Allergic to gluten

notsosimplyabby

.... aaaand I just found out I am allergic to gluten. Turns out my break-outs and lack of energy is coming from my gluten intake. Just as I am starting to get back on the healthy eating train, too! For me, it's so hard to find filling foods that aren't bread.

I need suggestions friends on yummy snacks and meals that are gluten free. I'm not a HUGE meat fan. I eat meat, but I honestly can do without. So please don't tell me chicken and broccoli

Thank you friends!

sllm1

I do lots of things with corn tortillas - tacos, specifically. Chicken or beef.

I eat chicken daily (sorry, I do eat lots of meat) with rice or beans or a salad.

Some protein bars are gluten free, and I do chocolate milk (Fair Life) for breakfast. Breakfast casserole is good, too. I make it with sausage, eggs, cheese, and I use diced potatoes instead of bread.

It takes a while to find things that satisfy you, but all in all it's not so bad. I do occasionally still mourn the loss of bread. And donuts.

wiferichie1

Hey i am gluten free because if my thyroid. To get the nutrients I miss out on from lack of gluten priducts, I eat quinoa, rice, and oatmeal. There's a delicious meat free, gluten free, dairy free quinoa chili that I make quite a bit. I eat a ton of seafood now. My fav at home shrimp recipe is an asain shrimp and broccoli over rice noodles. I also make also lot using corn tortillas and corn tortillas chips. Yesterday, I made cabbage roll soup and it was sooo good! Oh and my take on joes crab shack's ragin cajun (cooked via steampot). Both are super easy to make! For snacks, i eat apples or celery with peanut butter, string cheese, yogurt, Lara bars, fruit, raw red bell pepper, grilled keilbasa and veggies, leftovers (haha), protein shakes, hard boiled eggs, tuna salad on Apple slices....

GottaBurnEmAll

If grains and starches fill you up, there are plenty of gluten free options.

But gluten free breads aren't that filling (or tasty) so don't go there.

I'll second the suggestion of corn tortillas (check that they're gluten free). You can look for gluten free oatmeal (Bob's Red Mill sells it). Most stores these days usually have an extensive selection of gluten free products.

Potatoes are gluten free. Beans and bean pasta (check out Explore Cuisine and Banza brands) are gluten free.

Fruit, milk, lots of protein bars (check the labels), glutino brand pretzels, popcorn, cut up veggies and hummus... all good snacking options.

Protein sources? Cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs, Greek yogurt. If you can live without meat, try Beyond Meat vegetarian products. They're tasty and gluten free.

I've had celiac disease for almost 20 years and I'm a vegetarian. I have no problems avoiding protein and finding yummy foods.

ashcky

If you want to add me I eat gluten free and my diary is open. The first month is hard but after that it just becomes a habit and I feel like a million times better now that I am gluten free.

nvmomketo

Most foods are GF. It's mainly the pre-prepared foods that have gluten and a few cauces and spice mixes that you'll need to watch out for (like most soy sauce and worchestershire sauce).

Sides of potatoes, rice and quinoa are all GF. You'll need to skip the sides of noodles and bread unless you choose to buy the GF substitutes. Meats are all GF, except for some sausages and deli meats that have wheat crumbs. All veggies and fruits are gf, and dairy is GF except when gluten is added to some like in some yogurts.

Good luck.

BTW, there is no such thing as a gluten allergy, which is an IgE mediated reaction to somthing. There are allergies to wheat, and there are gluten sensitivities of various degrees (usually IgG or IgA mediated). Of course, an allergy and a sensitivity both mean a food should be avoided.

fitoverfortymom

Both my hubby and daughter have Celiac, so we keep our house gluten free to avoid cross contamination making them sick. The easiest part of gluten free is eating fresh foods...fresh produce, fresh meat, dairy, etc. are all naturally gluten free. Also, Udi's Omega Fiber Flax bread is delicious (I'm not gluten free and I love that bread). It's got a nice calorie balance and lots of fiber. It takes a while for your palate to adjust, but some of the gluten free pastas aren't all that bad--Jovial and Tinkyada to name a few. Occasionally we have gluten substitute foods, but mostly focus on naturally gluten free stuff. Tacos and corn tortillas are big in our house.

fitoverfortymom

Also, Snickers doesn't have gluten, FWIW.

cwolfman13

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

ronjsteele1

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

psuLemon

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

Yep. Many use wheat, barley and rye as a additive, it's actually quite crazy.

AmberSpamber

All of the things I would have suggested have been covered here. It will be a little frustrating in the beginning, but give it time. It will get easier. It's been almost 4 years for me now, and I don't even miss it. I can easily sub most things now, and have found an excellent GF bread by Franz bakery that is sold at costco.

cwolfman13

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

aren't all of those some kind of wheat product variety?

And Uh...regardless, my point was that there are plenty of awesome foods that are gluten free and really, I fail to see how people struggle with this as much as they seem to...

psuLemon

cwolfman13 wrote: »

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

aren't all of those some kind of wheat product variety?

And Uh...regardless, my point was that there are plenty of awesome foods that are gluten free and really, I fail to see how people struggle with this as much as they seem to...

They are both grains, but slightly different types of grains: http://pediaa.com/difference-between-wheat-and-barley/

JustMissTracy

If you're allergic to gluten, you need to avoid more than just bread...here are some hidden terms you should look for to avoid when grocery shopping:

First, check the ingredient label for wheat, barley, and rye.

•Barley (flakes, flour, pearl)
•Breading, bread stuffing
•Brewer's yeast
•Bulgur
•Durum (type of wheat)
•Farro/faro (also known as spelt or dinkel)
•Graham flour
•Hydrolyzed wheat protein
•Kamut (type of wheat)
•Malt, malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring
•Malt vinegar
•Malted milk
•Matzo, matzo meal
•Modified wheat starch
•Oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, whole oats (unless they are from pure, uncontaminated oats)
•Rye bread and flour
•Seitan (a meat-like food derived from wheat gluten used in many vegetarian dishes)
•Semolina
•Spelt (type of wheat also known as farro, faro, or dinkel)
•Triticale
•Wheat bran
•Wheat flour
•Wheat germ
•Wheat starch

These other ingredients may be less familiar to you, but they also contain gluten:
•Atta (chapati flour)
•Einkorn (type of wheat)
•Emmer (type of wheat)
•Farina
•Fu (a dried gluten product made from wheat and used in some Asian dishes)

Gluten Foods

Double-check the ingredients label on these items, as they're possible sources of gluten:
•Beer, ale, lager
•Breads
•Broth, soup, soup bases
•Cereals
•Cookies and crackers
•Some chocolates, some chocolate bars, licorice
•Flavored coffees and teas
•Imitation bacon bits, imitation seafoods
•Medications (check with your pharmacist)
•Pastas
•Processed foods
•Salad dressings
•Sausages, hot dogs, deli meats
•Sauces, marinades, gravies
•Seasonings
•Soy sauce

I printed this and kept a copy in my purse and on the fridge, for the first year after being diagnosed Celiac. I still have bad moments where I choose the wrong thing, or someone else prepares a meal and something is in there without knowing it, but the list has helped me greatly to be proactive with my problem.

JenniferNoll

No. They are all grains, but not all wheat.

Philtex

Any suggestions for GF meals at national chain restaurants?

JustMissTracy

Philtex wrote: »

Any suggestions for GF meals at national chain restaurants?

Depends on the restaurant, where are you located? Here in Canada, a few of the restaurants now have a gf menu, but beware! I've been fooled into consuming something they claimed didn't have it, and it did, more than once.

GottaBurnEmAll

cwolfman13 wrote: »

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

aren't all of those some kind of wheat product variety?

And Uh...regardless, my point was that there are plenty of awesome foods that are gluten free and really, I fail to see how people struggle with this as much as they seem to...

It's the food additives that get you. How they're sourced isn't always clear.

Another problem for people, particularly those with celiac disease is that of factory cross contamination. A particular product may not have a gluten containing item in its ingredient list, but it can be manufactured in a gluten-containing environment. Sensitive individuals have reactions to even minute amounts of air-borne or residual gluten left on equipment.

Another grain that celiacs have to be careful with is oats. While oats themselves are gluten free, most commercially available oats contain gluten picked up both in cross contamination from manufacturing and from the common practice of using oats as a rotation crop on grain fields that usually grow gluten-containing grains. There are always volunteers from prior year harvests in those oats.

Gluten free oats need to be grown on dedicated fields.

cwolfman13

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

aren't all of those some kind of wheat product variety?

And Uh...regardless, my point was that there are plenty of awesome foods that are gluten free and really, I fail to see how people struggle with this as much as they seem to...

It's the food additives that get you. How they're sourced isn't always clear.

Another problem for people, particularly those with celiac disease is that of factory cross contamination. A particular product may not have a gluten containing item in its ingredient list, but it can be manufactured in a gluten-containing environment. Sensitive individuals have reactions to even minute amounts of air-borne or residual gluten left on equipment.

Another grain that celiacs have to be careful with is oats. While oats themselves are gluten free, most commercially available oats contain gluten picked up both in cross contamination from manufacturing and from the common practice of using oats as a rotation crop on grain fields that usually grow gluten-containing grains. There are always volunteers from prior year harvests in those oats.

Gluten free oats need to be grown on dedicated fields.

So would it be safe to say that someone who is gluten intolerant or celiac should probably focus substantially on whole foods.

GottaBurnEmAll

cwolfman13 wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

ronjsteele1 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Anything that isn't wheat...potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lentils, legumes, oats, etc, etc, etc...the only foods that have gluten are wheat products.

Uh, untrue. Barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and rye also all have gluten. Many many pre-packaged spices add gluten ingredients that aren't wheat.

aren't all of those some kind of wheat product variety?

And Uh...regardless, my point was that there are plenty of awesome foods that are gluten free and really, I fail to see how people struggle with this as much as they seem to...

It's the food additives that get you. How they're sourced isn't always clear.

Another problem for people, particularly those with celiac disease is that of factory cross contamination. A particular product may not have a gluten containing item in its ingredient list, but it can be manufactured in a gluten-containing environment. Sensitive individuals have reactions to even minute amounts of air-borne or residual gluten left on equipment.

Another grain that celiacs have to be careful with is oats. While oats themselves are gluten free, most commercially available oats contain gluten picked up both in cross contamination from manufacturing and from the common practice of using oats as a rotation crop on grain fields that usually grow gluten-containing grains. There are always volunteers from prior year harvests in those oats.

Gluten free oats need to be grown on dedicated fields.

So would it be safe to say that someone who is gluten intolerant or celiac should probably focus substantially on whole foods.

They don't have to. There's a wide array of gluten free products out there.

I personally, through long experience, tend to focus on whole foods because I find them more satisfying. I also tend to focus on cuisine that's inherently gluten-free rather than using gluten-free analogs for gluten-containing foods (with the exception of bean pasta, because I find that to be pretty convenient).

But sometimes, I like a Snickers bar. I'm glad it's gluten free and am happy to know that.

Sometimes, I have the urge to have Oreos. I'm glad that Trader Joe's makes gluten free Joe-Joe's.

For the most part, though, sticking to lean proteins, veggies, fruit, beans, and starches like quinoa, potatoes, corn, gluten free oats, and rice would be the best course of action. It is nice to know that there are gluten free cookies out there to buy if you want them though. And Kind bars. They're pretty tasty.