There can be some confusion between what makes a diet gluten-free and what makes it wheat-free. For example, did you know that some foods labelled as ‘wheat-free’ contain gluten?
Let’s take a look at what actually makes a diet either gluten-free or wheat-free.
What is a Wheat-Free Diet?
Wheat-free diets are often mistaken for gluten-free diets, but wheat-free means eliminating wheat from your diet rather than gluten.
The difference between gluten and wheat is that:
- Gluten is a specific protein found in wheat, and it can also be found in grains such as barley and rye.
- Wheat is the grain gluten is found in.
Some of the foods you should avoid on a wheat-free diet include:
- Bread
- Breakfast cereals
- Bulgar wheat
- Crackers
- Crumpets
- Durum wheat
- Many types of bread
- Pastry
- Spelt flour
- Unbleached flour
- Wheat bran
Of course, there are wheat-free alternatives of some of these foods available, but it’s important to check the label before purchasing.
What Does Gluten-Free Mean?
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, spelt and barley grains. Some people are intolerant to gluten; Coeliac disease is a condition where the immune system attacks your own tissues when you consume gluten, meaning a gluten-free diet is necessary.
This means that anything containing wheat, rye, spelt or barley is off limits on a gluten-free diet, which includes many types of bread, pasta, cereal, cakes, pastries and beer.
What Can You Eat on a Gluten-Free Diet?
There are so many gluten-free alternatives out there nowadays, which means that a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to feel restrictive, and you can still get the nutrition you need to keep your body healthy.
If you’re following a gluten-free diet, we recommend stocking up on:
- Avocado
- Brown rice
- Buckwheat
- Chicken (avoid breaded chicken)
- Edamame beans
- Fresh fish
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- Olives
- Olive oil
- Quinoa
- Red meat
- Tofu
Gluten-Free Supplements
Help to keep your body healthy when you’re following a gluten-free or wheat-free diet with gluten-free supplements from Garden of Life.
Gluten-Free Protein Powder
Our Garden of Life Raw Organic All-in-One Shake is a great gluten-free, vegan-friendly plant-based protein powder made from whole food ingredients. Available in Vanilla and Chocolate flavours, it’s ideal for adding to protein shakes or smoothies.
