Gluten Allergy Diet

Many foods are packaged and prepared with gluten and you may not even know it. In order to know which foods contain gluten, you must understand that gluten is a protein found in many different grains including wheat, oats, barley and rye. Technically, those who are sensitive to gluten don't actually have an allergy, but rather an intolerance. This autoimmune condition is called celiac disease, and affects millions of children and adults. If you have celiac disease, removing all foods containing gluten from your diet is essential for treatment.

What to Avoid

• Avoiding gluten can be a difficult task, because most foods are not labeled as "with gluten." Anything prepared with the grains that gluten can be found in must be off limits. Typical gluten-containing suspects that should always be avoided are breads, cereals, beer and pastas. There are also not-so-obvious offenders that may contain gluten, such as certain shampoos and make up. It's extremely important to carefully read ingredient labels of all items before purchasing anything.

Safe Foods

• Although having a gluten intolerance can be tricky, there are many foods that can be eaten without a second thought. Eating a diet that is unprocessed makes for easy shopping and eating. Vegetables, fruits, rice, beans, corn and meats are all safe foods. Many dairy foods are also fine to consume. Never take a chance with processed foods that could potentially contain gluten; it's always best to buy products that are labeled "gluten free." Gluten-free basics, such as breads and cookies, can easily be found at your local health food store.

Getting Your Fix

• If you need a better fix than breads and cookies, there are many online stores selling a vast array of gluten-free products. Cakes, pastas, chips, waffles and pizza are now easier than ever to find. Because there are so many health problems linked to gluten, companies are finding creative alternatives to gluten ingredients. Potato starch, tapioca flour, rice flour and millet flour are a few of the more popular replacements for white and wheat flours. Besides being available in packaged mixes, there are also great recipes to be found for cooking or baking from scratch.