We talked about gluten and inflammation. Now let’s talk about what you can eat while going gluten-free. The good news is fat is good for you! At least some kinds of fat. This makes it much more satisfying. You can eat meat! There are some grains you can eat too. Vegetables are in! And as you are probably aware, the local grocery store has tons of gluten-free foods. We’ll go over what to look for there, too. You’ll want to check labels for other ingredients that could undermine your gluten-free diet. I’ll start the gluten-free-diet food list with things you can eat. Then we’ll talk about what to eat in moderation.
I was pretty nervous when I started going high (good) fats and low carb. It went against everything I thought I knew about diet and health. But that definitely went away when I had my cholesterol levels checked recently. My triglycerides (the bad ones) were half of what they had been for the last 5 years, as I had been eating low fat and high carb.
The good fats are: Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT Oil), grass-fed Ghee (clarified butter) or butter for the Vitamin K2 and Omega 3s. You can get Omega 3s from fatty fish, like salmon, or supplement it with algae-based Omega 3s or a fish oil-based supplement. Krill oil is an excellent bioavailable source of Omega 3s.
If you’re committing to going gluten free, it’s a good idea to clean out your kitchen of all the wheat and gluten-containing foods. Dr. Perlmutter recommends starting with a one-day fast before going fully gluten-free.
Food lists taken from The Grain Brain Cookbook by David Perlmutter, M.D (2014).
What You Can Eat Freely:
Fats and Raw Fruit Fats
Almond butter
Avocado oil
Cashew butter
Coconut oil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Ghee
Organic or pasture-fed butter
Tahini
Walnut oil
Avocados
Coconuts
Olives
Nuts and Nut Milks:
Unsweetened almond milk
Unsweetened coconut milk
All nuts (except peanuts)
Dairy Products:
All cheeses except blue and processed cheeses like Velveeta or American
Seeds:
Chia seeds
Flaxseed
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Herbs, seasonings, and condiments:
All fresh and dried herbs, spices, and rhizomes
Low-sugar fruits:
Avocados
Grapefruits *
Kiwis *
Lemons
Limes
Nectarines *
Orange zest
Peaches *
Pears *
Plums *
Tomatoes
Those with an asterisk [*] signify higher sugar content. Limit to once a day.
Vegetables:
Alfafa sprouts
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Bell peppers
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Collards
Cucumbers
Eggplants
Fennel
Garlic
Green beans
Haricots verts
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leafy lettuces and greens
Leeks
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Onions
Plantains
Pumpkins
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Shallots
Spinach
Summer squashes and squash blossoms
Swiss chard
Tomatillos
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Winter squashes
Yellow wax beans
Proteins:
Whole eggs
Wild fish
Black cod
Halibut
Herring
Grouper
Mahimahi
Red snapper
Salmon
Sardines
Sea bass
Trout
Shellfish and mollusks
Calamari (squid)
Clams
Crab
Lobster
Mussels
Octopus
Oysters
Shrimp
Grass-fed or pasture-raised meats
Beef
Bison/buffalo
Lamb
Pork
Veal
Grass-fed organ meats
Brain
Heart
Liver
Kidneys
Sweetbreads
Tongue
Free-range, organic poultry and wild birds
Chicken
Duck
Goose
Guinea fowl
Ostrich
Quail
Turkey
What You Can Eat In Moderation (once per day)
Nongluten grains:
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Millet
Oats if specifically says gluten free
Quinoa
Rice (brown, white, wild)
Sorghum
Teff
Nongluten flours in small amounts: Tapioca starch, chestnut flour, brown rice flour
Legumes:
Dried beans
Lentils
Dried peas
Vegetables:
Carrots
Parsnips
Alcohol:
Wine, preferably red, no more than one glass a day
Full-fat dairy products (Use sparingly):
Cottage cheese
Cream
Kefir
Milk
Yogurt
Whole sweet fruits:
Apples
Apricots *
Bananas
Berries (best choice)
Cherries
Grapes
Mangos *
Melons *
Papayas *
Pineapples *
Pomegranates
* are extra sweet. Moderation only.
Sweeteners:
Natural stevia
Dark chocolate having at least 70 percent cacao content
David Perlmutter, M.D. wrote a fantastic gluten-free cookbook, The Grain Brain Cookbook, as a companion book to Grain Brain. The below recipes are not from that book but you can get your own copy. He even shows how to make your own tomato sauce and other condiments and delicious dishes, having full control of your ingredients. Get it today!
Avoid packaged foods with any of the following gluten ‘code words’ that are disguised as gluten:
"This recipe can be used with chicken, beef, pork, and even venison. It freezes well and can be made into burritos, tacos or other Mexican-style dishes."
Prep Time30mins
Cook Time8hrs
Total Time8hrs30mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Charley
Cost: Varies by meat
Equipment
Slow cooker
Ingredients
14lbchuck roastYou can substitute pork, chicken or venison
1 tspnsea salt
1 tspnground black pepper
2Tbspolive oilextra virgin
1Lgonion, chopped
1 1/4cupsdiced green chile pepper
1 tspnchili powder
1tspnground cayenne pepperto taste
15ozbottle hot pepper sauce
1 tspn garlic powder
Instructions
Trim the roast of any excess fat and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Please the meat in the hot skillet and brown it quickly on all sides.
Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and top it with the chopped onion. Season with chile peppers, chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, and garlic powder. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast.
Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours, checking to make sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid at the bottom of the cooker. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 hours, or until meat is totally tender and falls apart.
Transfer the roast to a bowl and shred it using two forks (reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid, if desired). Serve in tacos or burritos.
If using chicken, reduce cooking time to 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low.
A nice alternative to lasagna noodles, green peppers! This tastes great even to people who love carbs!
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time1hr10mins
Total Time1hr29mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 232kcal
Author: Joan Gerland Crabtree
Equipment
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).
10x15-inch baking dish.
Ingredients
6green bell peppers, halved and seeded
salt to taste
water as needed
1lbground beefgrass-fed preferable
38ozcans tomato sauce
16ozcan tomato paste
1tspnsea salt
1/2tspndried oregano
ground black pepper to taste
112ozricotta cheese
2 cupsmozzarella cheese
1 cupCheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Arrange bell peppers, cut-side up in a 10x15-inch baking dish; season with salt. Pour enough water into the dish to make 1/4-inch depth.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5-7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, 1 tspn salt, oregano, and black pepper to ground beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
Fill each bell pepper with a heaping tablespoon ricotta cheese; top with a layer of mozzarella cheese, a layer of Cheddar cheese, and meat sauce. Sprinkle each 'boat' with more mozzarella cheese and Cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until peppers are tender and cheeses are melted, 50 to 65 minutes.
Thank you for visiting and reading today! If you have a favorite gluten-free recipe you’d like to share, email it to me at paula@mywellbrain. We’d love to try it.
If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please post them in the Comments section below. Thank you!
Hi! I did not there were so many foods you could eat that were gluten-free foods. I’ve seen anti-gluten media and advertisements but did not realize how important that was. Thanks for your gluten-free diet food list because I am really trying to transition to a good brain diet for myself and hopefully my family after that. Thank you again.
For me too, the high fat low carb really went against all we have learnt about and known over the years, so incredible. But many persons have been saying nice stuffs about this high fat, low carb.
I never really knew much about gluten free food. This list is so huge and I am loving it.
Hello Paula, thank you for sharing the good brain diet. This list of gluten free diet is quite impressive and kinda annoying too. I was not really happy when I saw we can eat all nuts except peanuts! But peanut is my favourite among these nuts. I am glad that I have easy access most of these foods and fruits.
Hi Paula, thank you for the article on gluten free diet food list. It’s a time saver and a life saver. I can confirm that gluten is part responsible of skin inflammation and joints inflammation. I noticed that going gluten free has helped friends suffering from eczema and arthritis. Thanks for the yummy recipe which proves that it is possible to enjoy gluten free lifestyle.
This is a great resource! I’m going to be bookmarking this so I can just quickly search for things that I’m hoping to cook. You specifically mention red wine. For whites, I know they’re minimally healthy, but as we’re heading into the holiday season of champagne toasts…do white wines contain gluten, or are they just inconsistent with a healthy diet? Thanks! Trying to figure out what’s okay vs just inadvisable.
White is okay but red has other health benefits. Both are made from grapes but the red grapes have another nutrient in them that make them even better for you. Wine coolers very likely have gluten and definitely glucose (sugar). Wines made in stainless steel casks are the best because you can be more sure there was no gluten used to seal the cask. Only way to know that is to contact the winemaker. Even champagne should be fine for the holidays. Thanks for commenting and saving and I’m glad you found this helpful. 🙂
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Hello Paula,
Even since the Top tennis player Djokovic switched to Gluten-free a few years ago and he
attributed his results to this key diet change, Gluten-free diet has been gaining a larger audience.
Rightfully so to my opinion.
The value of your article is furthermore important as its showcase many food options to people
who may be concerned about the restrictions of this diet.
I appreciate your due diligence in presenting your research.
Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Hi! I did not there were so many foods you could eat that were gluten-free foods. I’ve seen anti-gluten media and advertisements but did not realize how important that was. Thanks for your gluten-free diet food list because I am really trying to transition to a good brain diet for myself and hopefully my family after that. Thank you again.
You’re welcome. I’m glad it helped. 🙂
For me too, the high fat low carb really went against all we have learnt about and known over the years, so incredible. But many persons have been saying nice stuffs about this high fat, low carb.
I never really knew much about gluten free food. This list is so huge and I am loving it.
Awesome. Thanks for visiting.
Hello Paula, thank you for sharing the good brain diet. This list of gluten free diet is quite impressive and kinda annoying too. I was not really happy when I saw we can eat all nuts except peanuts! But peanut is my favourite among these nuts. I am glad that I have easy access most of these foods and fruits.
Well, peanuts are actually a legume, not a nut. On this diet, they can be eaten in moderation. Thank you for reading and your comments!
Hi Paula, thank you for the article on gluten free diet food list. It’s a time saver and a life saver. I can confirm that gluten is part responsible of skin inflammation and joints inflammation. I noticed that going gluten free has helped friends suffering from eczema and arthritis. Thanks for the yummy recipe which proves that it is possible to enjoy gluten free lifestyle.
Thanks for contributing to the conversation. 🙂 You’re welcome.
This is a great resource! I’m going to be bookmarking this so I can just quickly search for things that I’m hoping to cook. You specifically mention red wine. For whites, I know they’re minimally healthy, but as we’re heading into the holiday season of champagne toasts…do white wines contain gluten, or are they just inconsistent with a healthy diet? Thanks! Trying to figure out what’s okay vs just inadvisable.
White is okay but red has other health benefits. Both are made from grapes but the red grapes have another nutrient in them that make them even better for you. Wine coolers very likely have gluten and definitely glucose (sugar). Wines made in stainless steel casks are the best because you can be more sure there was no gluten used to seal the cask. Only way to know that is to contact the winemaker. Even champagne should be fine for the holidays. Thanks for commenting and saving and I’m glad you found this helpful. 🙂