Looking for Gluten free diet

A gluten-free diet is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: wheat, barley, rye, and triticale, as well as the use of gluten as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent. It is recommended amongst other things in the treatment of celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance, and wheat allergy. Additionally, the diet may exclude oats. Some people for whom the diet is recommended can tolerate oat products and some medical practitioners say they may be permitted, but there is some controversy about including them in a gluten-free diet because studies on the subject are incomplete. Even if oats are included, it is important to source these from a facility that is gluten free, as most oats are contaminated during processing.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body triggers gluten to attack the lining of the small intestine. Celiac disease also known as celiac sprue usually is diagnosed with blood tests and a biopsy of the intestines. Symptoms of celiac disease are predominately in the gastrointestinal tract and include diarrhea, pain, bloating, gas and weight loss.The small intestine helps people digest and absorb food, said Zamost, so severe damage to the organ can lead to mal-absorption, which can result in iron deficiency and thinning of the bones.

Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet. The most frequently used are corn, potatoes, rice, and tapioca. Other grains and starch sources generally considered suitable for gluten-free diets include amaranth, arrowroot, millet, montina, lupin, quinoa, sorghum (jowar), sweet potato, taro, teff, chia seed, and yam. Various types of bean, soybean, and nut flours are sometimes used in gluten-free products to add protein and dietary fiber. In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat; pure buckwheat is considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, although many commercial buckwheat products are actually mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and thus not acceptable. Gram flour, derived from chickpeas, is also gluten-free (this is not the same as Graham flour made from wheat).