Gluten Intolerance Food List: What to Avoid and What to Eat
“Gluten free” is becoming quite a diet word these days, so let’s dig into this a bit more and explore why being a gluten free is important and how it plays an important role in our lives. Gluten is the protein found in wheat and some other grains. Gluten damages the gut lining and increase intestinal permeability.
Avoiding gluten is one of the top to – do’s for managing many auto – immune diseases such as chronic fatigue, neurological disorders, nutrient deficiencies, anaemia, nausea, skin rashes, depression and more. However, if you think you might have gluten sensitivity, it’s better to see a doctor before you go gluten free.
Gluten Intolerance - What to avoid and what to eat?
If you have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, it is important to know what foods contain gluten and what foods are safe. Fortunately most Indian foods are naturally gluten – free, so you can enjoy them as a part of modified diet. Not all Indian foods are safe, so learning more about what ingredients they contain and how they are cooked will help you make the best choices of your health.
Cutting out gluten from your diet may seem like a difficult and limiting task. Fortunately, there are many healthy and delicious foods that are naturally gluten free.
- All varieties of grains are an important part of healthy diet such as rice, millets, corn, buckwheat, quinoa, sorghum/jowar, ragi, bajra, soya gram, chickpea flour, green lentil (moong) dal flour and all lentil flours.
- All fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free. Low in calories, fat & sodium and delivering a variety of vitamins & minerals Fruits & vegetables are a great source of anti-oxidants.
- All varieties of proteins such as Red Meat (fresh beef, pork, lamb, goat, bison, duck etc.) Poultry (fresh chicken and turkey). Seafood (fresh fish, scallops, lobster) Beans, Nuts & seeds are safe to eat.
- Dairy products such as milk, butter, yogurt and hard unprocessed cheese.
- Sauce, spices & condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, dry spices, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, malt vinegar. It’s best to look for specifically labelled gluten – free spices or check with the manufacturer.
- Many sweets and desserts are made with wheat flour or other ingredients with gluten. Sweets that are usually safe are Chocolates, Hard Candy & Gum sweets, Ice- cream, Gelato, Frozen Yogurt.
Many foods that are processed and available for purchase contain a lot of gluten, which is essentially unhealthy for you.
- If you're not sure if your bread, crackers, pasta and other grain-based products are gluten-free then avoid products such as Wheat (rava/sooji, maida, seviyan) Barley, Rye, Oats.
- Baked goods made of flour and wheat such as bread, pasta, cereals. Muffins, bagels, cookies and cakes.
- Products cooked in the same oil as gluten containing products.
- Avoid grain based deserts such as cookies, cakes, brownies, pie, pastries, cheesecake etc.,
- Barley malt, chicken broth, Malt vinegar, salad dressing, veggie burgers and many common condiments & seasoning contain gluten and cause problems for those who are gluten intolerant.
In conclusion, eating healthy and gluten free can be a bit challenging. Remember to make sure you are getting plenty of whole grains in your diet. Also, consider replacing wheat based products with healthier vegetable products, unprocessed, fresh, whole foods to maintain a healthy balanced gluten free diet.
