Wheat-Free Diet to Manage Wheat Intolerance

Eliminating wheat out of your eating plan is not about losing weight, it’s about feeling your best. If you suffer with the uncomfortable symptoms of wheat intolerance, there’s no way you feel as healthy as you should. If you want to know how much better a wheat-free diet can make you feel, give it a try.

Distinguishing Between Wheat Intolerance and Wheat Allergy

Sometimes people confuse wheat intolerance with a wheat allergy. These conditions are not the same. When you have a wheat allergy, it causes abnormal immune reactions to the proteins in wheat. An allergic reaction can happen minutes after inhaling or eating wheat. Common symptoms of wheat allergies include:

hives

swelling

eczema

abdominal cramps

nausea

vomiting

life threatening anaphylaxis

allergic rhinitis

psoriasis

Wheat allergies are rare. This condition affects less than 1 percent of people. This type of allergy is often detected during childhood.

People who are wheat intolerant are simply sensitive to the ingredient, and have a difficult time digesting it. This condition affects up to 15 percent of people. Some experts believe this number is a lot higher. Most people just don’t recognize they have the condition. Symptoms may include:

gas

bloating

joint swelling and pain

muscle aches

fluid retention

fatigue

limb swelling

obesity

constipation

Some of the symptoms listed above are common to a condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). No one knows the root cause of IBS, but wheat has been shown to contribute to the condition. When you opt for a wheat-free diet, you can effectively manage the symptoms of IBS.

Sometimes wheat intolerance and gluten intolerance are used interchangeably because wheat contains gluten. Gluten is a rubbery protein that binds dough and contributes to the sponginess of the food.

If you suffer with gluten intolerance, eliminating wheat from your diet is only part of the battle. You will also have to stop eating other gluten-containing foods such as barley, oats and rye.

How to Remove Wheat from Your Diet Successfully

Leaving wheat out of your diet is not as cut and dry as it sounds. Wheat is not just found in bread, pasta, flour and baked goods. This ingredient is also used as a thickening agent in foods like ice cream, gravies, sauces and soups. The best way to avoid wheat products is to switch to a diet of natural foods.

Natural foods include grass-fed lean meats, organic poultry, eggs, fish, nuts, legumes, seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables. When you are buying poultry, sausages and other meats, read the labels carefully as wheat is often injected in these products.

What to Look for When Reading Labels

Labels can get pretty complicated to read. Manufacturers typically list the same ingredient under various different names. When you’re checking labels for products that contain wheat, look out for these names.

enriched flour

bread crumbs

semolina wheat

cracker meal

vital gluten

wheat bran

wheat germ

gelatinized starch

starch

cereal extract

couscous

modified food starch

high-gluten flour

More manufacturers are realizing the value of providing products for those on wheat-free diets. If you want to reduce the tedious task of reading labels, drop by your local health food store and see what kinds of wheat-free products they have in stock.

If you suffer with wheat intolerance, eliminating wheat from your diet can help you manage the uncomfortable side effects. Buying specialty wheat-free products and keeping your diet as natural as possible will make going wheat-free easier to do.

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