What Foods Are Gluten Free?
Before answering the question of “what foods are gluten free“, I’d like to give you a short overview and explanation of what gluten actually is.
Gluten is composed of gliadin and glutenin (these are two proteins). They exist, conjoined with starch, and endosperms of several grass-related grains, like wheat, rye, and barley. The proteins mentioned above comprise about 80% of the protein contained in wheat seed. As you can imagine, gluten is a very important nutritient, but on the other hand, more and more people are suffering from gluten allergies.
The majority of people suffering from gluten allergies have a disease called celiac disease which obstructs the digestion of gluten. Individuals with celiac disease must eat foods that are gluten free in order to prevent illness. In addition, care must be taken when eating grains that do not contain gluten, like oats and teff, as they are often grown near foods with gluten.
Below is a great video that provides some ideas on how you can put together a gluten free diet without having to renounce the sort of products that usually contain gluten:
In a previous article, I provided already a list of gluten free foods. In this post I’d like to give you an overview of the various food groups that are gluten free.
Gluten free foods and products:
Vegetables
Vegetables are naturally gluten free. However, be careful not to use them with wheat or other gluten containing flours.
Here is a list of gluten free vegetables: artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocado, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, green beans, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips…
Fruits
Fruits are also free of gluten, however they can be infused with gluten through cooking and preserving methods.
Acai, apples, apricot, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, carobs, cherry, cranberries, currants, dates, figs, grapes, guavas, honeydew melons, kiwis, kumquat, lemons, limes, mandarin, mangoes, oranges, papaya, passion fruits, peaches, pears, pineapples, plantains, plums, persimmons, quince, raspberries, strawberries, tamarind, tangerines and watermelons.
Meat & Poultry
Meat and poultry are naturally gluten free. However, breaded or fried meat should be avoided.
Beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, goat, goose, lamb, pork, rabbit, turkey, quail, veal meat is safe as long as their accompanying ingredients do not contain gluten.
Dairy & Eggs
Butter (as long as all additives are gluten free), cheese (except blue cheese), eggs, milk and yoghurt ( unflavored) are all gluten free.
Grains & Flour
Use breads, flour, tortillas, pasta and other products that are made from gluten free grains. This includes: Almond flour, amaranth, arrowroot, bean flour, brown rice, brown rice flour, buckwheat, cassava, corn flour, corn meal, cornstarch, cottonseed, flaxseed, manioc, millet, Milo, pea flour, polenta, potato flour, quinoa, rice, rice flour, sago, soy flour, tapioca flour, taro flour, yucca.
On the other hand, wheat, barley, rye and oats contain gluten and should be avoided.
Alcoholic Beverages
All spirits and beverages, such as brandy, wine, mead, cider, sherry, champagne, whisky, port, rum, tequila and vermouth, are prepared without any grains and are gluten free.
Again, this is just a rather short list of gluten free foods. In reality, there are hundreds of foods and products that are free from gluten. For a more complete list, check out my previous post: gluten free foods list.
Below you can find some additional articles, resources and sites dedicated on gluten, gluten free recipes and gluten free foods:
Check out glutenfree.com – a site that sells all sorts of gluten free foods and products. This site also lists some absolutely delicious gluten free diet recipes.
Also, take a look at Wikipedia to learn more about gluten and gluten free diets . The site provides a basic overview of gluten free products, Cross-contamination issues, the Accuracy of “gluten-free” labels, gluten and Alcoholic beverages, Deficiencies linked to maintaining a gluten-free diet and more.
Vegsoc.org also provides a gluten free foods list with some interesting nutritional advices.
A basic explanation of gluten with a long discussion thread can also be found on wisegeek.com
Other great resources are: celiac.com – this site provides a very complete explanation on everything around gluten and gluten free products.
Additional gluten free recipes can be found at csaceliacs.org. The recipes are ordered into various groups: desserts, breakfasts, breads, main dishes, salads, snacks…
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8 Responses to “What Foods Are Gluten Free?”
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The Most Revolutionary Gluten Free Cookbook
Fight Allergies with Natural Supplements
It’s no secret that the more medicine we take – over the counter or prescription – the less likely our bodies are able to respond to the medicines. We build a tolerance, which means that when you take ibuprofen on a regular basis for headaches, it will eventually become necessary to up your dosage from one pill to two, and two to three, and so on. With the constant pressure we receive in the media to treat everything from sleeplessness to post-nasal drip (which, by the way, is a media convention … post means after – so if it’s a drip happening after your nose … well, you get the picture), it’s easy to see why we tend to turn immediately to the medicine cabinet for all of our daily “worries”. As we grow older, our tendency to develop allergies grows with us. Where once we could run through a hay field, tumble around with the dogs, and happily roll in the grass, now those same things can bring an irritating onset of runny nose and itchy eyes. Some acne, in fact, is caused by allergies and it’s a long-known fact that allergies can set off a nasty bout with asthma. If we turn to the medicine chest for every sniffle we get, though, what are we doing for our chances of having the medication we really need work all that well next time? There are many ways to treat your allergies naturally, without medicine. Unless it’s an allergy that is life-threatening, try one of these methods before you reach for the multi-colored pills. You might find that some of them are even more effective, and you’re boosting your body’s natural defenses while you take care of the irritation. By treating your allergies naturally with things like vitamins, minerals, and herbs, you also boost and strengthen your immune system and provide adrenal support. In other words, not only are you fighting your allergy symptoms, you’re also helping your body fight illness down the line.
NOTE: I’ve dedicated my life to Educating Consumers on Natural, Organic, Supplements, Vitamins, Healthy Living, Natural Healing, Non-Genetically Modified, Non-Chemical Enhanced or anything we consume made from Un-Natural Sources. I’m asking anyone who reads my articles to post articles like it, or my articles on Great Blogs like this one to spread the word and help make people healthier. You can take credit for the articles, you can go to my Facebook Fan page and get information from there if you’d like or you can go to my store by clicking on my name above for information. I don’t mind if you use articles from my websites. The more we work together, the bigger the demand will be to grow more Natural and Organic Foods. We can’t beat big business and stop them from producing products that cause a vast majority of America’s Health problems because they’re after quanity and profits. Until they see the market shift and start losing money, they won’t change. That’s up to us and it’s time we demand better, safer, healthier supplements, vitamins, and food. We can show them, we the consumers are in control. That all starts with education and helping educate people who have not yet learned about these subjects. My Facebook Fan page is located at http:/www.Facebook.com/TreeHuggersOnline
Thanks and I’ll post new articles like this once per week!
Roger, thank you very, very much for your great post. You are 100% right and on-spot.
For many years, I blindly followed what doctors told me. I had to take more and more pills and medicines and my health only got worth. Sure, some symptoms disappeared, but several new ones popped up – which again had to be treated with pharmaceuticals. Finally I decided to take responsibility for my own health, I changed my nutrition, I supplemented some of the pills with minerals and herbs, I started treating my back pain with regular exercises, I started meditation… For the last 2 years I didn’t take a single pill or medicament and now I feel very healthy and in great shape.
Thanks again for your great post and I hope as many people as possible get to read this very valuable information.
Hi, your site is really amazing. I watch the video and find it really informative. I now realize the importance of gluten free foods to the health. Thanks for sharing this valuable information about healthy foods.
Tamara @ sherlock holmes costumes´s last blog ..Detective Costumes
This is great article!
Interesting topic gluten free foods are healthy especially vegetables… I love vegetables it helps our body clean and healthy.
Sam Lake@Flatten Your Stomach´s last blog ..How To Lose Belly Fat Workout – How Many Calories Should I Consume To Loose Weight – Natural Weight Loss Supplements
This is very informative article!
It helps us to know more about gluten free foods. I love to eat vegetables and it helps our body healthy. Thank you for sharing us.
Elizabeth Wilson@Building Self Confidence´s last blog ..Important Tips if You Want to Attract Women
Very helpful information for people that can’t eat gluten. It is worth mentioning that most people would be better off not eating gluten even if they don’t particularly have a sensitivity to it. Many people say they feel healthier when they don’t include gluten in their diet.
Recipes used to make delicious meals for people in the first phase of the South Beach diet are free of sugars and gluten (sweets and carbohydrates are not allowed during Phase 1). Once you re-introduce carbs use at least 50% rye flour for baking bread which has a lower gluten content than wheat.
Melissa´s last blog ..The South Beach Diet Plan A Complete Guide to Fun Weight Loss
It is sad to tell that people with celiac disease have to follow the gluten free diet … most celiac have to follow the diet for their entire life.