What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It gives strength and elasticity to bread and baked goods.  That means gluten is found in most breads, buns, rolls, pizza, cookies, crackers, cereal, cakes, bars, pies, pastas. . .you get the idea. Gluten also hides under different names so prepackaged foods, processed foods, and restaurant food should send up a red flag unless you’ve studied the ingredient list thoroughly.

What's the Problem with Gluten?

For those with celiac disease, gluten causes the lining of the small intestine to be destroyed.  This causes malabsorption of nutrients, and therefore, a host of potential health problems. 

Other people have gluten intolerance.  Similar to celiac disease, the immune system of the gluten sensitive person reacts when gluten is ingested.  The gluten protein is attacked by the immune system as a toxin or invader.  This can result in extensive damage to the body, creating symptoms that affect digestion, mood, heart, liver, thyroid, fertility, brain function, and joints. 

For me personally, gluten causes depression, digestive problems, acne, canker sores, and worsening PMS symptoms.  It is pretty severe, so I am highly motivated to avoid it!!!

Gluten intolerance is extremely common, affecting conservatively 20% of the population.  Yet only 5% of the millions suffering know that their health problems are caused by gluten.  Until recently, gluten sensitivity was questioned as a condition.  But it is now clear that it is a valid condition affecting a greater number of individuals than previously thought. 

So, now what can I eat?

I like to think on the postive side of things, so let's look at what we CAN eat, instead of looking at what we have to avoid.  If you need to avoid gluten, here is a list of gluten free foods:

Gluten Free Grains and Flours

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot flour
• Beans
• Buckwheat
• Chickpea or Garbanzo Bean Flour
• Corn
• Lentil
• Millet
• Nut Flours, such as Almond Flour
• Potato flour
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sorghum
• Soy
• Sweet Potato
• Tapioca flour
• Teff
• Yucca root flour

Gluten Free Pasta

• Tinkyada Brand Rice Pasta
• Rice Pasta in ethnic grocery stores
• Quinoa pasta

Gluten Free Bread (These are my favorites)

• Udi's Bread
• Chebe bread Mix (can use to make rolls, breadsticks, pizza crust, etc…)
• Rudi's Bread
• China Black Rice Bread by Food For Life

Fruits and Vegetables

• All are gluten free, unless they are floured or breaded, or in flour-thickened sauces

Proteins, Legumes

• All meats, fish, eggs, and beans are gluten free, unless floured or breaded or in flour thickened sauces

Avoid These Foods that Contain Gluten:

Grains and Flours

• Wheat Flour
• White or Enriched Flour and anything made with it
• Barley
• Rye
• Oats (unless certified "Gluten-Free")
• Wheat germ
• Wheat bran
• Spelt
• Kamut
• Semolina
• Triticale
• Durum
• Graham
• Farina

Other Foods:

• Soy Sauce (Use Tamari instead)
• Gravies or Soups thickened with flour
• Bread made from white, enriched, or wheat flour
• Rye Bread
• Pasta made from semolina, wheat, or enriched flour
• Cookies, Cakes, Crackers, etc…made from white or wheat flour
• Couscous
• Some Alcohol (Beer, some Vodka, Whiskey, etc…)
• Breaded foods
• Barley Malt
• Wheat bran or wheat germ
• Barley Grass
• Wheat Grass

*Oats themselves do not contain gluten. The problem is with the manufacturing process – most oats are processed in facilities that also process wheat. There are companies that produce oats without the wheat contamination.

So, How Do I Eat Gluten Free?

Cut back on things made with flour and grains.  In general, most people overeat starches and grains, which can lead to many health problems.  When you eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut the bread/grains down to only 1 serving a day, it makes eating gluten free much easier. 

Read labels!  Even at health food stores.  Make sure it's really gluten free.  I get around this one by avoiding most packaged gluten free foods….many of them taste terrible anyway.  I prepare most of my meals from scratch using fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, etc…

I typically keep gluten free bread on hand (the brands listed above) for sandwiches, toast, etc…because I don't bake gluten free bread from scratch.  It's much easier to make pancakes, waffles, muffins, and quick breads gluten free, but sandwich bread can be tricky to make gluten free, especially with all those strange ingredients they typically call for. 

Cook large batches of brown rice, quinoa, or millet to have on hand for the week.  They can be used in many different dishes and even made into hot cereal. 

There is life beyond gluten! 

Need more Gluten Free Recipes? 

All of the recipes on this website are gluten free, as well as all of the ones in my cookbook, Vibrant Health. 

What is one of your biggest challenges eating gluten free?

This post is linked to: Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Revival, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, Better Mom, Delightfully Dowling Real Food Freaks, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Not Just a Housewife, Mandy's Recipe Box, Real Food Forager, It's a Blog Party, Delicious Obsessions

**********************************

Becky Mauldin, N.D. is a Naturopath, teacher, speaker, and author.  She has authored two gluten-free cookbooks, Vibrant Health and Recipes for Life. Her story of recovery from an incurable illness has inspired many people around the world. She is known for making a healthy diet achievable for real people and real life.

Connect with her on Facebook and let her know what you think of this post. 

********************************