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Wheat-Free Diet

Allergy to wheat is one of the most common food allergies in infants, young children, and adults. A wheat-free diet excludes wheat and all products derived from wheat.

Why do people follow this diet?

Most people who are allergic to wheat are allergic to the protein in wheat. Exposure to wheat dust can cause respiratory symptoms, including asthma in susceptible people. In rare cases, hydrolyzed wheat in body cream has caused hives.

What are the symptoms?

Wheat allergy symptoms may include any of the common symptoms of food allergies, including skin rashes or hives, gastrointestinal distress, breathing problems, or many other possible symptoms. In severe cases, a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis may occur. To avoid an allergic reaction to wheat, ask about ingredients at restaurants or others’ homes, and read food labels. Be aware that processed foods can be a source of hidden (unlabeled) wheat. For example, “flour” usually means wheat. Individuals who have celiac sprue (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) need to avoid all foods containing gluten, including wheat. A gluten-free diet excludes all foods containing wheat, rye, barley, and buckwheat. The following is a list of foods that should be avoided on a wheat-free diet. This is not a complete list and it would be prudent to consult with a health care professional for more information.

What do I need to avoid?

To avoid wheat and wheat products ask about ingredients at restaurants and others’ homes, and read food labels. The following list is not complete. Consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.

Note: Buckwheat is not wheat. It’s listed below in Best Bets.

These foods may include wheat. Use with caution, if at all:

  • Baked beans
  • Baking powder (some)
  • Biscuits
  • Bouillon cubes and extracts
  • Bread crumbs
  • Breaded foods
  • Breads
  • Cakes, pastries, or cookies (commercial or prepared)
  • Canned fish
  • Cheese sauces or spreads (unless known to be wheat-free)
  • Cloudy lemonade and ginger beer (some)
  • Commercially prepared fruit pie fillings and jams
  • Commercially prepared gravies, salad dressings, sauces, or condiments containing wheat flour
  • Commercially prepared mustard
  • Crackers
  • Creamed or scalloped potatoes (unless thickened with cornstarch)
  • Creamed or scalloped vegetables (if thickened with flour or topped with bread crumbs)
  • Creamed products
  • Egg dishes thickened with flour
  • Luncheon meats
  • Malted milk and drinks
  • Meat and poultry containing flour
  • Meat tenderizers (if made from monosodium glutamate [MSG])
  • Muffins
  • Mustard powder (some)
  • Pancakes
  • Pasta noodles
  • Pre-molded hamburgers
  • Pretzels
  • Pudding (commercial or homemade, thickened with wheat flour)
  • Rolls
  • Sauce and gravy mixes
  • Sausage (unless they are pure meat)
  • Soups containing commercially prepared noodles, macaroni, or spaghetti
  • Soup mixes and bases
  • Soy sauce, Tamari (unless wheat-free)
  • Stewed fruits thickened with flour
  • Sweets dusted with wheat flour to prevent them from sticking
  • Tomato sauces
  • Waffles
  • Wieners

Best bets

Items marked with a (G) should be avoided by those who are sensitive to gluten:

  • Almond: flour and meal
  • Amaranth: whole (as hot cereal, flour, puffed
  • Barley (G): whole hulled, flakes, flour
  • Buckwheat: whole groats, cereal, flour (raw or roasted)
  • Cassava: flour (whole root, dried, ground; tapioca starch is refined from this)
  • Chestnut: flour
  • Chickpea: flour
  • Flaxseed: flour and meal
  • Hazelnut: flour and meal
  • Jerusalem artichoke: flour
  • Kamut® (G): whole, flakes, flour, pasta
  • Legume flours: yellow and green pea; red and green lentil; white, lima, and pinto bean
  • Millet: whole grain, flour
  • Oats: Scotch style, flour, oat bran, rolled flakes
  • Pearled millet: whole, flour
  • Potato: flour, starch
  • Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah): whole, flour
  • Rice (short, medium, long grain): whole, flour, pasta, puffed, cakes, crackers
  • Rye (G): flakes, flour, crackers (that contain no wheat)
  • Soy: flakes, grits, soy flour
  • Spelt (G): whole, flakes, flour, pasta
  • Tapioca: starch flour, “pearls”
  • White sweet potato: flour
  • Wild rice: whole, pasta
  • Yam (true yam): flour

Are there any groups or books associated with this diet?

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
http://www.aaaai.org

Food Allergy Network
http://www.foodallergy.org

International Food Information Council Foundation
http://www.ific.org/

Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet Support Page, with information on wheat-free foods, manufacturers, and recipes
http://www.celiac.com

Bibliography

Houba R, Heederik D, Doekes G. Wheat sensitization and work-related symptoms in the baking industry are preventable. An epidemiologic study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998;158:1499–503.

Krause, MV and Mahan LK. Food Nutrition and Diet Therapy. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company; 1984.

Varjonen E, Petman L, Makinen-Kiljunen S. Immediate contact allergy from hydrolyzed wheat in a cosmetic cream. Allergy. 2000;55:294–6.