Gluten-Free Grains
- Even though you need to avoid a few major grains on a gluten-free diet, you can still eat a variety of other grains that provide carbohydrates. Quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, millet, sorghum, buckwheat and most oats are all safe to eat on a gluten-free diet, according to Celiac.com. You can also have flours made from these grains and use them to bake breads and muffins, make pancakes and waffles or in place of a gluten-containing flour in recipes.
Fruits
- Whole fruit is another safe and nutritious way to get carbohydrates on a gluten-free diet. Fruits contains the carbs fructose, or fruit sugar, glucose and fiber in varying amounts. Additives may contain gluten, so long as the fruit is not in a syrup or sauce and has no added flavors or ingredients, it's safe to eat. Try incorporating bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries and berries into your diet for gluten-free carbs.
- Vegetables
- You can also safely eat vegetables as a carbohydrate source when following a gluten-free diet. Some vegetables provide more carbohydrates per serving than others. Starchy vegetables provide the most carbs and include potatoes, winter squash, beans, peas and corn, according to the University of Illinois Extension. In addition to starch, vegetables provide dietary fiber to help maintain your digestive health.
Dairy Products
- While not a rich source of carbohydrates, dairy products are naturally gluten-free and contain some sugar in the form of lactose, or milk sugar. You can drink milk or eat yogurt to get carbs from dairy. The total carbohydrate content of dairy products ranges from about 11 grams per serving to 17 grams per serving. If yogurt has added sugar or fruit, the carb content increases. Choosing low-fat versions of these foods helps you limit your calorie and saturated fat intake.
Sugars
- Sugars aren't something you should seek to include in your everyday diet, as eating a lot of them may lead to weight grain, dental problems and poor nutrition. The America Heart Association suggests men limit their added sugar intake to 9 teaspoons per day and women consume no more than 6 teaspoons per day. While sweeteners aren't the best for your health, they are gluten-free sources of carbohydrate. You can safely consume sugar, brown sugar, confectioners sugar, honey, maple syrup and agave on a gluten-free diet.
