What Does a Gluten Free Diet Mean?

What is left to eat on a gluten-free diet if you can’t eat processed foods or those made with barley, rye or wheat? You’ll be amazed that the diet of someone with Celiac disease can still be well-balanced. Rather than reaching for breads made from wheat, try potato bread. You can also eat rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat or bean flour.

Look for products which are specifically labeled “gluten-free” on them. Many companies are beginning to realize the vast number of people who need this type of product and they’re finally offering them. You can also purchase organic foods or order foods from specialty foods companies which can be found online.

If you’re having problems making heads or tails out of the labels on foods, don’t despair. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is working toward getting all food properly labeled. Beginning in 2006, FALCPA worked toward getting all food labels to clearly identify which foods contained wheat or other food allergens. Because of this act, you can look on food and other labels and supposedly know which ones contain gluten and which ones don’t.

What else can you do? Even though it may be more difficult for the entire family, you could begin to eat a gluten-free diet with the person who has been diagnosed. If you can’t completely switch over your entire family’s diet, you can do the following:
* Be careful not to prepare foods containing gluten in the same area as those without it. You may want to prepare gluten-free foods on one side of the kitchen and foods with gluten on the other side. The goal is to totally avoid contaminating the gluten-free foods with any type of gluten.
* When preparing food for someone on a gluten-free diet, start with a clean surface. Use clean pots, pans, bowls and utensils. You probably don’t have to use an entirely different set of dishes for gluten-free cooking unless someone has severe Celiac disease.
* Prepare gluten-free meals separately from those containing gluten. This will ensure there is no cross-contamination.
* Eat foods as close to natural or raw as possible. The fewer ingredients a food have the lower the chance of contamination.
* Look for hidden sources of gluten including: H.V.P – or hydrolyzed vegetable protein, H.P.P – hydrolyzed plant protein, malt or malt flavoring, modified wheat starch or other starches.
* Gluten can also be found in bouillon cubes, sliced luncheon meats, Worcestershire sauce, baking powder, salad dressing, soups or gravy bases, seasonings and soy sauce.

Luckily most foods containing gluten can be modified to meet a gluten-free diet. Look for cooking and baking ingredients which are specifically marked “gluten-free.” If you can find these in your local markets, you can modify nearly every recipe you can think of.

Gluten-free flours are used one-to-one when compared with normal wheat, barley or rye flours. There are some companies which specialize in gluten-free products and they are easy to find on the internet by doing a search for “gluten-free flour.” Of course, these companies offer other gluten-free products besides just flour, but flour is a common ingredient in many recipes so you’ll most likely want to get some.

Making sound choices when it comes to eating gluten free can be difficult to say the least but with a little investigating it doesn’t have to be. Do your research. Search out cookbooks, Internet sites and as your dietitian about eating gluten free and staying healthy.

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