What Is Gluten Free Food And Why Would You Need To Follow A Gluten Free Diet?

If you are a newly diagnosed celiac, or have just discovered that you are intolerant to gluten you may be wondering "what is gluten free food?" In this article I'll explain exactly what gluten is and how you can get started on a gluten free diet.


Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye. For the majority of people this protein can be digested without any problems, but for the 1% of people with celiac disease it cannot be tolerated, even in the most minute amount. This is because the immune system reacts to the gluten and starts to fight against it, causing the body to product antibodies. These antibodies attack the villi in the small intestine causing stomach cramps, fatigue, headaches, nausea, bloating and all sorts of other symptoms related to vitamin and mineral deficiency.

At the moment there isn't a cure for celiac disease and the only treatment is adhering to a strict life long gluten free diet.

So, what is gluten free food? To put it simply it is food that does not contain any wheat, barley or rye. However, it should also be food that is completely free from any cross contamination. A celiac patient can react to a tiny amount of gluten. The exact amount varies from patient to patient, but it can be as little as a one hundredth of a breadcrumb. This is why it is very important that the food has not been manufactured on the same equipment as gluten containing food.

Naturally gluten free foods include all fish, meat, vegetables and fruit, pulses, nuts, the majority of dairy and certain grains including corn, rice, quinoa and sorghum. In general you can safetly eat all of these foods, but if they have been processed in any way you must check the label to ensure that there are no gluten containing ingredients or possible cross contamination.

As well as natural gluten free foods, you may also find a selection of gluten free baked goods at your local supermarket or health food store. These can include things like cakes, bread, rolls, biscuits, crackers and more. These companies will use rice flour, potato flour, corn flour, xanthan gum and other gluten free ingredients to create foods that are similar to the ones that you enjoyed before your gluten free diet. The main downside of these gluten free foods is the cost - in general they cost around two to three times more than regular gluten containing produce.

If you have embarked upon a gluten free diet you may well feel daunted at first. However, just study a gluten free diet food list and be sure to double check all the food labels before you buy anything. It is also a good idea to eat as much unprocessed food as possible and you should hopefully be on the way to recovery soon.