/or a dairy free lifestyle is not exactly easy and takes some effort.  Here is some useful information for you as you journey into your new lifestyle.

Grains allowed in a gluten free lifestyle:

Rice, Corn (Maize), Soy, Potato, Tapioca, Beans, Garfava, Sorghum, Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat, Arrowroot, Amaranth, Teff, Montina, Flax and Nut Flours.

Grains NOT allowed in a gluten free lifestyle:

Wheat (Einkorn, Durum, Faro, Graham, Kamut, Semolina, Spelt), Rye, Barley and Triticale.

Foods/products that may contain gluten:

Beer, Ales, Lager, Breading & Coating Mixes, Brown Rice Syrup, Communion Wafers, Croutons, Dressings, Drugs & Over-the-Counter Medications, Energy Bars, Flour & Cereal Products, Herbal Supplements, Imitation Bacon, Imitation Seafood, Marinades, Nutritional Supplements, Pastas, Processed Luncheon Meats, Sauces & Gravies, Self-basting Poultry, Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids, Soup Bases, Stuffing, Dressings, Thickeners (Roux), Vitamins & Mineral Supplements

How about alcohol:

Distilled alcoholic beverages and vinegars are gluten free. Distilled products do not contain any harmful gluten peptides. Research indicates that the gluten-peptide is too large to carry over in the distillation process. This process leaves the resultant liquid gluten free. Wine and hard liquor beverages are gluten free. Beers, ales, lagers and malt vinegars are NOT gluten free. Gluten-free beers are now available in the United States.

Always read the label:

The key to understanding the gluten-free diet is to become a good label reader. Don’t eat foods with labels that list questionable ingredients unless you can verify they do not contain or are not derived from prohibited grains. Labels must be read every time foods are purchased. Manufacturers can change ingredients at any time. As of 2006, wheat used in products is identified on the label.

Be a food detective:

Call First. You can verify ingredients by calling or writing a food manufacturer and specifying the ingredient and the lot number of the food in question. State your needs clearly – be patient, persistent and polite.

If in doubt, go without:

Don’t eat a food if you are unable to verify the ingredients or if the ingredient list is unavailable. Regardless of the amount eaten, if you have celiac disease, damage to the small intestine occurs every time gluten is consumed, whether symptoms are present or not.

Add one new food at a time:

When adding a food item to your diet, introduce only one new food at a time. Listen to your body for adverse reactions before trying a second new food item.

Wheat free is not gluten free:

Products labeled wheat free are not necessarily gluten free. They may still contain spelt, rye or barley-based ingredients that are not gluten free. Spelt is a form of wheat.

To your good health,

Dr. Susan