Many people ask about Gluten Free products and ingredients at Ripe. Whilst most of us can eat wheat, oats and rye without any problem, about 1% of our population has Coeliac disease. Many people are unaware that they have this condition.   Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small bowel caused by a permanent intestinal intolerance (allergy) to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in common grains such as wheat, spelt, kamut, oats barley and rye. If you have been diagnosed with coeliac disease, (and it is important to get a proper diagnosis) then your health practitioner will advise you with specific advice about the foods you must avoid to stay healthy.

A GLUTEN FREE DIET
When people with coeliac disease eat foods containing gluten, they damage the tiny hairs in the small intestine that absorb nutrients. As a result, they become malnourished. Many people with the disease will also suffer a host of nasty complications, including severe cramping, diarrhea, abdominal bleeding and fatigue. The only cure for coeliac disease is to eat a diet that strictly avoids gluten, as even tiny trace amounts can have extreme effects on the body. There are many alternative grains and foods that are gluten free, but it can be hard when you are first diagnosed to know where to start. We have an ever growing collection of delicious Organic, Gluten Free recipes, which you can browse here.

As even a tiny amount of gluten can make sufferers very sick, reading labels and being aware of foods that contain gluten is very important.  The following lists are by no means exclusive, but are a starting point to detail the most common grains that are available at Ripe.
 
GRAINS THAT CONTAIN GLUTEN:

• barley
• bulgur (wheat)
• kamut (also sometimes listed as Ancient Grain)
• oats
• rye
• spelt (also known as Dinkle or Farro)
• wheat - and the following; which are made from wheat: semolina, couscous, durum,
• cornflour- actually made from wheat

GRAINS, SEEDS AND INGREDIENTS THAT ARE GLUTEN FREE:

• almond, (ground almonds are used as a flour)
• amaranth
• arrowroot,
• beans, (cannellini, black, kidney, adzuki, navy, etc)
• chickpeas, (chickpea flour - also known as besan flour)
• buckwheat (not a wheat)
• chestnut
• coconut
• corn, cornmeal (sometimes called maize, polenta)
• flaxseed
• kudzu (a root veg, useful as a thickener)
• lentils
• linseed
• millet
• peanut (and peanut butter)
• popcorn
• potato (and potato starch)
• quinoa
• rice - ( all varieties, eg; aborio, basmati, brown rice, white, red, black, jasmine, koshikari, short grain, long grain), and rice products; rice flour, rice syrup, rice malt, rice bran, rice flour, rice bran oil.
• soy beans, (& soy flour, tofu, plain tempeh, tamari)
• sesame seeds (and tahini)
• sunflower seed

NATURALLY GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS:

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (unprocessed)
• Eggs.
• Dairy products. (but watch out for flavourings, thickeners and additives that may contain gluten)
• Coffee, Tea, Juice.
• Potato or Corn Chips (without flavouring)

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Victoria coeliac society:   http://www.vic.coeliac.org.au/
The coeliac society of Australia:  http://www.coeliac.org.au/
Ripe's Organic Gluten Free Recipe collection: http://www.ripeorganics.com.au/gluten-free-recipes

I don't have coeliac disease, but I would like to avoid Wheat...

A WHEAT FREE DIET
Many people find that they feel better when they eat a diet that avoids wheat, but are not as sensitive to other foods that contain gluten as those who have coeliac disease. Wheat intolerance is becoming more of an issue in our society, most probably because we eat so much of it, so often, and most of it is over refined. If you are looking to avoid wheat, but are not allergic to gluten, then grains such as Spelt and Kamut offer a great alternative for products such as bread and pasta. They have a higher nutritional rating, and are often more easily digested, as they have less gluten in them. Spelt (also known as Dinkel in German, and Farro in Italian) is of the same grain family as wheat, but is an entirely different species. People with a wheat allergy have a wide range of products to choose from. In addition to the list of gluten free products listed above, there are many prepared organic pastas, breads, crackers and biscuits that are made without wheat flour.