GLUTEN FREE FOOD LIST

There are numerous reasons to adopt a gluten-free diet. Among those who necessarily must adhere to a strict diet free of gluten are sufferers of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. Some doctors believe the diet may also be beneficial to those who suffer from multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders, as well as autism spectrum disorders, and even ADHD.

The natural first question, then, is what foods should be avoided? Generally, the mixture of proteins known as gluten is found in all products derived from wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. Professional opinions vary on whether oats can be tolerated by patients, but the Coeliac Society sternly advises against their inclusion in a gluten free diet.

Thus, all breads and pastas are ruled out. Avoiding these foods, however, can lead to a shortage of necessary protein in a diet. Luckily, there are alternative sources of protein that gluten-free foods will list as ingredients. In can be difficult, especially in this country, to track down gluten-free foods that are accurately labeled. The most frequent substitutes for protein are:

- corn
- potatoes
- rice
- tapioca (which comes from the cassava plant)
- various types of bean, soybean, and nut flours

The following, though less frequently found, can also be used as alternative sources of starch and grains:

- amaranth
- arrowroot
- millet
- montina
- lupine
- quinoa
- sorghum (jowar)
- sweet potato
- taro
- teff
- yam

And, despite its incriminating name, pure buckwheat is not related to wheat. But be careful, since many commercial buckwheat variations are in fact mixtures of buckwheat and normal wheat flours, and therefore not acceptable for inclusion on a list of gluten free foods.