How to Follow a Gluten Free Diet
A gluten-free diet is often prescribed to people with celiac disease, and those who are allergic to the gluten protein and grains such as wheat. It is challenging to follow a gluten-free diet because it is difficult to consume the recommended servings of grains by eating conventional bread. However, it is possible to follow a gluten-free diet and still meet the recommended dietary requirements.
Tips For You
- Eliminate most grains from your diet; wheat, barley and rye are not allowed. All flours are prohibited, except for flours that are made from rice, potatoes or nuts. Do not eat any breaded foods.
- Avoid cereal. Cereals that are made from rice are allowed, but make sure that the cereal has not come into contact with wheat or any other substances that are not allowed.
- Do not eat pasta, other than gluten-free pasta that's made from rice.
- Examine food ingredients carefully. This poses a challenge, particularly when eating out, but gluten is often an ingredient in sauces, salad dressings and even soy sauce. If you are eating out, you need to know exactly what is in the food that you eat, and how it is prepared.
- Do not eat food that is cooked with, or around, gluten. For example, your scrambled eggs will be contaminated with gluten if they were scrambled on the same grill as French toast.
- Substitute grains containing gluten with a gluten-free alternative, like buckwheat. Gluten-free breads are sold in some health-food stores. The packaging should state that the food is gluten-free, so that you can be sure it has not been contaminated with gluten during processing.
