| If one or more of your family members suffers | | | | oats, you can still read the labeled ingredients to |
| from coeliac disease, then you probably realize | | | | make sure no other grains containing gluten are |
| the many pitfalls associated with finding and | | | | present. |
| cooking gluten free foods. Coeliac disease is | | | | Gluten Free Foods at Home |
| caused by an intolerance of gluten, which is a | | | | Before rushing to the grocery to buy all sorts of |
| protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. When | | | | gluten free foods, check the labels of foods and |
| someone with coeliac disease consumes gluten, | | | | brands you already have at home. You might find |
| the proteins become toxic to their body and | | | | that many of these are already gluten free or |
| cause damage to the intestine. This damage can | | | | wheat free so you won't have to buy |
| lead to other conditions such as iron deficiency | | | | alternatives. Make a list of gluten free foods your |
| anemia, unintentional weight loss, decreased bone | | | | family already enjoys, and then make a list of |
| density, a deficiency in vitamin B12 and folate, and | | | | foods you'll need to substitute. This will save time |
| decreased absorption of essential nutrients in the | | | | and money as you shop for groceries in the |
| body. | | | | future. |
| The key to good health with coeliac disease is to | | | | With some of your favorite recipes, you might |
| consume gluten free food or wheat free food. | | | | find that substituting only one or two ingredients |
| There are 25 grains that contain gluten: bran, | | | | will transform that dish into a coeliac food! For |
| bulgur, barley, faro, graham flour, kamut, orzo, | | | | example, if you bake a lot, you can easily buy |
| triticale, spelt, wheat germ, wheat bran, semolina, | | | | gluten free flour online or at a health food store |
| rye, seitan, farina, couscous, barley malt/extract, | | | | to substitute your usual flour. Or, you can |
| udon, durum, einkorn, emmer, matzo flour/meal, | | | | substitute your cereals with gluten free cereals. A |
| panko, wheat, and wheat starch. Following a | | | | variety of coeliac foods (or celiac foods) are |
| coeliac food diet means you must avoid these | | | | available online such as gluten free gravy, biscuits, |
| grains and the foods that are prepared with them. | | | | cakes, cookies, cake mixes, bread, pasta, wafers, |
| So, What Can a Person with Coeliac Disease Eat? | | | | and pastries. Pre-packaged gluten free food |
| Before you can plan healthy wheat free meals, | | | | snacks will come in handy when you or your |
| you should become familiar with gluten free foods. | | | | family member has the munchies! |
| Here's a list of grains and starches that are gluten | | | | To make hearty meals that are gluten free, plan |
| free: potato flour, quinoa, sago, rice, rice bran, | | | | your meals around naturally gluten free foods. |
| soy, tapioca, teff, sorghum, Montina (TM), millet, | | | | Then add items that will complement those foods. |
| potato starch, flax, buckwheat, arrowroot, | | | | Some great wheat free foods to try include |
| amaranth, corn, and flour made from nuts, beans, | | | | baked potatoes, vegetables, lean meats such as |
| and seeds. Distilled vinegar is gluten free as well, | | | | tuna, ham or chicken, stir-fry, turkey or beef chili, |
| but malt vinegar contains gluten. You can base | | | | kabobs, rice, corn tortillas, yogurt smoothies, |
| many delicious home-cooked meals on these | | | | eggs, bacon (or turkey bacon), rice cakes, baked |
| foods or foods prepared with these as an | | | | apples, popcorn, string cheese, pudding, and ice |
| ingredient to provide a healthy diet for yourself or | | | | cream. |
| a family member with coeliac disease. | | | | Planning is the key to success when it comes to |
| Nutritional labels can help you recognize foods with | | | | preparing gluten free foods. Make a list of foods |
| gluten. As of January 1, 2006, the Food Allergen | | | | you or your family member can eat. Search for |
| Labeling and Consumer Act called for all food | | | | coeliac food recipes online and create a recipe box |
| labels to identify clearly any of the eight most | | | | filled with these special meals. Shop for gluten free |
| prevalent allergens found in that particular food. | | | | foods and ingredients online to save time and |
| These are peanuts, soybeans, milk, fish, eggs, | | | | money. You'll find that "gluten free" cooking |
| tree nuts, shellfish, and wheat. Though this list | | | | doesn't mean you or your loved one can't enjoy |
| does not include foods made with rye, barley, or | | | | many tasty, healthy meals! |