Are you FIBERLESS when eating Gluten free? (February 2011)

Since Celiac Disease is a specialty in my private practice, consuming fiber seems to be a topic that comes up sooner or later. Many gluten free foods are made with starches and or refines flours which are lower in fiber. This can be challenging to meet the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) of 20-35 grams per day.

What is dietary fiber? Dietary fiber is the part of the whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils) nuts and seeds that cannot be broken down by the human digestive system. Although fiber is not readily digested, it plays an important role in the body, particularly through its effects on the digestive system. Fiber helps to maintain regular bowel movements. A high fiber diet can also play a role in the prevention of certain chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, colon cancer and diverticular disease.

Consuming adequate fiber is especially important for people with Celiac Disease. Many newly diagnosed individuals may have symptoms of diarrhea due to malabsorption caused by gluten damaging the absorptive surface of the small intestine. However, once a gluten free diet is initiated, the intestinal tract begins to heal and the malabsorption and diarrhea eventually resolve. It is noted that some individuals have constipation when they are initially diagnosed which may become worse on a gluten free diet (choosing food sources that do not contain fiber).

Here are some tips to increase your fiber intake:

• Choose a variety of high-fiber gluten free foods on a regular basis.
• Mix various grains into your salads such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, wild rice or teff.
• Add flaxseed meal, rice bran, rice polish or mesquite flour to pancakes, hot cereal or baked goods.
• Make soups with various legumes, such as lentils, black beans, cannelloni beans or split peas.
• Mix flax seed meal into smoothies, yogurt, cottage cheese or apple sauce.
• Add cooked uncontaminated oats that are gluten free, buckwheat, quinoa, sorghum or wild rice to a rice pilaf recipe.
• Eat whole fruits and vegetables instead of drinking fruit juice.

These ideas will help you meet your fiber intake. Being creative and open minded may also broaden your palate too.