What Can You Eat If You Have Celiac Disease?

[Bags]

I just found out today that I have Celiac disease. I was wondering what foods are definitely ok to consume that does not have gluten? I am scared to eat because the pain is so bad and I just got over the symptoms (it lasted over 3 days). 

[notme]

well, what are you wanting to eat?  obviously, you can't have regular bread or pasta.  there is a pinned post in this section of the forum, go ahead and read through it.  "newbie 101" many good suggestions and recommendations.  in the beginning, I was like, o, i'll  just order off the gluten free menu, but it's not as simple as that.  I would suggest you do not eat out until you learn what to be wary of and what practices are safe in different restaurants.  

so, what are you wanting to eat? 

trust me, we all felt that "o, my gosh, I can't eat anything" in the beginning, including the 'grocery store meltdown'  <mine included crying and leaving the store with nothing lolz)

welcome to the club you never wanted to join 🙄 you are going to feel so much better once your body gets the right 'fuel' - lots of seemingly unrelated symptoms cleared up for so many of us!!  life is so much better for me personally being as I was almost dead when finally diagnosed.  this forum is very helpful and interactive.  no questions are 'dumb' questions.  it'll be ok!  promise!   

[GFinDC]

Hi,

Most meats, veggies, nuts, eggs and fruit are ok and naturally gluten-free.  The exception is if you get some kind of pre-spiced meat or veggies etc.  Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley.  Although some of us react to oat protein also.

To make it easy, look for foods with 3 ingredients or less.  One ingredient is ideal.  You can certainly combine as many ingredients as you like though.  Just don't start with processed foods with a long list of ingredients.  Whole foods (not processed) are a great way to go. 

[Bags]

On 6/23/2020 at 10:42 PM, GFinDC said:

Hi,

Most meats, veggies, nuts, eggs and fruit are ok and naturally gluten-free.  The exception is if you get some kind of pre-spiced meat or veggies etc.  Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley.  Although some of us react to oat protein also.

To make it easy, look for foods with 3 ingredients or less.  One ingredient is ideal.  You can certainly combine as many ingredients as you like though.  Just don't start with processed foods with a long list of ingredients.  Whole foods (not processed) are a great way to go. 

Thank you for your comment. You have a lot of ideas that I can feel comfortable using!

That is a great idea 🙂 I took your advice and I did a quinoa recipe that had raisins and toasted pine nuts which was good and did not tear up my insides (3 ingredients). Additionally, I tried a banana with almond butter which was not only tasty but made me feel relief. Which particular grocery stores (Publix, Trader Joe’s, Fresh Market etc...) would be better (or has more choices for Celiac sufferers?

With meats, do we also need to be wary of getting it cut to our likening? I was thinking of cross-contamination. Although, I thought if I tell them about my diagnosis, Celiac disease, then they can ensure a separate area that would not cause upset and ripping of my insides?

Sorry for my long response. I am excited to get knowledge and advice from individuals. I have been in pain for so long (7 years) and could not get answers. It was not until I got a new primary doctor that we found answers. I found peace and finally could provide myself the much needed medication and attention. It feels good knowing that this disease can be managed and without pills (at this point of time according to my primary).

Sincerely,

Bags

[Bags]

Using forums is new to me so if there are multiple posts that look similar, I apologize. I will learn! Lol

[cyclinglady]

hi Bags!  
 

Any of those markets are fine when you are shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables, and processed foods.   I try to buy my meats that come straight from a processor at a grocery store like Publix.  Like chicken or turkey.  If I am buying pork or beef, I shop Costco.  That is because they only cut meat.  They are not stuffing pork chops or marinating meat and setting it in a meat case unwrapped in their facility and ripe for cross contamination.  

Feel free to talk to the butcher.  I have and at Publix too.  My family lives in Georgia.  I love Publix!  Of course we (California ) have had Trader Joe’s the longest.  I do not shop there often as it is not as convenient for me anymore.  

You will get the hang of it!  Keep to simple foods like GFInDC suggested. Easiest way to avoid gluten and maybe even heal faster!  

10 minutes ago, Bags said:

Using forums is new to me so if there are multiple posts that look similar, I apologize. I will learn! Lol

No worries!  😊. We are glad you are here.  

Edited June 25, 2020 by cyclinglady

[Bags]

2 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

hi Bags!  
 

Any of those markets are fine when you are shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables, and processed foods.   I try to buy my meats that come straight from a processor at a grocery store like Publix.  Like chicken or turkey.  If I am buying pork or beef, I shop Costco.  That is because they only cut meat.  They are not stuffing pork chops or marinating meat and setting it in a meat case unwrapped in their facility and ripe for cross contamination.  
 

You will get the hang of it!  Keep to simple foods like GFInDC suggested. Easiest way to avoid gluten and maybe even heal faster!  

No worries!  😊. We are glad you are here.  

Thank you 🙂 I did not realize that Costco was like that...wow! I like that I do not necessarily have to shop at the high end grocery stores. It is expensive. What about juicing as part of our diet?

Bags

[cyclinglady]

1 minute ago, Bags said:

Thank you 🙂 I did not realize that Costco was like that...wow! I like that I do not necessarily have to shop at the high end grocery stores. It is expensive. What about juicing as part of our diet?

Bags

Juicing is fine as long as you are not diabetic (Type 2/insulin resistant) gluten-free need not be expensive if you avoid processed foods which are not good for anyone as we have learned over the last 40 years or so.  
 

Feel free to shop budget stores.  Know that things like rice can last for years in pantry if kept in sealed containers.  I buy rice from Costco.  Since Celiacs consume a lot of rice, look for rice grown NOT in the southeast.  There is more Arsenic their soils (google this).    Do not buy from open bulk containers in any health food type store as cross contamination is a huge issue.  

[Scott Adams]

Just in case, here is a link to our Gluten-Free 101 content mentioned: 

 

[GFinDC]

11 hours ago, Bags said:

Thank you for your comment. You have a lot of ideas that I can feel comfortable using!

That is a great idea 🙂 I took your advice and I did a quinoa recipe that had raisins and toasted pine nuts which was good and did not tear up my insides (3 ingredients). Additionally, I tried a banana with almond butter which was not only tasty but made me feel relief. Which particular grocery stores (Publix, Trader Joe’s, Fresh Market etc...) would be better (or has more choices for Celiac sufferers?

With meats, do we also need to be wary of getting it cut to our likening? I was thinking of cross-contamination. Although, I thought if I tell them about my diagnosis, Celiac disease, then they can ensure a separate area that would not cause upset and ripping of my insides?

Sorry for my long response. I am excited to get knowledge and advice from individuals. I have been in pain for so long (7 years) and could not get answers. It was not until I got a new primary doctor that we found answers. I found peace and finally could provide myself the much needed medication and attention. It feels good knowing that this disease can be managed and without pills (at this point of time according to my primary).

Sincerely,

Bags

Hi Bags,

I shop at Kroger, Aldi, Piggly Wiggly, Sav-A-Lot and Chinamart (Walmart).  I don't usually buy deli sliced meats myself.  I know people in the past have suggested talking to the deli people and asking them to set aside sliced meats from the first slicer use in the morning.  Or going to the store early to get there before they use a slicer for anything.  I think the first option is easier.  But like I said, I don't generally buy deli sliced meats.

Aldi has some gluten-free wraps that are ok.  Mission corn tortillas are gluten-free also.  Those are processed foods but seem to work ok for me.  You might want to wait until you are recovered a while before trying them.

Planters nuts will be labeled for gluten ingredients, so they should be safe if the label doesn't show gluten.  I can't do the dry roasted Planters myself because they have celery in them.  But their plain peanuts or mixed nuts are ok.

When it gets hot there are So Delicious and Halo Top dairy free ice cream subs available.  There are also cashew milk and almond milk subs available.  I don't recommend soy milk.

You might want to stock up on Pepto Bismol, milk of magnesia, Peppermint Altoids and peppermint tea.  These can all be helpful with various GI symptoms.  Aspirin is another good thing to keep around.

You may not want to read this next bit.  People seem to have worse reactions for a while after first going gluten-free.  Our guts are really irritated and our immune system is fired up in attack mode and it does react at the least provocation.  So you may think you are failing miserably at the gluten-free diet but it could just be that your gut is pissed off at the world and everything edible in it!

I had gut spasms for 6 weeks after going gluten-free.  You may not but, just to be warned.

After about 6 months of the gluten-free diet things should be going better.

[Larzipan]

When buying processed foods be on the lookout for "malt" as an ingredient to avoid. Malt has gluten in it because it is made from barley. I hadn't realized that malt was an issue until I went to Japan and saw that it is an ingredient in all of their vinegars. It's not typically an ingredient in vinegars in America, but I would still double check. In Japan there was malt in rice vinegar, which meant that even plain white rice or potato salad had gluten in it. I was sick every day of my trip in Japan because I learned that the hard way.