When individuals with celiac disease ingest gluten, an immune response occurs which damages the lining of the small intestine and can lead to symptoms and health problems in virtually all body systems.

Even very small amounts of gluten can cause problems, whether or not obvious symptoms are present. In the case of non-celiac gluten sensitivity NCGS , damage to the small intestine may not occur, but gluten must still be avoided.

The gluten-free diet should not be started before being properly diagnosed with a gluten-related disorder. Starting the diet without complete testing makes later diagnosis difficult. Tests to confirm celiac disease could be falsely negative if a person were on a gluten-free diet for a period of time.

For a valid diagnosis to be made, gluten would need to be reintroduced for at least several weeks before testing. Following a gluten-free diet is a major lifestyle modification and can feel daunting, particularly for the newly diagnosed. There is a lot to know about foods, ingredients, and changes in lifestyle and cooking, and you may be wondering just where to start.

While the basis of a gluten-free diet is avoiding certain foods, you should also learn what foods are safe to eat. There are many naturally gluten-free foods you can still enjoy that happen to be delicious and healthy! Focus on shopping the perimeter of your grocery store: vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, meats, and dairy products are good places to start.

In their natural forms, without potentially gluten-containing flavorings or ingredients added, these foods are gluten-free and are staples of a gluten-free diet.

If you are going gluten-free, these gluten-containing grains should be eliminated from your diet:. Choose naturally gluten-free grains and flours, including rice, corn, soy, potato, tapioca, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, cassava, coconut, arrowroot, amaranth, teff, flax, chia, yucca, bean flours, and nut flours.

What about oats? Research indicates that certified or labeled gluten-free oats consumed in moderation up to ½ cup dry rolled oats daily are tolerated by most people with celiac disease.

The safest oat products are those that have been certified gluten-free. While products labeled gluten-free should comply with the FDA definition of containing no more than 20 ppm of gluten, this is not third-party verified.

Consult with your physician or dietitian before adding oats to your gluten-free diet. While distilled alcoholic beverages are gluten-free, most beers, ales, lagers, and malted beverages are NOT gluten-free because they are made from gluten-containing grains.

Beers made from gluten-free grains, such as sorghum, are gluten-free. Check out our article: Does Fermentation or Distillation Make a Product Gluten-Free? They develop inflammation and damage in their intestinal tracts and other parts of the body when they eat foods containing gluten.

If you do have celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is necessary to eliminate the inflammation and the symptoms. Grocery stores and restaurants routinely offer gluten-free options that rival conventional foods in taste and quality; in years past, it was much harder to maintain a gluten-free diet.

As mentioned, people with celiac disease avoid sickness and maintain much better health if they follow a gluten-free diet. For them, a gluten-free diet is nothing short of essential.

And then there are people described as gluten-sensitive. Their tests for celiac disease are negative normal , yet whenever they eat food containing gluten, they experience symptoms like bloating , diarrhea, or crampy abdominal pain.

One cause is wheat allergy, a disorder that can be diagnosed by skin testing. But for many others, the diagnosis remains uncertain. Some have begun calling this non-celiac gluten hypersensitivity, a poorly defined condition about which we have much to learn.

Avoiding gluten makes sense for people with celiac disease, wheat allergy, or those who feel unwell whenever they consume gluten. There is no compelling evidence that a gluten-free diet will improve health or prevent disease if you don't have celiac disease and can eat gluten without trouble.

Of course, future research could change this. We may someday learn that at least some people without celiac disease or symptoms of intestinal disease are better off avoiding gluten. Before you buy into the gluten-free life, buyer beware! While many people think gluten-free diets are more nutritious and contain more minerals and vitamins than conventional foods, the opposite is often true.

Join our Subscriber Club Download our app Good Food Shows Wine Club Recipe boxes Videos. Recipes Back to Main menu Dinner ideas Back to Recipes Healthy dinners Dinner for two Low-carb dinners Gluten-free dinners.

Back to Recipes Quick breakfast recipes Breakfast smoothie recipes Vegan breakfast recipes Low-carb breakfast recipes.

Back to Recipes Family lunch recipes Quick lunch recipes Healthy packed lunch recipes Budget Sunday lunch recipes. Back to Recipes Healthy salmon recipes Seafood recipes Paella recipes seafood White fish recipes. Back to Recipes Vegetable soup recipes Creamy soup recipes Chicken soup recipes Low-carb soup recipes.

Back to Recipes Quick pasta recipes Carbonara recipes Lasagne recipes Bolognese recipes. Back to Recipes Low-calorie chicken recipes Low-calorie vegetarian recipes calorie meal recipes Low-carb family meals.

Back to Recipes High-protein vegan High-protein lunch recipes High-protein snacks High protein bowl recipes. Back to Recipes Vegan dinner recipes Easy vegan recipes Vegan slow cooker recipes Vegan soup recipes.

Back to Recipes Easy vegetarian recipes Healthy vegetarian recipes Vegetarian dinner recipes Vegetarian slow cooker recipes. Back to Recipes Winter warmers Winter salads Healthy winter meals Quick winter recipes. Back to Health Oily fish benefits Is peanut butter healthy?

Is sourdough good for you? Healthiest winter foods. Back to Health Celeb diets reviewed Intermittent fasting 's best diets Weight-loss myths busted. Back to Health Is vegan 'meat' healthy? Do aphrodisiacs work? Back to Health Daily steps to lose weight Protein for muscle building Your healthiest exercises Protein — all you need to know.

Back to Main menu Cooking tips Back to How to Roast timer Seasonal calendar Conversion guides Glossary. Back to How to School packed lunch ideas Hot lunch ideas Healthy lunch ideas for work Easy lunch ideas.

Back to How to Vegetarian family classics Twists on chilli con carne Best vegan curry recipes Vegetarian fakeaway recipes. Back to How to How to cook sprouts How to cook cabbage How to cook sweet potatoes How to cook long stem broccoli. Back to How to How to poach an egg How to cook rice How to make risotto How to cook couscous How to knead bread dough.

Back to Main menu Birthdays Back to Inspiration Lemon drizzle cake recipes Red velvet cake recipe Chocolate cake recipe Gluten free cake recipes. Back to Inspiration Lemon tea recipe Mocktail recipes Winter drinks recipes Non-alcoholic drink recipes.

Back to Inspiration Indian fakeaway recipes Slow cooker Sunday lunch Brunch recipes Chinese fakeaway recipes. Back to Inspiration Vegetarian air fryer recipes Healthy air-fryer recipes Air-frying for beginners Air-fryer chips. Back to Inspiration Healthy smoothie recipes Green smoothie recipes Breakfast smoothie recipes Spinach smoothie recipes.

Back to Inspiration Easy midweek meals Quick dinner recipes Family one-pot recipes No-cook recipes. Back to Inspiration Family casserole recipes Family chicken recipes Bolognese recipes Cheesy pasta recipes.

Beers made from gluten-free grains, such as sorghum, are gluten-free. Check out our article: Does Fermentation or Distillation Make a Product Gluten-Free? An important part of successfully following a gluten-free diet is reading packaged food labels carefully.

If a product is certified gluten-free, you can stop at this step. For products that are neither certified nor labeled gluten-free, it is essential to read the ingredient list.

If any of the following are present on the ingredient list, the product is not gluten-free:. There are many gluten-free grains you may not have tried before, like sorghum, teff, and buckwheat which is naturally gluten-free, despite its name.

Often when some doors are closed, others are opened. Look at your gluten-free diet as an opportunity to discover new gluten-free foods and cuisines. Get inspired by Mexican and Indian spices and ingredients. Corn tortillas, salsas, guacamole, and beans are naturally gluten-free.

Cook with traditional Indian ingredients like cumin, turmeric, and lentils. Other naturally gluten-free foods are fruits and vegetables; fresh meats, poultry and fish; legumes, nuts and seeds, and plain dairy products. These foods in their pure forms are gluten-free.

Processed or flavored versions may have gluten-containing ingredients. Gluten-free substitutes for foods commonly made with wheat are widely available at mainstream, international, and specialty food stores, direct from gluten-free food manufacturers, and from websites.

Distilled alcoholic beverages, distilled vinegars, and wine may be safely included in the gluten-free diet. When preparing gluten-free foods, take care to prevent cross-contact with foods containing gluten. Cross-contact can occur if foods are prepared on common surfaces, or with utensils that are not thoroughly cleaned after preparing gluten-containing foods.

Using hard to clean equipment for both gluten-free and gluten-containing foods is one potential source of cross-contact. Toasters, strainers, and flour sifters should not be shared.

Deep-fried foods cooked in oil that are also used to cook breaded products should be avoided. Spreadable condiments in shared containers may also be a source of cross-contact. But what exactly does a healthy gluten free diet look like?

You can still enjoy corn, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, arrowroot, and other ancient grains as well as flours made from nuts and seeds like almond flour and coconut flour. Even though most of these items are naturally gluten free, you should still check the package to make sure due to concerns about cross contamination.

For example, oats are sometimes processed on the same equipment with gluten-containing grains. If you do not have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, this may not be a problem for you because the oats themselves are still gluten free. It always pays to read the label and you should do more than just check the allergen statement — look through the ingredients list as well just to make sure.

The thing you need to remember about certified gluten free packaged foods is that they are largely the same as their gluten-containing counterparts, minus the gluten. A box of gluten free cookies contains as many calories and as much fat as a regular box of cookies — the only difference is in some of the ingredients.

So, can you still eat gluten free packaged foods? Of course! Gluten free brands like Schar make delicious foods, everything from bread and pasta to crackers, cookies, and more.

Be sure to double-check the rest of the ingredients just to be safe, but it may be a simple solution that enables you to continue enjoying your favorite recipes. Cross-contamination is when a food you eat or a utensil you use has come into contact with gluten.

The risk for cross-contamination is very high at a restaurant but it can also happen in your very own kitchen. In addition to following these simple tips, you should also follow safe food handling practices.

Always wash your hands after handling raw meat or seafood and thoroughly clean all utensils including cutting boards, knives, and cookware after coming into contact with raw food. Just know that the more careful you are with food you plan to eat, the better.

Once you get the hang of following the gluten free diet at home you may feel comfortable enough to go out to eat. Though it is still one of the more misunderstood dietary restrictions, the gluten free diet is becoming more and more commonplace.

This means that you can find healthy and satisfying options at most restaurants if you know where to look and what substitutions to make. The key to eating gluten free at a restaurant is to plan ahead. The options available will depend on the type of restaurant you go to, but these are some of the safest bets.

When it comes to ethnic foods, certain types of cuisine are more gluten free-friendly than others. Mexican food, for example, is safer than many other options as long as you choose corn over flour tortillas. Indian food offers a variety of options as long as you skip the naan and Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines largely feature grilled meat or fish with vegetables, salad, or rice.

You may also be able to enjoy Asian cuisine served with rice noodles or steamed rice, just be wary of soy-based sauces that may contain gluten.

No matter the type of food, always double check to ensure it truly is gluten free and there is no risk of cross-contamination. At the very least, you can always order gluten free meal delivery.

Bring along a handful of Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers so you can still enjoy house-made guacamole dip or bring a Schar Gluten Free Hamburger Bun and order your burger bunless. It may take some creativity, but you can still enjoy a meal out with friends and family while sticking to the gluten free diet.

The more you know about the gluten free diet, the easier it will be to stick to. The most important thing you need to do is review gluten free food lists , so you know where to look for hidden gluten and what foods are safe for you to eat. To give you your best chance at success, here is a quick list of the top two mistakes people make when going gluten free, so you can avoid making them yourself:.

Not learning how to read food labels. A gluten-free diet can be followed whether it's a medical necessity or just a personal preference. There are lots of rumors swirling around the gluten-free diet. No matter your reasoning, starting a gluten-free diet the right way can keep you happy, healthy and satisfied.

Surprisingly, a gluten-free diet is similar to a traditionally healthy diet—few fancy foods are required. And if you love your grains, you can still eat them. Rice , millet, quinoa and buckwheat are just a few examples.

You can also easily find gluten-free pasta made from corn, quinoa or beans. If you eat this way, you likely won't have to worry about nutritional deficiencies, says Begun. Commonly, newly diagnosed celiac sufferers are deficient in fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin D and even protein, according to a review published in Medicina Kaunas.

In that case, Begun recommends speaking with a registered dietitian who may recommend supplements or other necessary dietary changes. If you don't plan out this new way of eating, it's easy to default to gluten-free packaged foods.

You know—the gluten-free muffins, brownies, cereals or pizza. These are often made with refined grains, are heavy in sugar and often contain more calories than their traditional counterparts. The result: You may start to gain weight if this is the main change you make to your diet.

So, think of these as "on occasion" foods. It's just like with any diet. A candy bar is just a candy bar—gluten-free or not. So, you're going to get used to playing food detective.

While food companies are required to list allergens on the label e. So, while you can look for "gluten-free" on the front of the package, you should also flip it over and read the ingredients label. It's also not enough if a food says "wheat-free. Here's what you're looking for, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation : wheat, barley, rye, malt, brewer's yeast and oats.

Oats are often contaminated with gluten, so they have to specifically be certified gluten-free oats. Gluten-free flours, such as millet or amaranth, should also be bought certified gluten-free, says Begun.

If the label lists an ingredient you're unfamiliar with, "wait to eat it until you can confirm that it's safe," she says. You probably know that a whole-wheat bagel is not gluten-free, but you might be surprised that some of your other favorite foods aren't either.

Watch out for flavored nuts and chips the seasoning often contains gluten , energy bars with non-gluten-free oats , creamy soups flour may be used as a thickener , candy, salad dressings, marinades and soy sauce. If you're vegetarian, note that seitan is wheat gluten.