16077 Gluten Free Diet
Document Description: Foods that are safe, questionable and those that should be avoided for those on a gluten intolerant or have celiac disease
Gluten Free Diet
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which eating gluten causes damage in the small intestine and nutrients cannot be absorbed normally. The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten free diet. If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, it is important to follow a strict gluten free diet for the rest of your life.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. People with celiac disease must stop eating these grains as well as any products made from these grains for the rest of their lives to heal the damaged small intestine and keep it healthy.
What foods can I eat on a Gluten Free Diet?
Many foods can still be enjoyed on a gluten free diet. Naturally gluten free foods include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Meats, poultry, and seafood (made without gluten containing breading, spices, or marinades)
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Beans, legumes, unseasoned nuts, and seeds
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Rice
- Oats (if labeled gluten free)
What foods should I avoid on a Gluten Free Diet?
All foods that contain wheat, rye, barley, and any products made from these grains should be avoided on a gluten free diet. Common foods that contain gluten include:
- Breads
- Pasta
- Noodles
- Beer
- Flour tortillas
- Pastries, cakes, cookies, and pies
- Pancakes and waffles
- Pizza
- Cereal
- Croutons
- Crackers
- Breaded meats such as chicken tenders
- Anything that contains wheat as an ingredient or malt or malt flavoring as an ingredient (because this is derived from barley)
Hidden Sources of Gluten
Gluten can be found as an ingredient in many common items such as:
- Communion wafers
- Soups
- Gravies and sauces
- Soy sauce
- Marinades
- Salad dressings
- Processed meats such as sausage
- Some medications or dietary supplements
Lip balms and cosmetics
Cross Contact
Cross contact occurs when a gluten free food comes in contact with a gluten containing ingredient or food. Cross-contact can occur when storing and preparing foods and eating out at restaurants, social gatherings, or others’ homes. Some common sources of cross-contact are: toasters (where gluten containing breads have been prepared), condiments (such as shared butter, peanut butter, mayonnaise, jelly, etc. that have been used on gluten containing foods with a knife that has been put back in the jar with crumbs on it), fryers in restaurants (where gluten containing items have been fried in the same oil as items that should be gluten free), cutting boards, and grills. Even a few crumbs of gluten can cause damage to the intestine for people with celiac disease, so it is important to make sure that all food items are completely gluten free. There is no “safe” amount of gluten that can be eaten for people with celiac disease.
Tips for Traveling and Dining Out on a Gluten Free Diet
- Plan ahead. Choose a restaurant that has a gluten free menu. Read reviews from others with celiac disease who have dined there before. Call the restaurant to ask questions and make sure that they are able to accommodate a gluten free diet.
- Briefly inform the server or host that you have celiac disease and require gluten free foods. Discuss that it is important that your food is completely gluten free.
- Ask lots of questions. Ask how foods are prepared, if there are any gluten containing ingredients in the dish you are ordering, if your meal will have contact with gluten containing items in the kitchen, etc.
- Try to stick with foods that are naturally gluten free such as plain meats, vegetables, fruits, rice, and baked potatoes.
Other Resources
- Beyond Celiac: https://www.beyondceliac.org/
- Celiac Disease Foundation: https://celiac.org/
- National Celiac Association: https://nationalceliac.org/
- Gluten Free Watchdog: https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/
- Gluten Free Scanner App for Apple and Android: https://scanglutenfree.com/
Label Reading
- Ingredients that must be avoided:
- Wheat: including all varieties such as spelt, kamut, einkorn, emmer, durum, graham, triticale and semolina
- Barley: including all forms such as malt, malt flavoring, malt syrup, malt extract, malt vinegar (note: all other vinegars are safe)
- Rye
- Oats are considered a questionable ingredient on a gluten free diet because there is high risk of cross contact with gluten. Generally it’s recommended to only eat oats if they are specifically labeled gluten free. A small percentage of people with celiac disease react to pure oats, so consider discussing with your healthcare provider first.
- All products labeled “Gluten Free” must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. For people with celiac disease or any kind of gluten sensitivity, this rule helps to ensure that products labeled “gluten free” meet a distinct standard for gluten content.
- Labeling a product as “Gluten Free” is voluntary, so there may be some products that are technically gluten free, but are not labeled as such.
- It should also be noted that wheat free does not necessarily mean gluten free.
It is important to know how to properly identify gluten on food labels. Below is a list of foods that are safe choices on a gluten free diet, foods that may contain gluten, and foods that should be avoided on a gluten free diet.
|
FOODS |
SAFE CHOICES |
QUESTIONABLE |
AVOID |
|
Grains/ Flours |
Amaranth, arrowroot, bean flours (such as garbanzo or fava bean flour), buckwheat, corn (maize) or cornstarch, flax, Job’s tears, millet, potato, quinoa, ragi, rice, sorghum, soybean (soya), tapioca, teff |
Carob-soy flour, buckwheat pancake mixes (often contains wheat flour), pure uncontaminated oats |
Wheat (bulghur, couscous, durum, farina, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt, triticale, wheat germ), rye, barley, oats (except pure, uncontaminated oats), low gluten flour. |
|
Cereals – Hot/dry |
Cream of rice, cream of buckwheat, hominy, gluten- free dry cereals, grits |
Puffed rice or corn cereals |
Those with wheat, rye, oats (except pure, uncontaminated), barley, barley malt, malt flavoring, wheat germ, bran |
|
Potatoes, Rice, Starch |
Any plain potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams, all types of plain rice, rice noodles, 100% buckwheat soba noodles, gluten-free pasta, polenta, hominy, corn tortillas, parsnips, yucca, turnips |
Check labels for commercial potato or rice products with seasoning packets |
Battered or deep-fried French fries (unless no other foods have been fried in the same oil), pasta, noodles, wheat starch, stuffing, flour tortillas, croutons |
|
Crackers, Chips, Popcorn |
Rice wafers or other gluten- free crackers, rice cakes; plain corn chips, tortilla chips or potato chips, plain popcorn |
Flavored chips |
Crackers, graham crackers, rye crisps, matzo, croutons |
|
Desserts |
Sorbet, popsicles, Italian ice |
Check labels on ice cream and pudding. |
Ice cream with bits of cookies, “crispies”, pretzels, etc; pie crust, cookies, cakes, ice cream cones, and pastries made from gluten-containing flours |
|
Milk/Yogurt |
Any plain, unflavored milk or yogurt, buttermilk, cream, half and half |
Flavored milks or yogurts |
Malted milk, yogurts with added “crunchies” or toppings |
|
Cheese |
Cheese, processed cheese (i.e. American), cottage cheese |
Cheese spreads or sauces |
|
|
Eggs |
All types of plain, cooked eggs |
Eggs benedict (sauce usually made with wheat flour) |
Omelets prepared with flour to thicken the batter |
|
Meat, Fish, Shellfish, Poultry |
Any fresh, plain untreated meat, fish, shellfish or poultry; fish canned in brine, vegetable broth or water |
Commercially treated, preserved, or marinated meats, luncheon meats, fish, shellfish |
Breaded or battered meats |
|
Beans/ Legumes |
Any plain frozen, fresh, dried, or canned (no flavorings or sauces added): garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, edamame, lima, black beans, etc |
Check labels for added ingredients--sauces may have gluten |
|
|
Soy Products and Meat Analogs or Alternatives |
Plain tempeh, tofu, edamame |
Check labels on miso, soy sauce, seasoned tofu and tempeh, meat analogs (imitation meat substitutes), imitation seafood |
Seitan; 3-Grain Tempeh |
|
Nuts/Seeds |
Any plain (salted or unsalted) nuts, seeds or nut butters, coconut |
Dry roasted nuts (check with manufacturer- may dust with flour during processing) |
Nut butters with gluten containing ingredients |
|
Fruits, Juices |
Any plain fresh, canned, frozen fruits or juices, plain dried fruit |
Pie fillings |
Dried fruit dusted with flour |
|
Vegetables |
Any plain, fresh, canned or frozen vegetables including corn, peas, lima beans, etc. |
|
Vegetables in gluten containing sauce or gravy |
|
Soups |
Homemade soups with known allowed ingredients |
Check labels on all commercial soups |
|
|
Condiments, Jams, Syrups |
Ketchup, mustard, salsa, wheat-free soy sauce, mayonnaise, vinegar (except malt vinegar), jam, jelly, honey, pure maple syrup, molasses |
Check labels on soy sauce, salad dressings, commercial sauces, soup base, marinades, coating mixes |
Malt vinegar |
|
Seasonings, Flavorings |
Any plain herb or spice, salt, pepper, brown or white sugar, Equal®, Sweet-N-Low®, Splenda® |
Seasoning mixes, bouillon |
|
|
Fats |
Butter, margarine, all pure vegetable oils, mayonnaise, cream |
Check labels on salad dressings, sandwich spread |
|
|
Baking Ingredients |
Yeast, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, regular chocolate baking chips |
|
See grains/flours; Check label on grain sweetened, carob or vegan chocolate chips |
|
Beverages |
Coffee, tea, pure cocoa powder, sodas, milk |
Check labels on flavored instant coffee mixes (such as swiss mocha, cappuccino); herbal teas, soy or rice drinks (may contain barley malt or rice syrup) |
Malted beverages |
|
Alcohol |
Wine, all distilled liquor including vodka, tequila, gin, rum, whiskey and pure liqueurs, gluten-free beers |
Drink mixes |
Beer, ale, lager |
|
Candies |
Check labels- many are gluten- free |
|
Candy from bulk food bins Licorice |