The Word on Weightloss

The Problem of a Gluten-Free Diet

Variety provides enjoyment in life and nutrition in diets. A doctor’s order for a gluten-free diet can threaten to destroy a varied, healthy diet. Wheat, rye, and barley are staples of the American diet. They also are high in gluten. Eliminating the typical breads, pastas, and cakes from your diet may seem like the end to a varied, enjoyable diet; but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it shouldn’t be.

A diet lacking the common grains also frequently lacks several nutrients necessary for a healthy diet, including fiber, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, and calcium. Missing these nutrients can lead to serious health problems. Those on a gluten-free diet, then, have a problem: to eat the common grains is detrimental; to not eat them can be damaging.

The Solution to a Gluten-Free Diet

The problem is not impossible to solve. Many grains are gluten-free and contain all nutrients found in wheat, barley, and rye. Below is a list of gluten free grains, some nutritional information, and links to a few healthy recipes using these grains.

• Amaranth, a pseudo-grain, is exceptionally high in protein and essential amino acids, including lysine. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber and minerals.
• Corn is a native North American grain that can be prepared in a variety of ways.
  
  • Gluten-Free Cornbread
• Quinoa, cultivated originally in the South American Andes, has high protein content and balanced amino-acids.
  
  • Herbed Quinoa
• Rice is sold as white (refined) rice and brown (whole grain) rice. Brown rice is rich in dietary fiber and vitamins, but not a balanced source of amino acids.
  
  • Scallops and Rice Noodles
• Sorghum has long been used as a wheat-flour substitute in northern China. It is more slowly digested than many other grains, and thus may be suitable for diabetics.
• Millet has similar protein content to wheat and is high in vitamin B, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.
  
  • Savory Millet and Potato Stew
• Teff, a tiny black grain, is high in protein, starch, dietary fiber, and calcium. It also contains a balanced set of amino acids and many other vitamins.

These grains are excellent sources of nutrition. Most of them can be enjoyed as cereals or pilafs, or ground into flour for bread, cake, or pasta. Even people not on a gluten-free diet may benefit from incorporating these grains into their healthy, nutritious diet.