This diet requires careful attention to detail, as gluten is in so many common foods. You must be ready to make a 100% commitment before you start. Remember that you are dealing with an allergy. If you are allergic to penicillin, it is not okay to occasionally have "just a little". While occasional intake of gluten will not cause an immediate life-threatening reaction, it will continue to cause long-term symptoms. Only complete avoidance can make you well.
Once you have decided to try this diet, gather information. Read about it. Make shopping lists. You will need to read ALL food labels. Many products are now labeled as "containing gluten" or"gluten free", but most are not labeled, so you need to know all the grains that contain gluten and how they may be listed as ingredients. Batter for example contains wheat, as does most soy sauce. It is always safe to eat rice, potatoes and corn.
You will find that the biggest difficulty comes with baked goods. Gluten makes the best bread; you cannot equal it with anything else. There are gluten-free breads, but do not expect them to be as good as wheat-based bread. You will need to find other things you like to eat, and other ways to serve them. There are many delicious recipes. Try them out one at a time until you find things you like that are easy for you to buy and to cook. Alternative foods include pasta made from rice, rice cakes, a quick cooking grain called quinoa, and gluten free biscuits. In some cases chic pea flower can replace wheat flower in baking, but usually requires adding more liquid.
