Celiac disease diet: How do I get enough grains?

I have celiac disease, and I find it difficult to get enough grains in my diet. Do you have any suggestions?

- Peter / Minnesota

Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Picco, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Grains are an important part of a healthy diet. They are a good source of complex carbohydrates, various vitamins and minerals and are naturally low in fat. Whole grains are even better for you. Because people with celiac disease must avoid gluten — a protein found in foods containing wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oats — it can be a challenge to get enough grains. However, if you consider that one serving of grains is fairly small (such as one slice of bread or 1/2 cup of cereal), it may not seem so overwhelming to get in the recommended number of servings each day.

Many large grocery stores and specialty foods stores carry ready-to-eat gluten-free grain products. The labels on such products will state that the product is "gluten-free." Consider the suggestions in the chart below for adding gluten-free grains to your diet.

Gluten-free grains/grain products*	Serving size
Breads Breads, English muffins and bagels ready-made from rice, potato, bean, tapioca or corn flours Frozen, gluten-free waffles Gluten-free mix or frozen ready-made pizza crust Homemade breads, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, muffins or quick breads made from gluten-free flours Corn tortillas	1 slice or piece
Cereals Cooked corn (hominy, grits) or rice cereals Gluten-free puffed rice Gluten-free cornflakes or rice flakes	1/2 to 1 cup
Snacks Crackers or crispbreads made from rice or corn Potato or corn chips Popcorn Rice cakes Pretzels made from gluten-free flours	1 ounce (check label)
Baked goods Gluten-free biscotti, cakes and cookies	Check label
Other Brown, wild or white rice Pasta made from rice, corn, amaranth or pure buckwheat Kasha made with pure buckwheat Corn Quinoa Flax Millet Soy	1/2 to 1 cup

*Products vary by manufacturer, so it's important to be sure that the brand you purchase is gluten-free. Shopping guides that list gluten-free products are available. Check with a dietitian or celiac disease support group.

Other grain products that are not gluten-free include those made with spelt, kamut, bulgur, couscous, emmer and einkorn.

ARTICLE TOOLS

E-mail this

Larger type

Reprints and permissions

Celiac disease diet: How do I get enough grains?

I have celiac disease, and I find it difficult to get enough grains in my diet. Do you have any suggestions?

- Peter / Minnesota

Answer

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

RELATED

MayoClinic.com Bookstore

Web Resources

ARTICLE TOOLS

ASK A DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SPECIALIST