Nutrition Counseling
Why You Need to See a Dietitian for Your Celiac Disease?
The only treatment for celiac disease is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet.
An expert celiac dietitian can help you:
- Understand the nutritional complications of celiac disease
- Learn to read food labels and identify safe and unsafe foods
- Create a gluten-free environment at home
- Identify sources of cross-contamination
- Identify key nutrients that may be missing in your diet
- Avoid contamination when dining outside the home
- Develop gluten-free shopping lists and meal plans
- Follow a healthy gluten-free diet
WHERE DO I BEGIN?
Follow the basic recommendations below to get you started before your nutrition evaluation.
TIP #1: Concentrate on what you CAN eat rather than what you can’t
1. Check your refrigerator and cabinets and look for naturally gluten-free foods
- Fresh Fruits
- Fresh Vegetables
- Beans
- Meat/fish/poultry
- Eggs
- Vegetable/ Olive oil
- Most dairy products
- Spices
- Gluten-free grains (see TIP #2)
2. Make a list of the “must-have” foods you used to eat that contain wheat. You will find a gluten-free substitute for most, if not all, of these foods!
- Flour
- Breads
- Pasta
- Pancakes
- Crackers
- Scones
- Waffles
- Cookies
3. Learn to read food labels to identify processed foods containing gluten.
TIP #2: “Wheat Free” does not mean “Gluten-Free”
SAFE GLUTEN-FREE GRAINS
- Quinoa
- Millet
- Buckwheat
- Amaranth
- Teff flour
- Nut Flour
- Tapioca
- Beans
- Corn
- Rice
- Soy
- Potato
GLUTEN-CONTAINING GRAINS to AVOID
- Wheat
- Durum
- Graham
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Barley
- Rye
- Triticale
- Mainstream Oats
TIP #3: When in doubt, leave it out
Foods that MAY contain gluten:
- Baking powder
- Broth
- Candy
- Chewing gum
- Chocolate
- Salad dressings
- Soups
- Soy sauce
- Flavorings & Seasonings
- Imitation meat & seafood
- Marinades & Sauces
Remember!! If in doubt, don't eat it! Wheat free is not gluten free!