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KEY POINTS:

There is a tremendous amount of gluten-free food available to you and options are increasing every day.

Take a look at this long list of safe options. With the exception of the gluten-containing grains, fresh foods without processing or additives are naturally gluten-free 1,2.

  • Fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables (and their juices) without added ingredients, seasonings, or sauces containing gluten
  • Unprocessed/plain fresh and frozen meat, poultry (chicken, turkey), fish, and seafood
  • Plain dried or canned legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, and soybeans if no gluten-containing ingredients are listed
  • Plain dried or canned beans (navy, white, black, pinto, etc) if no gluten-containing ingredients are listed
  • Fresh, unprocessed eggs
  • Milk and dairy products (plain milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, buttermilk, most ice creams)
  • Non-dairy beverages labeled "gluten-free" such as rice, soy, hemp, and nut milks
  • Potatoes, sweet potatoes and other tubers
  • Plain nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, etc)
  • Oils (butter, margarine, all vegetable oils)
  • Condiments made with allowed ingredients
  • Beverages such as water, tea, instant or ground coffee (regular or decaffeinated), pure cocoa without added ingredients
  • Gluten-free grains and grain products labeled "gluten-free," such as amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, teff and wild rice, and the products made from them*

VERY IMPORTANT : Avoid any food made with or containing:

  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Rye
  • Malt
  • Brewer's yeast
  • Oats (unless oats are specially produced labeled gluten-free oats)

Click here for a 15-page guide to the gluten-free diet by Food Category.

HEALTHY EATING GUIDELINES
  • Balance calorie intake and physical activity to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
  • Consume a diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits.
  • Choose gluten-free whole-grain, higher-fiber foods.
  • Include low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
  • Consume 3/4 oz. of omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week in fish.
  • Limit your intake of saturated fat and trans fat by cooking at home and including vegetarian dishes.
  • Minimize intake of beverages and foods with added sugars.
  • If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation.

Reference: Adapted with permission for Real Life with Celiac Disease from Case S. Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. 4th ed. Case Consulting, Inc., 2010, www.glutenfreediet.ca.

*Buy only those grain and grain products that are labeled "gluten-free" because of the possibility of cross-contamination with gluten-containing grains3 . To read more, click on Cross Contamination and Label Reading for important details about how to avoid gluten.

COMMON CONCERNS ABOUT THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET:

Click on the links to learn more about each of the important topics below.

TIPS TO GET STARTED ON THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET:
  • Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for naturally gluten-free fruits and vegetables, plain dairy products, and plain meat, fish, and poultry.
  • Read labels carefully. Ingredients and labels can change at any time without warning. If an ingredient list is not provided, contact the company directly for product information.
  • When buying processed foods, look for the 'gluten-free' label. Click on Label Reading to learn more.
  • Consider the possibility of cross-contamination (when gluten-free products are produced in a gluten environment) and unlisted ingredients which may have been used in processing.
  • Some products are "certified" gluten-free. Visit Certification of Gluten-Free Products to learn more.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET STARTED:

Gluten Intolerance Group and Delicious Living: Guide to Gluten-Free Living 

Thompson, T. So, What Exactly is a Gluten-Free Diet?

Case, S. Celiac Disease and the Gluten-Free Diet

TAKE HOME MESSAGES:

  • Take a close look around any grocery store or supermarket and notice how many foods are naturally gluten-free.
  • "Wheat-free" does not necessarily mean "gluten-free." Wheat-free products may contain rye or barley, or oats (Avoid oats unless they are specially produced labeled gluten-free oats).
  • There are a few common pitfalls when following the gluten-free diet. With the right knowledge and resources, you can manage all of them. Read on!
  • For more details about how to balance your gluten-free diet, click on Healthy Eating on the Gluten-Free Diet section.

References:

  1. Decher N, Parrish CP. Balanced and Delicious: A Healthy Gluten-Free Diet. In Real Life with Celiac Disease. Eds. Dennis M, Leffler D. AGA Press, Bethesda, MD, 2010.
  2. Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, Revised and Expanded Edition, Shelley Case. Case Nutrition Consulting, Inc., December 2010.
  3. Thompson T, Lee AR. Gluten contamination of grains, seeds, and flours in the United States: a pilot study. JADA, 2010,110(6):937-940.
  4. Stevens L, Rashid M. Gluten-free and regular foods: a cost comparison. Can J. Diet. Pract. Res. 2008, 69, 147-50. 

    Revision Date: 10-8-13 
    Author: Melinda Dennis, MS, RD, LDN 
    Editors: Anne Lee, MSEd, RD, LD and Daniel Leffler, MD, MS

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