What Is a Gluten-Free Diet? Complete Beginner's Guide with Indian Meal Plan

A gluten free diet isn't a choice for millions of people who suffer with coeliac disease. Gluten is a group of proteins from wheat, barley, rye, and its derivatives. In coeliac sufferers, the slightest exposure will set off an autoimmune response that will harm the lining of the small intestine, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients, chronic inflammation and a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from digestive discomfort to fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes and neurological symptoms. 

But there are also others who start the gluten free diet without having any known conditions — people who notice a great improvement when they cut out gluten and have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, brain fog or chronic fatigue. If you're looking for a gluten free diet food list, best gluten free diet foods for Indian cooking, a gluten free diet meal plan, as well as gluten free diet and weight loss, this complete guide provides you with all of that. 

What Is Gluten and Why Does It Matter? 

Gluten is a combination of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, which are mainly concentrated in: 

• Corn, rice (the most usual alternatives): All forms such as broken rice, rice flakes, broken corn, or rice flour, as well as most packaged grain products 

• Wheat: Flour, pastry, bread flour, pastry flour, bread malt. Rice: Rice flour, rice malt, rice extract. 

• Rye: Not a common type of grain grown in India, but used in certain imported breads and crackers. 

Gliadin induces T cell mediated immunodestruction of the intestinal villi where nutrients are absorbed in the coeliac disease patient. The outcome is progressive iron, calcium, vitamin D, B12 and folate deficiencies – anaemia, osteoporosis, neurological symptoms and greatly increased risk of intestinal lymphoma if GFD is not adhered to. 

The mechanism is different (likely related to intestinal permeability and FODMAPs in wheat) as is the symptomatic response to a GF diet in individuals with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. 

Who Needs a Gluten-Free Diet? 

There are some conditions for which a gluten free diet is medically necessary: 

• Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disorder, which impacts on approximately 1% of the world's population, and is treated by a strict gluten free diet for life. 

• Wheat allergy — allergy to wheat proteins mediated by a type of antibody known as IgE; Wheat itself, not necessarily all gluten, needs to be avoided. 

• Gluten-induced dermatitis herpetiformis — an autoimmune disorder of the skin; will show very dramatic response to a gluten free diet 

• Rare autoimmune neurological disease caused by gluten (gluten ataxia) 

A gluten free diet may also be beneficial to (although not a must for): 

• The term non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is used to describe those who temporarily improve their symptoms but lack coeliac antibodies. 

• Wheat sensitive Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

• For those with Hashimoto's, there is some evidence that a gluten free diet may be helpful in lowering thyroid antibodies. 

Gluten Free Diet Food List: What You Can Eat 

Many people are surprised how much gluten free food is available on the gluten free diet list — especially in the Indian context when many of the staple foods are naturally gluten free. 

Naturally Gluten-Free Grains and Starches 

The foundation of any gluten free diet plan and most of them are already a part of Indian cooking: 

• Rice (including all varieties – white, brown, basmati, red) 

• Ragi (finger millet) is one of the most nutritious grains in the gluten free diet food list, high in calcium, iron and fibre. 

• Jowar (sorghum) is a naturally gluten-free whole grain, and is great for rotis and bhakri. 

• Bajra (pearl millet) — gluten free, rich in iron and magnesium 

• Amaranth (rajgira) is gluten-free, high in protein, and rich in iron. 

• Buckwheat (kuttu) – OK completely gluten-free and is widely used in fasting foods; I guess you can't beat the name! 

• Quinoa (gluten-free) – complete protein, great rice substitute 

• Naturally gluten-free foods: Corn / maize (makki); makki di roti is a classic gluten free diet food. 

• Tapioca or Sabudana (Gluten-free) — for sabudana khichdi 

• Oats — may be contaminated with gluten during processing, choose only gluten-free oats; naturally gluten-free 

Vegetables and Fruits 

Fresh unprocessed vegetables and fruits are 100% gluten free. Eat as much as you like from all parts of the produce area — they're all gluten free foods. 

Legumes and Pulses (Unprocessed) 

Protein is the backbone of gluten free diet for vegetarians, all plain lentils, dal, chickpeas, rajma, moong, urad and all other pulses are naturally gluten free. Note: Instant dal, packaged dal and instant soup mixes may have wheat as an additive; check the label. 

Proteins 

• Any fresh meat, poultry and fish (unmarinated and unprocessed) 

• Eggs 

• Plain paneer, tofu and tempeh. 

• All plain nuts and seeds – unseasoned 

• Plain dairy items (milk, curd, plain yoghurt, plain cheese, but not processed cheese slices) 

Fats and Oils 

Pure vegetable oils, ghee, butter, coconut oil and olive oil are all free from gluten. Oil with flavours, or cooking spray, can have additives – look on the label. 

Naturally Gluten-Free Flours (for Roti and Baking) 

The gluten free diet food list is especially Indian cooking friendly: 

• Besan: Chickpea flour (for chilla, pakoras, dhokla) 

• Sikkim's traditional food grains are used in its products.Sikkim's moroch and ladoos are made with Rajgira atta which is the amaranth flour. 

• Kuttu atta (buckwheat flour) — for Fasting Roti's and pancakes. 

• Ragi atta — grated flour for use in making rotis, dosas, porridge. 

• Jowar 2000 (atta) — for making bhakri or rotis 

• Maize flour (makki atta) — for makki di roti. 

• Rice Flour for Dosa, Idli, Rice Rotis 

Gluten Free Diet List: Foods to Avoid 

The gluten free diet list of foods to avoid includes obvious and hidden sources, which are the most harmful for coeliac patients: 

Obvious Gluten Sources 

• All wheat products: atta roti, maida, sooji, bread, pasta, noodles, pizza base, biscuits, cakes, pastries 

• Most breakfast cereals – which are packaged – include wheat. 

• Beets: ju, beet water, malt, beer 

• Seitan (wheat gluten) — one of the most popular wheat gluten based protein products. 

Hidden Gluten Sources (Most Dangerous for Coeliac) 

These foods are often loaded with wheat derivatives, wheat-based additives, thickeners or gluten contamination, and are the worst offenders in any gluten free diet list: 

This hidden gluten gluten free diet list is a must remember for those who have to stick to a gluten free diet due to coeliac disease. 

7-Day Gluten-Free Diet Meal Plan: -  

It is Indian gluten free diet plan made of all Indian gluten free diet food from the gluten free diet food list. All meals are naturally gluten free, no special products needed. 

Day 1 

Day 2 

Day 3 

Day 4 

Day 5 

Day 6 

Day 7 

This gluten free diet plan is proof that Indian food is one of the most gluten free adaptable cuisines of the world with most traditional meals either replacing wheat roti with jowar roti, bajra roti or ragi roti. 

Conclusion 

For coeliac disease, wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity sufferers, a gluten free diet is a life-changing experience – and with a rich heritage of grain products, it is one of the easiest cuisines in the world to follow. Jowar, bajra, ragi, rice, besan and dal are not alternatives to wheat, but superior grains in their own right which in many aspects are comparable with wheat or better than wheat in terms of nutrition. 

For each day use the gluten free diet food list and gluten free diet list of foods to avoid. Follow the 7-day gluten free diet meal plan, and get a rhythm going. Use the kitchen hacks in your cooking of Indian dishes. Also, weight loss is another benefit served when weight loss is one of your goals, keep in mind that it is not just about eliminating gluten, but how it's done. 

Consistently following a gluten free diet plan doesn't mean that you need to restrict yourself to gluten-free Indian foods.When you follow a diet plan that's gluten free, you're not limited to gluten free Indian foods. It's bringing back some of the most nourishing and ancient grains and legumes from around the world. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

What exactly is a gluten-free diet and who needs it?

Gluten free diet means that gluten, which is a protein in wheat, barley and rye, is completely removed from any food or beverage. For individuals with coeliac disease, wheat allergy and dermatitis herpetiformis it is medically necessary, and for others who may be sensitive to gluten, suffer from IBS or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, it may be beneficial. A gluten free diet does not offer any benefits to individuals who do not have any of the above conditions. 

What are the best gluten-free diet foods for Indians? 

Indian cuisine is ideally gluten free friendly. For Indians, the best gluten free diet foods are all types of rice, jowar and bajra roti, ragi roti, ragi porridge, idli and dosa (made from rice-urad batter), besan chilla, sabudana khichdi, all types of dal, all legumes, fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, paneer and all plain spices. Indian cooking with gluten free diet food is not only delicious but also very satisfying as there is a long list of such food items to choose from. 

Is the gluten-free diet food list different for coeliac vs. gluten sensitivity?

With coeliac disease, the gluten free diet food list should be followed religiously, even if there is trace contamination of the food (20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten). If the gluten free diet is not being followed for a gluten sensitive child who is not coeliac, there are children who can tolerate small amounts of gluten. The list of foods that are safe for the gluten free diet are the same for both, it's just the level of effort required to avoid them. 

Does a gluten-free diet meal plan help with weight loss?

A gluten free diet meal plan using naturally gluten free whole foods such as foods made with millets, rice, legumes and vegetables can help promote weight loss in several ways: By promoting satiety, by improving gut health and by naturally removing processed foods. But changing to packaged GF products (GF bread, GF pasta) will usually not lead to gluten free diet and weight loss because these often contain more calories than wheat products. The gluten-free diet and weight loss are linked most when it's a diet of whole Indian foods and not processed gluten-free replacements.