Gluten Free Foods are often found near the ethnic foods section.
If you have been in a grocery store lately, you may have noticed a newer section of specialty items labeled with the words “Gluten-Free.” There you will find breads, crackers, cookies, chips and other products that have one thing in common; they are made without including any ingredients that contain gluten.
Gluten is a plant protein
You probably have heard the word in the media, but you may not know that gluten is the protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley, rye and oats, although there appears to be controversy about the gluten in oats. At least in the Western diet, these grains are some of the most common ones found in the food supply.
Gluten free Foods
Even though it will take some diligence, on your part, to keep gluten out of your diet, there are plenty of gluten free foods that you can include in your menus. These include the following:
Nuts and nut butters
Legumes (beans, peas lentils)
Fresh meat, fish and poultry
Most plain yogurt (check the label)
Popcorn (pop it yourself to avoid additives)
Gluten free grains and products made from them (listed above)
Always check labels for canned or processed foods.
Here is a chart that shows some of the most common grains that have gluten and those grains that are gluten-free.
|Grains that contain gluten||Gluten-free grains|
|Triticale||Rice (including Wild Rice)|
|Wheat (Bulgur, Couscous, Farina, Graham)||Tef|
One final word about gluten free foods. If you are gluten sensitive or have Celiac Disease, you need to pursue a diet of gluten-free foods. However, recent research has shown that if you are not gluten sensitive, it is better to eat a varied diet that includes whole grains, since these foods have nutrients that you need. The gluten-free foods that you can buy in the store are often highly processed and may not be as good for you as fresh whole foods. This is true whether you are gluten sensitive or not.