Gluten sensitivity means that you can't eat anything containing wheat, barley or rye because your body can't absorb gluten, a protein found in these grains. Some people also avoid oats because of the possibility of cross-contamination with wheat. If you're gluten sensitive, eating gluten can cause stomach problems, headache or fatigue. While avoiding these grains might sound simple, they make their way into many processed foods. Avoiding them takes constant vigilance and excellent label-reading skills.
Foods to Avoid
It's fairly easy to avoid breads and other foods you know contain wheat, rye or barley, such as bagels, cookies, cake, pasta, rolls and many cereals. Malt products, including most beers, are made from barley. Alcoholic cooler drinks also contain malt. Some things that sound gluten-free aren't; while rice is fine, brown rice syrup isn't. Manufacturers use foods containing gluten as binders, thickeners and coating; foods as diverse as ice cream, frosting, lunch meats, beef bouillon, dry roasted nuts and imitation seafood can contain gluten. Read labels every time you buy a processed food, since manufacturers change their ingredients from time to time. Medications often contain gluten in the form of binders or starches. Many spices also contain gluten. With any food product, look for labeling that states a product is gluten free and check for "hidden" names for gluten, such as wheat flour. Call the manufacturer if you have any doubts as to a product's safety.
Gluten-containing grains go by various names in processed foods. In addition to anything labeled rye, barley or wheat, including wheat flour, wheat germ or wheat starch, watch for einkorn, emmer, farina, farro, graham, triticale, spelt, bulgur, durum, farina, semolina or kamut on food labels. Gluten can hide in packages labeled as containing maltodextrin, natural flavor, vegetable gums, diglycerides and monoglycerides, according to the Celiac Solutions website. Any products that simply lists binders, fillers or stabilizers as ingredients can also harbor gluten.
Many foods come in gluten-free forms. You can buy breads, pasta, sauces, gravies, cookies, candy and even beer in gluten-free form. Many supermarkets or health food stores have whole sections of gluten-free products. Or learn to eat gluten-free grain substitutes such as rice, quinoa, millet or buckwheat as a side dish rather than pasta, rolls or bread. You can use corn in cornmeal to cook corn bread or as a side dish.
Cross contamination between oats and wheat can occur if they grow in nearby fields. Products made with oats and wheat in factories frequently utilize the same equipment, which can also cause cross-contamination. You can cross-contaminate foods in the same way at home if you're not careful. Don't use the same knife or cutting board to prepare foods with gluten and gluten-free foods. If you must, wash thoroughly between using the tool for gluten and non-gluten foods. Even using the same toaster for gluten-free and wheat bread can cross-contaminate your gluten-free bread. While some gluten-sensitive people can tolerate a small amount of gluten, others experience symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating and cramping from ingesting even a tiny amount of gluten.
Cross-contamination can occur even more easily in a restaurant than it does at home. Pizza parlors that make their own dough can easily contaminate the air and nearby foods with flour, Colorado State University Extension warns. Call the restaurant before you go and ask if you can speak with the chef either before you arrive or after you get there. Although french fries are gluten-free, some restaurants dip them in a coating that contains gluten before frying. The oil used for frying can also cause cross-contamination if not changed between making a fried food with breading and french fries.
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