Found in some grains – like rye, barley, wheat, and more – is a protein called gluten. Some people partake in gluten-free diets. It helps them manage celiac disease symptoms and other gluten-consumption-associated medical conditions. Even those who don't have medical conditions related to gluten are observing gluten-free diets today. Their reasons for doing so? Reportedly:
- Increased energy
- Weight loss
- Improved bone health
- Reduces depression
- Fewer headaches
- Less joint pain
- Eliminates bloating
- … and more
Your overall intake of vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients will likely change when you remove gluten from your diet. So, it's good to know how your overall nutritional intake will be affected, regardless of your reasons for going gluten-free.
First things first…
What Does Gluten-Free Mean?
Not surprisingly, the official definition of a gluten-free diet is simply a diet that doesn't contain gluten. Gluten, as described above, is a protein found in many grains and products that contain grain – pasta, for example. Fortunately for pasta lovers, there are gluten-free products for pasta, as well as other specifically gluten-free food items (that traditionally have gluten).
Gluten-free diets can consist of eggs, meat, vegetables, and fruits.
Who Needs to Be on a Gluten-Free Diet?
In addition to going on a gluten-free diet for more energy, possible weight loss, and improved overall health, people with certain medical conditions must steer clear of gluten. These conditions include the following:
- Wheat allergy
- Gluten ataxia
- Gluten sensitivity
- Celiac disease
Groceries and Label Reading
To determine if something contains gluten, when you're shopping, read the labels! Foods that contain triticale, rye, barley, or wheat – or something derived from them – must have the name of the ingredient on the label and in the contents list.
According to the FDA's rules, foods that are labeled gluten-free must have less than 20 ppm (parts per million) gluten.
The following piece of information may surprise you: as a binding agent, wheat gluten is used in some over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Gluten-Free Products
As mentioned earlier, if you find yourself craving pasta but you're on a gluten-free diet, you can purchase gluten-free pasta. In fact, there are numerous gluten-free products on the market today (that, traditionally, would contain gluten). Here are just a few of them:
- Frozen crispy chicken
- Cookies
- Rice crisps
- Bread and bagels
- Wraps
- Chocolate baking mix
- Deluxe macaroni and cheese
- Pancake and baking mix
- Brown rice and more
There are also numerous gluten-free recipes that can be found on the Internet.
What Is Gluten-Free Where Nuts Are Concerned?
If you thought you couldn't eat nuts because they have gluten, think again. As long as you're eating plain, unflavored nuts, you should be all right. Any flavorings, spices, glazes, etc. may introduce gluten, so steer clear of anything but raw, plain nuts for the best gluten-free results.
You also want to be careful where the nuts are manufactured because some manufacturing plants introduce gluten products to the assembly lines that also process their nuts (cross-contamination).
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