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GLUTEN
FREE, NUTRIENT RICH
Don't
Skip Nutrients When Skipping Grains
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A few years ago, "gluten" might
have sounded like something you flexed at the gym, but these
days nearly everyone knows going "gluten-free" means
avoiding certain grains such as wheat, rye and barley. Two million
Americans are affected by gluten intolerance, a health condition
highlighted with May's "National Celiac Disease Awareness Month."
Among celiac sufferers, the protein gluten triggers an autoimmune
response which can damage the small intestine.
Adopting a gluten-free diet remains the
most effective therapy for celiac disease, whose symptoms vary
from gastrointestinal distress to nutrient deficiencies. But
does the avoidance of certain grain products come at a nutritional
cost? After all, concerns about possible nutrient shortfalls
were behind the USDA's recommendation of three servings of whole
grains a day and the mandated fortification of grain products.
Fortunately, all of the nutrients derived
from whole and refined grain products are readily (and sometimes
more healthfully) available in whole foods. The USDA’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans focuses
on the following nutrients as the rationale for their recommendation
of three servings of whole grains daily: fiber, folate, thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin and iron. Half of Americans already fail to get enough
fiber, while the other nutrients are usually derived from
fortified grains. So, if you're going gluten-free, it's important
to cover your dietary bases with the sources indicated.
| Nutrient
/ DRI |
Benefits |
Sources |
|
Fiber
38g/d M
25g/d F
|
Lowers cholesterol, promotes
regularity, associated with lower body weight.
|
Beans
1 cup supplies between 40-75% depending on variety; 1 cup raspberries
(21%F/32%M); blackberries (20%F/30%M); artichokes - 1/2 cup hearts
(19%F/29%M). |
Folate
400 mcg/d |
Pregnancy and heart
health, lowers risk of fractures and of cancer. |
Beans 1 cup - lentils
(90%); Pintos (74%); spinach 1 cup cooked (66%); four spears
asparagus (22%). |
|
Thiamin
1.2 mg/d
|
Supports mental
functioning, aids metabolism of carbs and fat. |
Salmon 6 oz piece
(48%); Beans 1 cup soybeans (22%); green peas (35%); butternut
squash - 1 cup baked (12%). |
|
Riboflavin
1.3 mg/d M
1.1 mg/d F
|
Helps support the liver’s
antioxidant systems. May reduce migraines.
|
Button mushrooms
1 cup raw (30%F/36%M); 1 cup cooked spinach (33%F/39%M); turkey
breast 6 oz (18%F/21%M); almonds 1 oz (22%F/26%M). |
Niacin
16 mg/d M
14 mg/d F |
Lowers risk for
Alzheimer’s. Used to regulate cholesterol. |
Tuna (92%F/105%M);
salmon (85%F/98%M); portabella mushrooms 1 cup (45%F/51%M). |
|
Iron
8 mg/d M
18 mg/d F
|
Deficiency symptoms include low
energy, impaired immune function.
|
Oysters - 3 oz (74%F/34%M);
pumpkin seeds - 1 oz (53%F/24%M); tuna - 6 oz, cooked (28%F/12%M);
cashews 1 oz (24%F/11%M). |
Bonus: Curious about the nutrition trade-off
between whole grain pasta and the regular kind? Read "Pasta-Bilities."
Article provided courtesy of
Dole Nutrition Institute
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