Gluten Intolerance: Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid

There are many reasons for people to choose to omit gluten from their diets. It may be avoided by few people due to their diet preferences or medical conditions.

Gluten is a group of proteins present in foods like wheat, rye, and barley. Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance are among few gluten intolerance diseases.

People who are gluten intolerant may experience bloating, gas, diarrhea, anemia, etc.

Therefore, here are some foods that you can safely eat, and you must avoid if you are gluten intolerant.

Gluten Intolerance: Foods to Avoid 

According to the doctors at mayo Clinic, gluten intolerance can be described as the body's inability to digest or breakdown the proteins present in wheat and other food grains.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, gluten-containing foods can damage the small intestine and must be avoided at all cost.

Grains Containing Gluten 

The grains that contain gluten include rye, wheat, barley, farina, spelt, wheat berries, etc. Oatmeal naturally is gluten free but may be contaminated with gluten during its processing. Therefore, you must be careful while purchasing it from the market.

According to the US NIH, the responses to the gluten-containing wheat includes rhinitis, baker's ashtma and contact urticaria.

Certain Breads, Wraps and Biscuits 

Most of the breads, wraps and biscuits available in the market contain gluten, and we do not realise while we buy them. It is advised to read the ingredient list on the back of the packets to avoid any harmful effects of gluten intolerance.

The products under this category that contain gluten include white bread, potato bread, rye bread, whole wheat wraps and bread, flour tortillas, wheat crackers, bagel, etc.

Processed Foods 

Gluten is also used in certain processed foods like cheese, burgers, lunch meats, canned soups, ice creams, breakfast cereals, hot dogs, french fries, flavored tofu, etc.

According to the NCBI, gluten is used to increase the elasticity of doughs, to provide the puffiness and chewy characteristics to certain foods.

Sauces, cheese, pasta,and ice- creams have gluten in the form of stabilising agents.

These foods can increase the risk of gluten-sensitive enteropathy, gluten ataxia, wheat allergy, non-celiac gluten intolernace, dermatitis herpetiformis, etc.

Certain Beverages 

Certain beverages that we tend to enjoy on a daily basis also contain gluten which can lead to bloating, abdominal pain, discomfort in stomach, etc.

The gluten containing drinks include premade coffee drinks, wine coolers, beer, chocolate milk, drink mixes, etc.

Gluten Intolernace: Foods to Eat

After going through the list of gluten containing foods, you may feel that most of the foods are off limits for you, and what can you consume if so many items are off limits?

Don't worry, there are items that are healthy, tasty and naturally gluten-free. These foods include:

Gluten-Free Grains 

Most of the grains contain gluten and are off limits for people with the condition of gluten intolerance but few grains that are naturally gluten free include quinoa, sorghum, millet, oats, corn, teff, brown rice.

According to the Pubmed Central these grains have several health benefits. For instance, quinoa is rich in proteins and prevents diseases, sorghum reduces oxidative stress, risk of chronic diseases and maintains the blood sugar levels.

Fruits and Vegetables 

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be consumed by people with gluten-intolerance. These foods are naturally gluten free, but you must read the labels if you buy frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. Pre-prepared smoothies, dried fruit may also contain gluten.

Juices and Sodas 

According to the FDA, beverages like sodas, juices and sports drinks are gluten-free. According to the FDA, even wine contains less than 20 parts of gluten per million parts but wines with added flavours and colourings might contain gluten.

Alcoholic drinks containing hard liquor, distilled liquor and hard ciders are also gluten free. You can find few gluten-free beers in some markets as well.

Other Gluten Free Foods 

Healthy sources of fats that do not contain gluten include unprocessed cheese, avocado oil, olive oil, yogurt, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.

If you need seasonings that are gluten-free as well. You can choose among the following foods like apple cider vinegar, salsa, pesto, basil, cilantro, rosemary, mustard, tahini, hummus, etc.

Animal proteins like fish, eggs, meat, poultry, shell fish and dairy products also contain no gluten.