When I first discovered that I was gluten-intolerant, I was devastated. Although I was only 18 years old, I was already a seasoned carbohydrate addict whose body was practically fueled by warm raisin bread, pancakes, and sandwiches made with thick, hearty breads. If that weren’t bad enough, I next learned that almost every food I love contained gluten. Suddenly, gravies, sauces, canned soups, processed meats, pasta dishes, and fast food became my enemies, along with a whole host of other delicious foods. I couldn’t imagine what kind of bland, cardboard-like foods I was going to have to live on for the rest of my life.
Luckily, despite being gluten intolerant, I found many ways to still eat the foods I love, and what I learned throughout my journey are valuable tips and tricks that can help you stay gluten-free and still eat without restraint, enjoying life the way its supposed to be enjoyed. Before we start, it should be noted that there must be some willingness to cook/prepare meals, unless of course you are able to afford all commercially prepared gluten-free goodies and diet staples, which can cost upwards of $200 per week. If that is the case, you probably will not be in need of this guide. So, what are you supposed to eat on a special diet like this? Before we get into what you can eat, let’s discuss what foods are completely off-limits and why.
What Can’t I Eat and Why Not?
I really hate to sound negative in telling you what you cannot eat if you are gluten intolerant, but it truly is of the utmost importance to completely steer clear of the following foods, since strict adherence to this diet is what will allow your intestines to heal, improve your overall health, and possibly even increase your lifespan, since gluten intolerance is associated with a wide range of diseases and conditions. However, before I drop the dreaded list of banned foods, I think it is essential to discuss the controversy surrounding the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, because there is a lot of misinformation out there.
Gluten intolerance is a general term meaning that one is sensitive to gluten. If one has a intolerance to gluten, they may or may not have Celiac Disease, but, surprisingly, most people who undergo Celiac testing will have either an undetermined result or a negative result, despite Celiac Disease being one of the most prevalent conditions in the Western world, affecting one in 133 Americans, according to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is even more common, and sufferers are often unfortunately left in anguish, since diagnosis is often difficult or just plain overlooked by doctors, since a person can be asymptomatic (having no symptoms) or have symptoms that seem completely unrelated to a disease affecting the digestive system. Gluten sensitivity often runs in families, and one frequently has undiagnosed family members with seemingly unrelated conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, chronic constipation, Crohn’s Disease, or autoimmune disorders. Oh, and you don’t have to be born with gluten sensitivity to have it.
Regardless of whether you have Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), consuming gluten actually harms your body, and is not something to mess around with. According to Celiac.com, “If a person with the disorder continues to eat gluten, studies have shown that he or she will increase their chances of gastrointestinal cancer by a factor of 40 to 100 times that of the normal population. Further, gastrointestinal carcinoma or lymphoma develops in up to 15 percent of patients with untreated or refractory celiac disease.” (Adams, 2007). Therefore, if you suspect that you have sensitivity to gluten (which you likely do since you’re reading this article), the best thing you can do is go for immediate testing first. If you are found to have a negative result but still have unresolved symptoms (or suspicion), starting a gluten-free diet may be in order, since gluten avoidance is the only treatment that exists if you have this condition. An at-home and expense-free allergy elimination diet can help you pinpoint your major dietary offenders, including gluten.
What Will Consuming Gluten Actually Do to My Body?
Gluten is a toxin for those who are sensitive to it. Consuming gluten actually causes damage to your intestines and therefore limits your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients you need, and you become malnourished as a result. When your intestines are damaged, they are much more vulnerable to viral, bacterial, and fungal attack, increasing your risk for gut infections or intestinal dysbiosis. When your intestines become damaged, they also may become more permeable, allowing undigested proteins and toxins into your bloodstream, triggering an immune reaction. This phenomenon is referred to as Leaky Gut Syndrome. Gluten sensitivity/Celiac Disease is associated with anemia, thyroid problems, a rash called dermatitis herpetiformis, osteoporosis, neurological conditions, adrenal gland problems, miscarriage, infertility, and lupus/autoimmune diseases, just to name a few.
Now, Can You Tell Me Which Foods are Off-Limits?
Foods that are off-limits are any foods that are made from or derived from wheat, rye, and barley. A few are:
Bread, anything that is breaded
Beer, many types of alcohol
Bouillon cubes, canned soups
Creamed veggies
Couscous
Caramel color
Cake mixes, brownie mixes, doughnuts
Matzo
French fries (many are coated with flour and aren’t purely potato based)
Marinades, sauces
Imitation meat, seafood, bacon
Fried chicken, fried foods, chicken nuggets
Modified food starch (check with the manufacturer)
Communion wafers you receive at church
Dextrin
Brown rice syrup
Matzo
Pasta
Nondairy creamer
Malt/malt flavoring
Spreads and dips
Soy sauces (always check first)
Some flavored coffee
Some yogurt
Some salad dressings
Stuffing
Most cereals
TV Dinners
WHEAT-FREE products (Does not mean GLUTEN free)
Semolina
Blue cheese (it’s often made with wheat bread!)
It’s good to remember that not ALL of these foods listed are off-limits. Many of these foods are listed simply because they are more likely to contain gluten. Your first priority should be to always check ingredients by reading labels and familiarizing yourself with ingredients you can and cannot consume. A great place that I use to check on ingredients is at Celiac.com, as they offer a vast, comprehensive list.
What Foods are Left For Me to Eat?
Despite the above-list of forbidden foods being quite long, believe it or not, there is still so much food that is allowed, and meals can be just as delicious as when they contained gluten. Here are only a few items:
Rice (but not rice mixes, unless ingredients are checked first)
Sorghum flour
Fava bean flour
Tapioca starch/flour
Other non-wheat, rye, or barley-based seeds
Macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts
Peanuts, peanut butter (always check ingredients)
Any kind of fish
Any kind of meat EXCEPT some sausages, cold cuts or processed meats (check ingredients first)
Eggs
Soymilk
Tofu
Beans/legumes
All fruits and vegetables
Corn grits
Corn chips (check ingredients)
Potatoes, potato chips (check ingredients)
Wine & Balsamic vinegars and any vinegar but malt vinegar
Yogurt (check ingredients)
Herbs, spices
Corn syrup, corn meal, corn gluten
Many cheeses
Milk, cottage cheese
Oils, fats, butter
Yam flour
And so many more…
If you think about it, the only items that you may really miss in your diet are staples like bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, waffles, English muffins, etc. The goods news is that all of these can be easily replaced with gluten-free versions, and are just as tasty. Also, you will probably be eating less processed foods which are usually loaded with wheat/gluten ingredients, but that’s a positive thing, since processed foods are unhealthy. What I do is buy all of the “normal” things listed above at the regular grocery store, and buy one loaf of gluten-free bread and one box of gluten-free cereal per week at the health food store. If I choose for one week not to purchase my loaf of gluten-free bread, I’ll make it on my own using recipes that are really quite simple. My favorite place to search for gluten-free recipes is at this site at Allrecipes.com. Some people choose to buy commercially prepared and ready-made gluten free meals and snacks to eat at every meal, but I personally think is a waste of time (and money since they are very expensive), since a gluten-free diet only entails a few important changes.
Don’t be concerned about never having the pleasure of eating holiday goodies ever again either. Cookies, candies, and cakes are also just as delectable gluten-free, and recipes are abundant on the web. To give you an idea of how contentedly I eat gluten-free and the wide range of foods that I am still able to consume, here is a typical day of my meals:
Breakfast:
-1 box of gluten-free cereal, such as Enjoy Life Cinnamon Crunch Granola Cereal with Westbrae brand Vanilla Rice Beverage (Choose real milk if you don’t have a milk allergy)
-An apple, grapefruit, or an orange
-Peppermint tea or regular (black) tea
-Sometimes Country Pork Sausage (After I check that it’s gluten-free)
Lunch:
-Mixed greens salad with almonds, cranberries, sliced boneless skinless chicken, feta or cheddar cheese, onion and green peppers. Salad dressing is a homemade garlic, vinegar, and olive oil mix.
-Black bean dip with corn chips
Snack:
-Popcorn or more fruit, or rice bread toast with strawberry jam
Dinner:
-Enjoy Life brand rice pasta (this pasta is so delicious you would never know it’s gluten-free), vodka sauce (after ensuring its gluten-free), hamburger meat in the sauce, and homemade “Italian bread.” I use gluten-free bread and simply make a garlic spread out of chopped garlic and butter.
-Veggies such as cauliflower or sweet peas on the side.
Dessert:
-Ice cream, gluten-free cake mix or cake recipe, or milk chocolate.
Take note that I would consume all of these foods on a high-calorie day. J Some days, I leave out dessert, cut out butter, and consume fewer carbohydrates, but it all depends on the particular type of diet plan you follow. For some, going gluten-free may be a trying challenge, especially if you are addicted to pre-packaged and processed foods. Luckily, I was already on a fairly healthy eating plan before learning of my gluten-intolerance, so it only took a few minor lifestyle changes. Eating leftovers is a helpful tip to save you money and the time and energy of cooking.
Can I Still Eat Fast Food If I’m Gluten-Intolerant?
You can still eat some fast foods, but remember that anything processed/pre-packaged is very likely to contain unnatural ingredients or fillers/thickeners containing gluten. Fortunately, fast food restaurants are required by law to list their ingredients and allergy information, which can usually be found on their websites. Here are some of the most common fast food restaurants and their corresponding sites containing allergy/nutritional information:
McDonald’s
http://www.mcdonalds.com/app_controller.nutrition.categories.allergens.index.html
http://www.bk.com/wap/(ne2etu45t4befzax334e3un2)/allergens.aspx
Wendy’s
http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/allergen_list.pdf
http://www.yum.com/nutrition/allergen/allergen_tb.asp
What About Eating Out At Restaurants?
While I was never one to eat out on a regular basis, many people eat out several times per week, and need to know what appropriate gluten-free choices they are able to make. While you will eventually become very good at knowing which foods are off-limits right away, some restaurants use hidden ingredients that you would never suspect. Before ordering, you can ask your server if he has any information about gluten-free menu items, and if he or she does not know, most restaurants would be happy to allow you to speak to the cook. Items to watch out for are “creamed” items such as creamed spinach, creamed onions, or creamy potato dishes. Also, many types of meat are marinated in gluten-containing mixes or salad dressings. Other possible culprits are rice dishes, pasta sauces, or gravies. Keep in mind that you can accidentally consume gluten by way of cross-contamination. Foods that are deep-fried or pan fried with gluten-containing foods are off-limits, as is gluten-free bread that is toasted in the same place that regular bread is toasted. For a list of acceptable alcoholic beverages, this site from Celiac.com is great.
Now that you are practically an expert on gluten-intolerance, I just want to finish with a few tips of my own that will make your life even easier, and keep you healthier:
- Check prescription medications for the presence of gluten by calling manufactures (It’s a pain to do at first, but will literally save your gut)
- Buy a separate toaster
- Make gluten-free food in large quantities to eat as leftovers or freeze for later use
- Check vitamin/herbal supplements for gluten by calling manufacturers. This may be unnecessary in the cases of some vitamins, as some manufacturers list “gluten free” in small print somewhere on the label
- Always explain to your friends and family the seriousness of your gluten-intolerance. This will help you avoid those uncomfortable holiday gatherings where you accept something you know contains gluten just to spare the feelings of whoever cooked/baked the food.
Lastly, stick it out! You can eat gluten-free and still have an enjoyable, “normal” life. In fact, you will benefit from life even more when your intestines start to heal, your energy levels grow, and you know deep inside that you will probably live a longer, more prosperous life.
