More Information
Primary Care News

 

Primary Care

Believe in Better Health Toolkit

Gluten Free Diet


Purpose

This diet is designed to provide sufficient nutrition while avoiding foods that contain gliadin (the alcohol soluble part of glutens), which is a protein found in wheat, rye, oats and barley. The gluten-restricted diet will help prevent uncomfortable side effects such as weight loss, abdominal cramping and bloating, intestinal gas, diarrhea and fatigue. This diet is for people with celiac syndrome, gluten induced enteropathy or dermatitis herpetiformis. A gluten-restricted diet is used if you are unable to digest gliadin, one of the proteins that make up gluten. This diet should be continued for life.

Helpful Hints

  • Read all food labels carefully. Avoid all products that contain wheat, rye, barley, oats, gluten stabilizers, millet, buckwheat, and hydrolyzed or texturized vegetable protein

  • Gluten-free bread products taste better warmed or toasted

  • Store all gluten-free products in your refrigerator or freezer because they do not contain preservatives.

  • When eating out—select meat, poultry, or fish without breading, gravies or sauces and be aware of the methods of preparation as well as food content itself.
Food Recommendations

Food Recommendations

Food Group

Foods Allowed

Foods to Question

Foods Not Allowed

Milk Products

 Milk, cream, buttermilk, plain yogurt, cheese, cream cheese, processed cheese, cottage cheese

Milk drinks, flavored yogurt, frozen yogurt, sour cream

Malted milk

Grain Products

Breads

Baked products made from corn, rice, soy, arrowroot, pea flour, corn-starch, potato starch, potato flour, whole-bean flour, tapioca, sago, rice bran, cornmeal, buckwheat, millet, flax, teff, sorghum, amaranth, and quinoa

 

 

Bread and baked products containing wheat, rye, triticale, barley, oats, wheat germ, wheat bran, graham flour, gluten flour, durum flour, wheat starch, oat bran, bulgur, farina, wheat-based semolina, spelt, kamut, imported foods labeled “gluten free”, which may contain ingredients not allowed, (eg. wheat starch)

Cereals

Hot: Cream of rice, soy cereal, hominy, hominy grits, brown and white rice, buck-wheat groats, millet, cornmeal, and quinoa flakes
Cold: Puffed corn, puffed rice, puffed millet, rice flakes

 

Rice and corn cereals; rice and soy pablum

 

Cereals made from wheat, rye, triticale, barley and oats; cereals with added malts extract and malt flavoring

Pasta

Macaroni, spaghetti and noodles from rice corn, soy, quinoa, bean, potato, pea or other allowed flours

  

 

Pastas made from wheat, wheat starch, and other ingredients not allowed, couscous

Other

Corn tacos, corn tortillas

 

Rice crackers, some rice cakes and popped corn cakes

 

Wheat flour tacos, wheat tortillas, most crackers

Meats and Alternatives

Meat, fish, and poultry: fresh, frozen, canned, salted, and smoked

 Prepared or preserved meats such as lunch-meat, ham, bacon, meat and sandwich spreads, meat loaf, frozen meat patties, sausages, pate, wieners, bologna, salami, imitation meats or fish products, meat product extenders

Fish canned in vegetable broth containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) or hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) from ingredients not allowed; turkey basted or injected with HVP/HPP

Egg Products

   Egg substitutes, dried eggs, and egg whites  

Other Proteins

 Lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans, nuts, seeds, tofu Baked beans, dry roasted nuts, peanut butter  

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits

Fresh, frozen and canned fruits and juices

  

 

Fruit pie fillings, dried fruit

Vegetables

Fresh frozen, dried and canned vegetables and juices

 

French fried potatoes

 

Any creamed or breaded vegetables

Soups

Homemade broth, gluten-free bouillon cubes, cream soups and stock made from allowed ingredients

Canned soups, dried soup mixes, soup bases, and bouillon cubes

Soups made with ingredients not allowed; bouillon or bouillon cubes containing HVP or HPP

Fats

Butter, margarine, lard, vegetable oil, cream, shortening, home-made salad dressing with allowed ingredients

 Salad dressings, some mayonnaise Canola oil, cooking spays with grain alcohols

Desserts

Ice cream, sherbet, whipped toppings, egg custards, gelatin desserts, cakes, cookies, pastries made with allowed ingredients

Milk puddings, custard powder, pudding mixes

Ice cream with gluten stabilizers, ice cream cones, cookies, muffins, pies, commercial cake mixes, wafers and waffles

Beverages

Teas, instant or ground coffee (regular or decaffeinated); cocoa; soft drinks, cider, distilled alcoholic beverage

Instant tea, coffee substitutes; fruit flavored drinks; chocolate drinks; chocolate mixes; flavored and herbal teas

Beer, ale and lager; cereal and malted beverages

Sweets

Honey, jam, jelly, marmalade, corn syrup, maple syrup, molasses, sugar (brown and white)

Icing/powdered sugar, spreads, candies, chocolate bars, chewing gum, marshmallows, lemon curd

Licorice, candies with ingredients not allowed

Snack Food

Plain popcorn and nuts

Dry roasted nuts, flavored potato chips, tortilla chips

Pizza, unless made with allowed ingredients

Condiments/Misc.

Plain pickles, relish; olives; ketchup, mustard; tomato paste; pure herbs and spices, pure black pepper, most vinegars, gluten free soy sauce, pure cocoa, pure baking chocolate, carob chips and powder, chocolate chips, cream of tartar, baking soda, yeast, brewer’s yeast, aspartame, coconut

Worcestershire sauce; mixed spices and seasonings (chili powder, curry powder), baking powder

Soy sauce (made from wheat); mustard pickles (made from wheat flour), some dry seasoning and gravy mixes

 


Source: Adapted from the American Dietetics Association’s Manual of Clinical Dietetics, 6th ed.,©2000

The University of Rochester Medical Center’s
commitment to help Rochester
become America’s healthiest community
by 2020

 

 

 

 

 

(complete index of Believe in Better Health Toolkit files offered on this Web site with links to printable versions)