A Guide to Eating Gluten-Free

1Grains, Flours and Starches

Many grains and starches are naturally gluten-free, and products made with them — breads, pasta, crackers — can be part of a gluten-free diet. Others contain gluten and must be avoided by people with coeliac disease and certain other health conditions. Use the lists below to guide your eating and shopping.

2Gluten-Free Grains, Flours and Starches

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Bean flours (garbanzo, fava, Romano)
• Buckwheat and buckwheat groats (kasha)
• Cassava flour
• Chia seeds
• Corn (maize), cornmeal
• Flax, flax meal
• Hominy
• Manioc flour
• Mesquite flour
• Millet
• Montina flour
• Nut flours and meals (almond, coconut, hazelnut)
• Oats — certified gluten-free only
• Pea flour
• Potato flour, potato starch
• Quinoa
• Rice (all varieties), rice bran
• Sago
• Sorghum flour
• Soy flour
• Tapioca flour
• Teff
• Yucca

3Grains, Flours and Starches That Contain Gluten

• Barley
• Bulgur
• Cereal binding
• Chapatti flour (atta)
• Couscous
• Dinkel
• Durum
• Einkorn
• Emmer
• Farina
• Farro
• Fu
• Gluten, gluten flour
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Malt — malt beverages, extract, flavouring, syrup, vinegar
• Matzoh meal
• Oats — oat bran, oat syrup, unless certified gluten-free
• Orzo
• Rye
• Seitan (“wheat meat”)
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Triticale
• Wheat — including wheat bran, wheat germ and wheat starch

4Hidden Sources of Gluten

Gluten-free alternatives to typical gluten-containing foods are now widely available in most supermarkets, which makes eating gluten-free far less of a hassle. But keep in mind that many products made with gluten-free alternatives include additives and fillers to mimic the texture of what you are used to. Rather than relying on gluten-free convenience foods, base your diet around naturally gluten-free foods.

The following may or may not be hidden sources of gluten. Read labels carefully, and ask restaurant staff to confirm that food has not been dusted with flour or cross-contaminated in deep fryers:

Brown rice syrup (made with barley enzymes), candy and candy bars, cheesecake filling, eggs prepared in restaurants (sometimes include pancake batter), energy bars, chips and French fries, granola bars, marinades, meat substitutes (vegetarian burgers and sausage, imitation bacon or seafood), multi-grain or “artisan” tortillas and tortilla chips, pizza (restaurants offering gluten-free crusts do not always keep gluten-free items separate), potato chips, pre-seasoned meats, processed lunch meats, salad dressings, self-basting poultry, soup, soy sauce, starch or dextrin in meat and poultry products, and tater tots.

5Tips for Buying and Storing Gluten-Free Food

• Read labels. “Wheat-free” is not the same thing as “gluten-free”. When in doubt, only buy products with a certified gluten-free label.
• Read ingredient lists on any processed or packaged food, especially cream-based products — wheat is often used as a thickener.
• Many personal care products and nutritional supplements contain gluten. Choose brands that are gluten-free.
• Many gluten-free breads and pastas are kept in refrigerated or frozen sections.
• If you cannot find gluten-free grains at your regular supermarket, try specialty or health food stores.
• Do not buy gluten-free grains from bulk bins unless they are kept separate from gluten-containing grains, to avoid cross-contamination.
• If not everyone in your household eats gluten-free, store gluten-free products on a separate shelf — preferably a top shelf, away from gluten-containing food. Use separate toasters and pans if necessary.
• Choose beers made from gluten-free grains. Some gluten-free beers are made from gluten-containing grains that are mechanically separated and may contain up to 10ppm gluten. If gluten-free beer is unavailable, opt for cider, wine or distilled spirits.

Portions of this guidance are adapted from materials © The Institute for Functional Medicine.

Common Questions About Going Gluten-Free