Wheat Free Eating

							                                                                               Jane Hutchens
                                                                            Wheat free eating
                                                                          Naturopath ATMS 16751



                                  Wheat free eating
People are advised to avoid eating wheat for a number of reasons, and these may be
permanent or temporary. For instance, if you have Coeliac’s Disease, you must avoid
gluten for life, and gluten is in wheat and some other grains. Or, you may have been
experiencing digestion disturbances with pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea
and have been advised to stop eating wheat for a period of time (eg 6 weeks). Either
way, you probably need a little help to do this.

Wheat free eating takes a bit of planning and adjusting, but is increasingly easy to do
with more health food shops and supermarkets offering a range of wheat alternatives.
The trick is in realising all the places that wheat hides! To help, here is a list of common
sources of wheat in foods as well as some ideas to substitute the wheat.

Foods containing wheat

•   Baking products: wheat, wheat flour, wheat germ, wheatmeal, gluten, rolled
    wheat, wholemeal flour, wholewheat, pearled wheat, cracked wheat, kibbled
    wheat, burghul (used in tabbouli), some ‘mixed flours’ like most rye flour, baking
    powder, cake mixes and custard powder
•   Cous cous & semolina
•   Baked goods: unless it says ‘wheat free’, assume it has it, this includes white and
    wholemeal breads and rolls, most rye breads, pizza bases, biscuits, crackers, scones,
    pretzels, cakes, donuts, puddings, pancakes, pies, sausage rolls & dumplings
•   Cereals: many commercial cereals include wheat, for example Weeties, Weet-bix,
    Vita-brits, Special K, Sultana Bran, Nutrigrain and many types of muesli
•   Pasta: penne, bows, spaghetti, lasagne, macaroni, fettuccine, cannelloni and the
    rest are made from wheat
•   Noodles: Udon, hokkein, Singapore, buckwheat and even egg noodles!
•   Drinks: Ovaltine and Milo
•   Sauces: soy sauce and shoyu, HP sauce, packet gravy, some relishes and chutneys
    (including some commercial mint jelly) & malted vinegar
•   Meat products: sausages, sausage mince, luncheon meat (eg salami)
•   Other: soups, ice cream cones, crumbed and battered foods, flavoured tinned fish,
    liquorice

Some wheat free choices

Start reading the labels and asking questions! Nearly all health food shops and an
increasing number of supermarkets stock a good range of wheat free goods.

•   Wheat free breads and flours: Use bread made with corn, rice, soy, rye, barley,
    arrowroot and/or potato flour. Can also get wheat free baking powders. Some
    grains you may not be familiar with are:




                                www.janehutchens.com.au
                      e: jane@janehutchens.com.au, m: 0408 761 000
                                                                             Wheat free eating


            - Spelt, an ancient form of wheat that was used in Europe that is tolerated
              better by most people than the wheat we eat now. It can be used to
              make bread, pasta and cereals.
            - Kamut is a trademark name for Khorasan wheat, which was used in
              ancient Egypt and is now used in most foods that regular wheat is used in,
              such as bread, flour, biscuits, cakes, pasta and cereals.
            - Quinoa is an ancient grain from South America and it contains the highest
              protein content of all grains at about 20%. Quinoa can be used in place
              of oats or rice and is used in pasta and cereals.
            - Amaranth is a beautiful red plant from Central America and it is also has a
              high protein content at about 15%-18%. Amaranth is used in cereals.
            - Buckwheat is also used, though it is not actually a grain but is a seed and
              can be used for pancakes, cereal and bread.
•   Pasta: corn, rice and barley
•   Wheat free noodles, including rice noodles and 100% Buckwheat noodles
•   Rice and corn crackers and thins, Ryevitas (Original) wheat free savoury and sweet
    biscuits
•   Cereals: oats (porridge), polenta, some corn flakes, rice puffs, oat puffs, amaranth
    puffs are wheat free
•   Wheat free sausages are available at many butchers. Have cold cuts of meat
    cooked at home (eg left over roast) instead of salami and processed meats
•   Other grains; experiment with rice, quinoa, millet, barley
•   Have real hot chocolate, herbal tea, dandelion or chai teas, and even water!
•   Use Tamari instead of soy sauce and try a little miso paste for a rich flavour

Meal ideas

Breakie

•   A bowl of rice with fruit (eg stewed apple or rhubarb), cinnamon, nutmeg and LSA
    or chopped nuts and maybe some soy, goats or cow yoghurt or rice milk as well
•   Porridge cooked with fruits and nuts of your choice. You could try dried apple,
    dates, sultanas, banana, almonds, cinnamon or nutmeg. Serve with rice, soy or
    almond milk. Porridge can be made from oats, millet, quinoa or amaranth
•   Wheat free Toast with interesting and nutritious toppings. You could try tomatoes,
    avocado, mushrooms, sardines, fresh peanut butter, baked beans or hummus
•   High fibre breakfast cereal (more than 3.5gm of fibre per serve – check that it is not
    high in fats and sugar and that it is really wheat free)
•   Rice bubbles (careful of salt), puffed rice with banana, cornflakes
•   Poached or scrambled eggs
•   Fresh fruit salad with natural yoghurt, a little crushed nuts and seeds and a drizzle of
    natural honey
•   Buckwheat pancakes with blueberries and ricotta
•   Wheat free muesli, buy or make your own mix of rolled oats, rolled triticale, puffed
    amaranth, rolled quinoa, chopped nuts (esp almonds and brazil nuts), sunflower
    seeds, pepitas, chopped dried figs, sultanas, dried apricots, pears and apple,
    shredded coconut and milk or yoghurt

See “Ideas for a healthy breakfast”


                                 www.janehutchens.com.au
                       e: jane@janehutchens.com.au, m: 0408 761 000
                                                                             Wheat free eating


Lunch and dinner

•   Any salad you can think of – fresh or steamed vegetables, boiled egg, nuts, fish,
    chicken – anything you can dream up
•   Wheat free bread or crackers with avocado and tomato or baked beans or
    sardines
•   Sushi and nori rolls (with tamari not soy)
•   Jacket potato with baked beans
•   Dahl and rice
•   Homemade vegetable and barley soup, using a little miso paste for depth or chilli
    for warmth
•   Tacos or nachos made with lentils, kidney beans or lean mince and with fresh salad
•   Vegetable frittata
•   Chickpea and vege patties with salad or steamed vegetables
•   Grilled, steamed or baked fish with steamed vegetables and rice
•   Casseroles and stews
•   Stir fries – lots of vegetables with marinated tofu, chicken and a little garlic, ginger,
    chilli
•   Risottos made with rice or barley
•   Sweet potato and tuna patties

Snacks
•  Fresh fruit and natural yoghurt
•  Vegetable sticks with hummus, salsa, cottage cheese or baba ganoush
•  Raw nuts and seeds, or flavoured with tamari
•  Smoothies
•  Mixed dried fruit and nuts
•  Rice or corn crackers or corn chips with hummus, avocado, or nut spread
•  Cup of vegetable soup




                                 www.janehutchens.com.au
                       e: jane@janehutchens.com.au, m: 0408 761 000