Living gluten free: you may think staying away from gluten is a good thing—that depends on your body

Better Nutrition, April, 2006 by Beth Saltz

should the average joe go gluten-free?

"There really isn't any valid reason for a non-gluten-sensitive person to adopt this diet, especially since it's so restrictive," explains dietitian Terri Lisagor, EdD, RD, assistant professor of nutrition at California State University, Northridge. "There wouldn't be a motivator to avoid all gluten-containing foods if one doesn't have the discomfort that a celiac has if they inadvertently eat something with [gluten] in it."

making your gluten-free diet a healthy one Like most diets, the healthfulness of gluten-free eating depends upon which foods a person chooses. "Theoretically, a person might have a more challenging time getting many of the Bs, such as [B.sub.1], [B.sub.2], [B.sub.3] and folate, particularly since our bread products are enriched with those nutrients," adds Lisagor.

While the growing number of gluten-free products make the diet more varied and easier to follow, they won't provide all the nutrients your body needs. "The convenience of gluten-free products are wonderful but they often substitute rice flour, potato starch, tapioca and cornstarch for wheat/rye/barley. Therefore most gluten-free bread products are made from highly refined carbohydrates, which means they are low in B vitamins and fiber," explains Kupper.

Use the following principles as your diet's backbone to make it a healthful one.

* go nuts Include lots of nuts to increase your intake of fiber, protein and vitamin E, an antioxidant. Also choose nut-based flours for baking.

* bean me up Add more beans for increased fiber and protein.

* bow down to brown. Choose brown rather than white rice for more fiber.

* venture out Try grains like quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and teff (an Ethiopian whole grain).

* get colorful Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

* use substitutions Com, potato, rice, soybean, tapioca, arrowroot, amaranth, quinoa, millet and buckwheat are easy substitutes for wheat. Items like tapioca, often found in gluten-free flours or baking mixes, can be substituted in some recipes. Rice, com and potatoes are easy sources of starch, and can serve as a main dish or side dish instead of pasta or bread. Consult a gluten-free cookbook for specific uses.

Whether you absolutely need to follow a gluten-free diet or decide to try it for personal reasons, heed the advice of Lisagor: "Aim for having that good, old balanced diet."

your gluten-free grocery guide USE THIS AISLE-BY-AISLE GUIDE TO NAVIGATE YOUR FAVORITE MARKET

Follow the colors to help you shop for a healthful gluten-free diet. Green means go; yellow means exercise caution; red means avoid.

Even if you think a product is okay, always scan the label. Avoid products that contain wheat, wheat starch, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat bran, triticale, spelt, semolina, rye, kamut, farro, durum, couscous, bulgur, barley, einkom or emmer. As you look at the list below, keep in mind that the label is always the bottom line.

produce aisle:

GREEN: Corn, vegetables, fruits, potatoes and legumes