Wheat
Wheat is a major food product in our country. A wheat food allergy creates one of the most difficult diets to maintain. if you are on a wheat restricted diet, it is wise to have a registered dietitian review the diet periodically to see if all the necessary nutrients are being replaced by other foods.
Nutrients Provided by Wheat
Four servings of wheat products will provide 20-40% of the requirements for these nutrients:
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Iron
- Selenium
- Chromium
To a lesser degree, wheat provides:
- Magnesium folacin
- Molybdenum
- Phosphorus
Avoid Products and Ingredients Containing Wheat
Those on a wheat restricted diet are very limited in what they can eat.
Food Products Containing Wheat
Some of the foods you must avoid on a wheat restricted diet include:
- Cereals
- Breads
- Pastas
- Crackers
- Cookies
- Sauces
- Lunch meats
- Snack foods
- Candy
As you can see, the list is long and complex. If you are on a wheat restricted diet, avoid all types of wheat products.
Ingredients Containing Wheat Protein
- Gluten
- Whole wheat flour
- High gluten flour
- High protein flour
- Vital gluten
- Wheat gluten
- Wheat starch
- Flour, enriched
- Wheat germ
- Wheat bran
- Bran
- Farina
- Graham flour
Ingredients That May Contain Wheat Protein
Any food item which contains one of more of these foods as an ingredient must be avoided.
- Starch
- Gelatinized starch
- Modified starch
- Modified food starch
- Vegetable starch
- Vegetable gum
Product and Ingredient Substitutes
Wheat Substitutes
If you must avoid wheat, you can use products available in your grocery or health food store made from:
- Oats
- Rice
- Rye
- Barley
- Corn
Specialty Foods
Specialty foods which are primarily made for people who must avoid the gluten containing grains (wheat, oats, barley and rye). These foods may be found in special diet shops or ordered via mail order companies (see the resource page).
Wheat-Free Recipes
you can prepare your own baked goods using wheat-free recipes. Although this requires more time in the kitchen, it gives you a wider variety of foods and chances are your child's diet will have more of the necessary nutrients as a result.