Wheat-free diet
What is it?
A wheat-free diet involves eliminating all wheat and products containing wheat from the diet. Wheat is a grain that is used all around the world to make flour for bread-making, amongst many other foods. (see table below).
Why go wheat-free?
The reason for cutting out wheat from the diet is mainly because some individuals have a sensitivity or allergy to the proteins it contains. This is partly because wheat is quite a new food in terms of its time on the planet, and our bodies have not quite adapted to it yet. In addition, humans have farmed and modified wheat so that it contains very high levels of gluten, a protein that helps make bread rise better. Gluten can cause a real problem for some individuals (those with coeliac disease) and needs to be completely removed from the diet (see gluten-free diet). In addition to the above, we simply overuse wheat, as it appears regularly at most meal times as one of the main carbohydrate sources as well as a hidden ingredient in many coatings and sauces.
Symptoms of wheat allergy include: Urticaria or skin rashes, digestive problems and breathing complications. A wheat-free diet is often recommended by naturopaths to help reduce symptoms of many illnesses. Ones to note are colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
What to eat?
The following table shows a list of foods you should avoid and the ones that you actually can eat if on a wheat-free diet. The key ones are obvious, which normally have direct alternatives. The biggest problem is that many foods use wheat and its derivatives for many foodstuffs, it is therefore always wise check the label for hidden ingredients or look for the statement 'Wheat-free' for complete piece of mind.
| Foods to Avoid |
Alternative foods you can eat |
All forms of bread & bread crumbs
Flours & breads termed: wheat, whole-wheat, wholemeal, white, granary
Cous cous, bulgar wheat or semolina
Biscuits & cakes
Crackers
Wheat bran
Wheat germ
Wheat starch
Baking powder
Gravy mixes and stock cubes
Shoyu soya sauce
Most breakfast cereals and muesli
Pasta
Wheat flakes or grains
Hydrolysed vegetable protein
Durum
Gluten
Foods in which wheat is often found:
desserts, confectionery, waffles, muffins, croissants, pastries, pancakes, puddings, breaded coatings, pasties, pies, sauces, soups, batters, mustard powder, sausages, burgers, baked beans
This list gives common sources of wheat. Always read food labels. Ask if you are unsure! |
Special wheat-free Breads & Bread crumbs
Flour & Breads of: rye, Oats, rice, barley, spelt , chickpea, potato, millet, soya, maize
Quinoa or rice
Special wheat-free biscuits & cakes
Rye crackers or rice cakes
Oat bran, rice bran, soya bran
Oat germ
Potato flour (starch)
Gluten-free/wheat-free baking powder
Special wheat-free gravy mixes
Tamari soya sauce (check label)
Porridge Oats, puffed rice, WF muesli
Wheat-free, corn, rice or buckwheat pasta
Flakes or grains from rye, soya, Oats, millet
Buckwheat, barley
Textured vegetable or soya protein
There are new wheat-free products being developed all the time. Regularly ask in your local health food store for the latest products. |
- It must be noted that some individuals may be able to tolerate spelt wheat as it contains much lower levels of protein that cause the allergic reaction. Spelt is the original species of wheat and has not been modified by farming methods.
- Ask in-store to see the range of wheat-free products available and different cook books that offer wheat-free recipes.
- When on any diet where foods are restricted, it is always wise to ensure that there are no nutritional deficiencies by taking a strong, hi-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement one to two times daily.
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