By Richmond Natural Medicine

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March 16, 2018

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When it comes to transitioning to a gluten free diet, there is no single “right way” to do this, as each person’s response to gluten can range tremendously.

Whether due to a recent allergy, celiac diagnosis, general digestive issues or simply being more conscious of your overall health, there is a huge influx of people within the past 15 years who have chosen to remove gluten from their diet. Unfortunately, when we choose to remove anything from our diet, it is often accompanied by external judgement, stigma and plenty of misinformation surrounding a decision that should otherwise be personal and individual.  

Start Small

When I counsel people on shifting to a gluten free diet, I often recommend they begin with small steps (unless their diagnosis or reaction to gluten is extreme, such as the case of celiac disease in which all wheat and gluten should be avoided). This means first paying attention to their symptoms, writing down their foods and reactions, experimenting with various forms of grains and incorporating in other foods or herbal therapeutics that support digestion during the entire process.  It is important to pay attention to your body’s signals and develop a deep understanding of the foods that either support or detract from your overall health. 

Modern Day Wheat

Processing and production of modern day wheat is heavily overproduced and over-processed. For example, in this country modern day wheat barely marks a resemblance to the wheat products that were consumed 50 years ago. The most popular strains of wheat that are produced now are often easier to harvest, cheaper to produce and significantly less nutrient dense than heirloom wheat strains.  Coincidentally they also have a higher gluten protein content. In our modern diet, wheat, soy and corn are three of the most heavily produced foods and therefore make up a larger part of our diet than we may realize. This is where paying attention to your food labels and familiarizing yourself with all the different forms of wheat is hugely beneficial. It is important to remember that not all grains contain gluten, and familiarizing yourself with several types of grains is helpful when transitioning to a gluten free diet.

Gluten Containing Grains

Examples of gluten containing grains include: wheat, barley, rye, couscous, spelt, semolina, durum, malt, brewer’s yeast, farro, wheat bran and wheat germ. For a complete list of all gluten containing grains and wheat derivatives, visit the Celiac.org reference page. Each grain has an individual nutrient profile with a varying range of gluten proteins, therefore each person (with mild gluten sensitivity) may have individual reactions to some gluten containing grains more than others. If you have a serious gluten condition, all of these grains should be avoided. If you’re experimenting with removing gluten from your diet, it is often helpful to remove all of these grains initially for at least 4 weeks, then add in one grain at a time and pay attention to how your body accepts or reacts to this addition. Go slowly, and allow at least 10 days between adding in different grains. Pay attention to processed or packaged foods such as soy sauce, prepared sauces, beer, baked goods, pasta, candy, gravy, imitation meat, salad dressings and lunch meats, as these often contain gluten ingredients. When a commercially produced product contains gluten ingredients, it should be clearly marked underneath the ingredient list saying. “Contains Gluten”.

Gluten-Free Grains

Examples of gluten free grains include: steel cut or gluten free oats, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, wild rice, nuts and seeds, arrowroot, teff, and flax. Many of these grains are also extremely nutrient dense with rich protein content and are high in fiber, making them an excellent addition to meals. Again, try them one at a time and make sure you can tolerate them well. Many local health food stores will carry these grains in their bulk food area, as well as stock certified gluten free products made with many of these gluten free grains. Do keep in mind, however, that just because a product is “gluten free” doesn’t automatically make it healthy and well tolerated. For example, if you have an allergy or intolerance to potato, almost all gluten free products contain potato derivatives of some kind. So again, this is very individualized.

In summary…

When transitioning to a gluten free diet pay close attention to your symptoms, keep a food log, remove gluten containing grains from your diet (and in some cases), gradually add them back into your diet slowly and one at a time. This will either reinforce which grains you need to avoid or allow opportunity to consume select grains depending on your individual response.

If you need support during this process or help figuring out which grains work best for you to support your digestion, schedule a Nutrition appointment at Richmond Natural Medicine with Lindsay Kluge and we can come up with a tailored nutrition plan that fits your unique health picture.

Additional Resources & Perspectives:

Kamut: An Ancient Grain with Many Health Benefits

The Truth About Grains, part I

The Truth About Grains, part II

Gluten Free Food Labeling

About the Author:

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.