Basics

• There are three types of conditions in which gluten should be avoided in the diet of affected individuals: gluten allergy, gluten intolerance and celiac disease.
  
  Gluten allergy is an auto-immune disorder in which the body produces antibodies to fight what it considers to be an intruder into the system, namely gluten. Symptoms of a gluten allergy include sneezing, a runny nose and wheezing and carries the potential of anaphylactic shock, which is a life-threatening condition.
  
  Gluten intolerance is characterized by flu-like symptoms including diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, bloody stools and weight loss. While this condition is uncomfortable, it is not life-threatening.
  
  Celiac disease is usually an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects the individual as does a gluten allergy. In celiac disease, in addition to the gluten allergy symptoms, the body's response to gluten causes damage to the inner walls of the small intestine.
  
  

Foods to Avoid

• Gluten is a protein substance found in wheat, barley and rye. It may seem simple enough to eliminate foods made with these products such as bread and cereals, but considering the American diet, there are many other foods which may also contain gluten.
  
  Foods to be avoided include wheat, rye, barley, semolina, farina, matzo meal, graham flour, bulgar, durham, kamut, kasha, spelt and triticale, according to the Mayo Clinic. This includes any processed foods that have any of these ingredients in them.
  
  Gluten is also present in brown rice syrup, a sweetening ingredient used in some foods.
  
  

Gluten-Free Foods

• A gluten-free diet will include many basic, nonprocessed foods such as unprocessed meats, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables and most dairy. Rice and potatoes are gluten-free, as are wines and distilled liquors.
  
  Oats and oat products are gluten-free, but often processed in places where the oat may be contaminated with wheat. Some people with a gluten allergy are able to safely eat oats and oat products; others are not.
  
  Foods labeled "gluten-free" are safe to eat, but not those labeled "wheat-free," as gluten may be present.
  
  

Considerations

• Dining out can be especially risky for people with gluten allergies or celiac disease. Fast food restaurants should be avoided. When dining out, before you order anything from the menu, ask your server if the meal contains gluten, because even innocent-sounding menu items may contain gluten.
  
  When dining out, as when eating at home, it is safest to stay with unprocessed foods.
  
  

Precautions

• Other foods and beverages to avoid include beer, candy, processed meats, and artificial meat products. Seemingly innocuous products, at least where gluten is concerned, may not be so, such as postage stamps, medications made with gluten as a binding product, toothpaste, play dough, lipsticks and lip balms.
  
  Contamination by gluten of grills, cooking and eating utensils should be considered by those with gluten allergies and celiac disease.