Your Guide To Gluten-Free

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. For those who can tolerate it, gluten can be a healthy addition to ones diet. However, for gluten-sensitive individuals, consuming gluten may cause diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain, fatigue, migraines, brain fog, irritability and the risk of developing more serious illnesses. For these individuals, removing gluten will reduce inflammation and restore the gastrointestinal lining, thereby reducing symptoms. 

When removing gluten from your diet, it's important to eat a variety of wholefoods to maintain adequate nutritional intake. 

How do I know if a food contains gluten?

Many packaged foods contain gluten so learning how to read food labels is important. Avoid products. containing any of the following ingredients:

• Wheat - includes any items that are made or processed with flour. Look out for terms like bran, wheat kernel, germ, endosperm and triticale

• Barley - includes all parts of the barley grain including malt, brown rice syrup, brewer's yeast and beer

• Rye - includes all parts of the rye grain and products such as rye flour or rye bread

• Oats - oats don't naturally contain gluten but they may be contaminated with wheat or other grains. Look out for oats labelled 'gluten- free'

What can I eat on a gluten-free diet?

You can replace wheat, barley and rye with a multitude of wholefoods that will nourish your system and provide a variety of nutrients. Include foods such as:

• Almond meal

• Cassava

• Coconut flour

• Corn

• Flaxseed

• Quinoa

• Brown or black rice

• Tapioca

• Buckwheat

• Amaranth

• Arrowroot

• Millet

• Nut flours

• Sorghum

• Sago

These foods can be purchased from supermarkets, health food shops and bulk-food stores. Gluten-free diets are quite common in our society so it shouldn't be any issue locating any one of these foods.

To discover whether a gluten-free diet is right for you and for personalised tips on how to transition to gluten-free, make an appointment. Together, we can explore your goals and needs to formulate a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.