Advice on Wheat Free Diets

It can be challenging to follow a wheat-free diet. Wheat may be "hidden" in the foods we eat, so wheat-free dieters need to become expert at reading labels. Finding alternatives to wheat products most people eat every day, like bread, can involve changing your eating habits. You may spend more time shopping. Dining out can present special problems.

Read Labels

It will take extra time when you shop, but it's essential to read labels if you're going to avoid wheat in your diet. Obviously, you'll have to put anything that lists wheat, wheat gluten, barley or rye back on the shelf. Oats may be fine for you but if they're dusted with wheat (and the label might not disclose this), they won't be. Look for steel-cut oats to make oatmeal. Be careful of breakfast cereals, which may contain malt (made from barley). Look out for hydrolyzed vegetable protein, too; there's probably wheat in there. If in doubt, don't buy it.

Wheat Alternatives

When you start on a wheat-free diet, you become aware just how much wheat you normally eat. Bread, pizza, bagels, crackers, muffins, hamburger buns--the list seems endless. But there are alternatives. You can enjoy the same items made with different starches. You have a choice of products traditionally made with wheat that are instead being made with rice, potato, tapioca, sorghum flours or a combination. The flavor will be different, but they are just as delicious. Love pasta? There are rice noodles and corn pastas available, and some people tolerate spelt, an ancient grain.

Changing Your Diet

Sometimes, the easiest way to go wheat-free is to substitute fruits and vegetables for the baked goods you would otherwise eat. That's a healthy benefit of a wheat-free diet. Eating fresh, whole foods means you don't have to spend so much time reading labels. Deli meats and hot dogs are notorious for having wheat additives. Think about roasting a whole chicken or making a London broil and slicing the leftovers for lunch the next day. Instead of bread, put your sandwich filler inside lettuce leaves. Use vegetables for dipping instead of crackers. Missing crunch? Eat some popcorn.

Shopping

More and more supermarkets are carrying wheat-free and gluten-free foods. For the biggest selection, you'll probably have to go to the health food store. Vendors on the Internet are happy to ship a variety of wheat-free products to your door. Advance planning is key. It may take a little more time to shop, but you'll have the largest selection this way.

Drinking and Dining Out

Wine and liquors are usually safe but beer is made with malt. If you're dining out, decipher the menu as best you can and eliminate all items with breading. If you're looking at anything stuffed, sauteed or pan-fried, check with your server to see if they contain wheat or are dusted with flour. Ask your server if an item can be made for you without wheat. Chefs are increasingly incorporating wheat-free choices in their menus and are usually happy to oblige your requests, if they can. Cuisines from Asia, where rice is the staple rather than wheat, offer lots of alternatives but check to make sure any wraps are rice rather than wheat.