Sunday, January 9, 2022

What to avoid when going gluten-free

If you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you have most likely been told to completely eliminate wheat from your diet. The same may hold true for ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines and infertility. The problem with wheat is that it contains gluten-a protein that is also found in many other grains. Even in patients who have not been diagnosed with Celiac, ingesting gluten can lead to gastrointestinal disorders which can trigger anemia, malnutrition, weight loss, mood swings, lactose intolerance and a variety of other complaints. Avoiding gluten is difficult, but it is becoming easier as more food manufacturers create gluten-free products. Be sure to purchase foods labeled "gluten-free" or bear the gluten-free logo. Being "wheat-free" just isn't good enough. Many other grains contain gluten. Here is a list of safe grains and a list of those to avoid:

WHAT IS SAFE

• Rice

• Potato

• Corn

• Buckwheat

• Unprocessed oats

• Quinoa

• Tapioca

• Yam

• Teff

• Amaranth

• Arrowroot flour

• Gelatin

• Xanthan gum

• Guar gum

• Sorghum

WHAT TO AVOID

• Wheat

• Rye

• Barley

• Spelt

• Processed oats

• Bulgar

• Farina

• Semolina

• Malt

• Couscous

• Durum

• Kamut

• Einkorn

• Farro 

Packaged processed foods can be particularly bothersome to check. Even if a product seems to be safe, there may still be hidden gluten or the product was manufactured on equipment that also manufactures items containing gluten. Avoiding the following terms will help weed out gluten from your diet: stabilizer, starch, flavoring, emulsifier, hydrolyzed and plant protein.

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