- Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. The two main classes of proteins found in gluten are gliadins and glutenins.
- The three distinct gluten-related disorders are celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
- Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which damage to the small intestines occurs with the ingestion of gluten-containing foods.
- Wheat allergy occurs when a person’s immune system overreacts to a protein in wheat causing hives, digestive upset, stuffy nose, headaches, asthma and even anaphylaxis.
- Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a disorder that’s not easily diagnosed. It’s a disorder of exclusion, meaning the person does not have celiac disease or wheat allergy, but digestive or other systemic symptoms are triggered when ingesting gluten-containing foods.
Nutrition Information
When adjusting your diet, focus on incorporating a variety of whole foods in your diet that contain the nutrients you’re missing due to eliminating gluten.
- Gluten containing foods are rich in fiber, manganese, selenium, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus, and copper. If eliminating gluten from your diet, use a variety of these foods as alternatives:
- Fiber: beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, buckwheat, millet, oats, teff, amaranth, sorghum, quinoa, cornmeal
- Manganese: teff, rice bran, oats, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes
- Selenium: Brazil nuts, pork, turkey, lamb, chicken, beef, fish, mollusks, nuts, seeds, eggs
- Thiamin: nuts, seeds, legumes, chicken, pork, tomatoes, cornmeal, oats, peanuts
- Niacin: turkey, salmon, peanuts, chicken, tuna, pork, lamb, beef, buckwheat
- Phosphorus: pork, beef, poultry, fish, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy products, gluten-free grains
- Copper: liver, sesame seeds, oysters, soybeans, cashews, lentils, sunflower seeds
Reading Labels
Avoid barley, barley malt, bulgur, couscous, durum, einkorn, emmer, farina, kamut, semolina, rye, rye berries, spelt, triticale, wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat berries, wheat flour, and wheat pasta. This list is not all inclusive.
If strictly avoiding gluten, purchase gluten-free oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but cross contact may occur in the field, during transportation or storage as well as during processing.
Alternatives and Suggested Products
Suggested products include:
- Bob’s Red Mill
- Canyon Bakehouse
- Glutino
- Ian’s
- Mary’s Gone Crackers
- Pamela’s
NOTE: Always double check the allergy statement on any products you purchase. Food manufacturers may change their ingredients at any time.
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