Gluten is basically a compound protein, composed of proteins gliadin and glutenin. People sensitive to this component in the body cannot tolerate gluten when it comes in contact with small intestine, as it injures the inner surface of their small intestine and its lining. This injury further leads to abdominal cramps, bloating, diarrhea, gas, weight loss, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Often known as Celiac disease, it generally accompanies the genes that pass from generation to generation. Hence, if some of your near relative has suffered from this disease, there are chances that you might also suffer from it in future.
Mainly found in wheat, rye, and barley, gluten can lead to a problematic immune reaction in the small intestine, in people suffering from wheat or cereal allergy, hence an inability to absorb certain nutrients from food. If you are suffering from celiac disease or wheat allergy; the best bet would be to keep your diet gluten free. In other words, you need to banish all the gluten-containing products from your diet. This will heal the lining of intestine with time and improve your health as well. Go through the following lines and know how to be gluten free.
Gluten Free Diet
In the following lines, we have listed the food items that you should eat and the ones that you should avoid, in order to be gluten free.
Eat
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Bean flours
- Chia seed
- Fresh meat
- Fruits
- Fish
- Gluten free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato)
- Lupine
- Maize
- Millet
- Montina
- Most dairy products
- Nut flours
- Potatoes
- Products labeled 'gluten free'
- Poultry
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sorghum (jowar)
- Soybean flours
- Sweet potato
- Tapioca (derived from cassava)
- Taro
- Teff
- Vegetables
- Wine and distilled liquors, ciders and spirits
- Yam
Avoid
- Barley
- Beer
- Breads
- Buckwheat
- Bulgur
- Cakes and pies
- Candy
- Cereals
- Cookies
- Crackers
- Croutons
- Durham
- Farina
- Food additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others
- Graham flour
- Gravies
- Imitation meat or seafood
- Kamut
- Kasha
- Lipstick and lip balms
- Matzo meal
- Medications and vitamins with gluten as binding agent
- Oats
- Pasta
- Play dough
- Postage stamps
- Processed luncheon meats
- Rye
- Salad dressings
- Sauces (including soy sauce)
- Self-basting poultry
- Semolina
- Soups
- Spelt (a form of wheat)
- Toothpaste
- Triticale
- Wheat
Gluten Intolerance Symptoms
If you are suffering from the following symptoms, it means you have gluten intolerance and should switch over to a gluten-free diet.
- Upper repository tract problems (sustains, glue ear)
- Fatigue
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Mouth ulcers
- Anaemia
- Iron-deficiency anaemia
- Osteoporosis
- Weight loss
- Short stature in children
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Abdominal bloating
- Crohn's disease
- Diverticulitis
- Depression
- Attention and behavioral problems (in children and adults)
- Autism
- Skin problems
- Keratosis pilaris
- Asthma
- Irritability