Sometimes, people suffer from allergies of food, also known as food intolerance, where they cannot digest certain types of foodstuffs. Among all food allergies or intolerance, wheat or gluten allergy is one of the common ones. This is the body’s allergy to a protein found in wheat known as gluten. When the person consumes gluten containing products, the intestines do not digest it; but, it triggers off a negative reaction from the immune system. This leads to allergy symptoms.
There are medications available that help in treating the symptoms of this condition. However, these medications give temporary relief. If you wish to treat the condition permanently, and get rid of wheat allergy symptoms, and also prevent it from recurring in the future, you should follow a diet. Read the following paragraphs to know all about it.
Diet for Wheat Allergies
The diet for wheat intolerance includes excluding all wheat or gluten containing foods from the diet. Therefore, all products made from wheat and whole grains like bread, muffins, pretzels, biscuits, etc. should be completely avoided. Secondly, starch containing foods, malt containing foods, breaded foodstuffs, etc. should also be excluded from the diet. The following is the gluten allergy food list that you need to follow if you suffer from wheat or gluten allergy.
Foods Safe to Consume
There are several foods that do not cause harm and can be consumed safely if you suffer from gluten or wheat allergy. The following is a list of foods considered safe to consume in the gluten allergy diet.
- All fruits, dried fruits, fruits juices
- All fresh vegetables, vegetable oils and fats
- Eggs, fish, meats
- Corn, cornmeal, cornstarch, rice flour, soy products
- Oatmeal, puffed rice, arrowroot
- Gelatin, fruit ice, rice pudding, custards, jams, jellies
- Butter, cheese, margarine, yogurt, oils, fats
- Milk, tea, coffee, sodas, soft drinks
- Salt, condiments, chili, herbs, pickles
Foods to be Avoided
As mentioned above, all wheat, starch, gluten, malt containing foods need to be avoided. The following is a list of gluten allergy foods to avoid.
- Wheat and wheat containing products
- Bread crumbs, bulgur, bran
- All types of flour, couscous, crackers
- Cornbread, potato, donuts, waffles, pizzas
- Muffins, biscuits, breads, pancakes, cakes
- Pasta, semolina, spelt
- Germ, gluten, farina, malt, starch
- All flavors containing wheat, flavored and breaded meats
- Creamed soups, chocolates, sauces, gravies, soy sauce
- All malt containing products, macaroni, spaghetti, candies, etc.
The wheat or gluten intolerance diet is easy to adhere to. You just need to avoid all the foodstuffs made from wheat or other grains. You can consume corn or rice flour products. Secondly, you need to plan your weekly menu well in advance and shop accordingly. It is very essential to check labels of products in the supermarket and look for foods that contain gluten. Most of the canned sauces, soups, meats, etc. contain added gluten in it and hence, one should carefully check the ingredients before buying any foodstuff, when following this diet. While eating out, one should opt for dishes containing fruits and vegetables rather than trying out new foods to prevent allergic reactions to gluten. On the other hand, when in doubt, it is advisable to ask the chef about the ingredients of the dish. Secondly, if you suffer from any food allergy, like gluten allergy, it is better for other family members to be aware of your condition. This will help in abstaining from gluten consumption.
Follow this food list carefully every day. Lastly, you should remember that it is possible to treat and prevent this disease merely by following this diet regularly. Take care!
