Following a Gluten Free Diet

If you have a food allergy to wheat based products, most likely you are allergic to gluten. Symptoms can range from being very mild, like a runny nose to the extreme, like a swollen throat or tongue. If you suffer from this allergy the best way to prevent a reaction is to avoid products that contain gluten.

Following a gluten free diet is an easy process. The first step is to eliminate any wheat based products from your cupboards. The next step is to make a list of wheat based products you like and find substitutes. If you like bread, there are breads made with rice, coconut and oatmeal that can be consumed. If you like cookies and cakes, then you may have to learn how to make these at home yourself. You can substitute rice, oatmeal or coconut flour in place of traditional flour.

If you are a vegetarian or like vegetarian food products, it is important to read the ingredients on the package. Many of the meat substitutes and other products contain gluten because it can be used to provide texture to meats and as a thickening agent. Many Asian food products also contain gluten.

As the awareness of this food allergy continues to increase many producers of wheat based products are beginning to develop products that do not contain gluten. When following a gluten free diet, just look for the products that are labeled gluten free.

When eating out, do not be afraid to tell the restaurant that you have a food allergy to gluten and wheat based products. Most restaurants will offer menu options and even point out what foods they offer that are gluten free. If the restaurant says they cannot accommodate you or withholds information as to what is in the food, leave. Find another place to dine that will be more flexible.

Living with a food allergy and attempting to follow a gluten free diet is not difficult. You may have to make a few minor changes to your eating habits, but it is one of the easiest food allergies to manage and live with.