Good grains for gluten-free diets

Good grains for gluten-free diets

The North American diet is so focused on wheat products, we often forget that there are actually numerous other grains that can be used to make breads and pastries. So here's a comprehensive list provided by Bailey Koch, RD, who is on our advisory board.

Allowed grains and flours:

Rice Beans Buckwheat Vegetable gums

Corn Garfava Arrowroot (i.e. guar gum)       Soy

Sorghum Amaranth Flax Potato

Quinoa Teff Mesquite Tapioca

Millet Cassava Sago Nuts and Seeds

Indian rice grass

Oats present a special case because they are often milled with wheat

  • Avoid until gluten free diet is mastered and there are no gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Then one should limit the amount of pure, uncontaminated oats to:
    • ¼ cup per day in children
    • ½- ¾ cup per day in adults
    • The reason behind limiting pure, uncontaminated oats is the fact that there are case reports of patients with celiac disease relapsing from the consumption of pure, uncontaminated oats.  If this happens to you, discontinue the oats and contact your physician.

A gluten-free diet can provide all of the nutrition an individual needs.  Fruits, vegetables, corn, potatoes, rice, beans, most dairy products, nuts, seeds, eggs, and plain meats can be eaten on a gluten-free diet.