A gluten free diet is one that does not include foods that contain the
protein known as gluten. Gluten can be found in wheat, malts, rye,
triticale, and barley. It is commonly used as an additive in foods to add
more flavor, to thicken foods, to stabilize foods, and is often labeled as
"dextrin". A diet free from gluten is the only type of treatment that has
been medically accepted for the condition of celiac disease, wheat allergies,
and dermatitis herpetiformis.
In some cases, a gluten free diet may not include oats. The medical
community is not sure whether or not oats irritate celiac disease patients,
or if they cause issues because of cross contamination in processing
facilities.
The phrase "gluten free" is used to indicate either a complete lack, or a
miniscule amount of gluten. In most cases, gluten free means there is a
harmless amount of the protein since a complete absence is unlikely. For
the most part, consumption of fewer than 10mg of gluten on a daily basis is
unlikely to cause any allergic reactions or problems in gluten sensitive
patients. Starting on a gluten free diet does not have to be difficult, and you do not
need to feel deprived. Some basic guidelines can help you through the
process.
The first step to switching your way of eating is to focus on foods you know
you can have. These include vegetables and fruits, fruit juices, plain milk
that has not flavored, unflavored teas, coffee beans, eggs, corn, potatoes,
nuts, legumes, beans, oils, and meats and fish that are not coated, breaded,
process, or marinated. You can also safely add herbs and spices, since
these are quite flavorful and are completely gluten free.
Although the above mentioned grains need to be avoided, there are some
grains that are safe, and gluten free. These include: Montina, Rice, Teff,
Amaranth, Sorghum, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Corn, and Soy (but not soy sauce
that is made from wheat).
There are also a variety of gluten free flours that can be used to make
baked goods, food coatings, and other food products. This flour is made
from gluten free grains that have been ground into flour, as well as nuts,
beans, potatoes, and tapioca. Today, gluten free flour can easily be found
in most supermarkets, as well as health food stores. Since the gluten free
lifestyle is growing in popularity, there are also a number of gluten free baking
mixes to make cakes, muffins, breads, cookies, and the like, as well as
readymade gluten free food products such as bagels, pizza, and tortillas.