Kiss gluten good-bye: changing to a gluten-free diet

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Better Nutrition > Sept, 2007

Kiss gluten good-bye: changing to a gluten-free diet need not be an

overwhelming or daunting experience. With the motto kiss—keep it

super simple—you can make a smooth transition to this healthy

lifestyle

Kupper

Know the basics of a gluten-free (GF) diet. To familiarize yourself

with the basic principles of a typical GF food plan, visit the

Gluten Intolerance Group's Web site (gluten.net/publications.htm)

and download a copy of the Quick Start Diet Guide. This provides a

simple approach to what is most important when starting a GF diet.

Identify the major sources of gluten in your diet. Do you eat a lot

of pasta, sandwiches, crackers, cereals, and cakes, cookies, and

other sweets? Find alternatives for your favorites. For example,

Asian rice pasta, which is easy to find, makes a great substitution

regular pasta. Also, try corn chips crackers instead of regular

crackers, have pudding,

sherbet, or fruit for dessert; and occasionally indulge in GF treat

such as cookies, cakes, and muffins. (Health food stores carry many

prepackaged treats and baking mixes,)

Simple substitutions with naturally GF foods sometimes can be easier

than finding specialty products. For instance, use corn tortillas

instead of those made with flour; use soups (either in cans or

cartons) made without gluten; opt for wheat-free soy sauce; and buy

fresh meats instead of seasoned meats. Also, read labels carefully.

Allergen statements on labels make it easier to find foods that

contain wheat (labeling laws require disclosure of wheat within

products). Once you have established that a product has no wheat,

then make sure it's also free of rye, barley, and malt flavoring.

Don't forget to also fill your grocery cart with lots of fresh

fruits and vegetables.

Specialty products can be lifesavers and are designed specifically

for celiacs (people who are allergic to gluten) and gluten-sensitive

people. Shop at local health food stores for the best selection and

be sure to check the frozen section, where many GF breads and other

GF products are located. Health food stores are also more likely to

sell products that prominently display a " gluten-free " tag on the

label or package. Keep in mind that not everyone likes the same GF

products if you can sample a food before you buy, always take the

opportunity to do so. Kupper, RD, CD, who follows a GF diet

to manage her celiac disease, is the executive director of GIG.

Flavorful Favorites

Whether you are a celiac sufferer or simply want to cut back on

gluten, you don't have to settle for boring, unseasoned meals. Ruby

M. Brown, a food technology educator and author of the new book

Gluten-Free Cooking, can help you learn to eat well on a GF diet--

while still enjoying foods like lasagna, quiche, and cake. The

trick, says Brown, is learning to modify recipes to suit the

specific dietary needs of a GF food plan.

The majority of her 150-plus recipes boast added fiber and nutrients

important for celiacs. Adequate fiber intake is particularly

important for celiacs, who can't eat fiber-rich foods such as whole-

wheat cereals and breads. Some good sources of fiber for celiacs,

says Brown, are beans and lentils, broccoli, muesli, oranges,

peanuts, brown rice, and corn. Calcium, iron, zinc, and folic acid

status can be compromised on a GF diet, too. Brown explains all this

in her book, which also offers menu ideas and an informative " safe-

food " list--everything from beverages to flours to marinades is

covered in detail.