With the rise in gluten-free dieting and awareness of celiac disease, many people wonder if gluten-free and wheat-free diets are interchangeable terms. While there is some overlap between these two diets, they are not identical. Understanding the key differences between gluten-free and wheat-free can help you determine which diet is right for your needs.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in certain grains like wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, and more. The only treatment for celiac disease is strictly following a 100% gluten-free diet.
Gluten gives bread its chewy texture and helps dough rise properly. It’s found not only in foods made from wheat but also barley, rye, spelt, and other related grains. Here are some common foods that contain gluten:
- Bread, pasta, crackers, pretzels, cookies, cake, pizza crust
- Beer, ales, lagers
- Cereals
- Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings, gravies
- Imitation meats
Gluten is also often found in processed foods and medicines due to cross-contamination. It can be challenging to identify all sources of gluten, which is why those with celiac disease must be extremely vigilant.
What Does Gluten-Free Mean?
A gluten-free diet completely eliminates foods that contain gluten. There is no universally accepted level for allowable gluten content. However, most experts advise that people with celiac disease should consume less than 10-20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten per day.
Following a strict gluten-free diet means avoiding any product that contains wheat, barley, rye, or oats that are cross-contaminated. It also requires vigilance when dining out, traveling, or consuming processed foods. Thankfully, the popularity of gluten-free dieting has led to more awareness and an increase in gluten-free products.
Foods that are naturally gluten-free include:
- Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds
- Meat, poultry, fish, eggs
- Milk, yogurt
- Rice, corn, quinoa, millet
There are also many gluten-free specialty products like bread, pasta, crackers, cookies and more. When purchasing processed gluten-free foods, it’s important to check the label for any traces of gluten from cross-contamination.
What Does Wheat-Free Mean?
A wheat-free diet involves eliminating all foods that contain wheat or are derived from wheat. This includes avoiding:
- Breads, cereals, crackers made with wheat
- Pasta, baked goods with wheat flour
- Foods with wheat bran, germ, or starch
- Couscous, bulgur, semolina
- Breaded foods fried in wheat flour
People go wheat-free for different reasons including wheat allergy, sensitivity or intolerance, or a desire to avoid wheat for other health reasons. A wheat-free diet is less strict than a gluten-free diet. People following a wheat-free diet can still consume rye, barley and oats.
The Overlap Between Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free
There is definitely some overlap between gluten-free and wheat-free diets. Eliminating wheat-containing products will remove a significant source of gluten from your diet. However, wheat-free is not the same as gluten-free. Here are some key considerations:
- Wheat-free allows rye, barley, and oats. Gluten-free does not.
- Wheat-free may reduce but not eliminate sources of gluten. Gluten-free requires 100% elimination.
- Wheat-free is less restrictive overall. Gluten-free requires vigilance to avoid cross-contamination.
- Wheat allergy and celiac disease are not the same thing. Wheat-free helps for wheat allergy but is not sufficient for celiac.
While many wheat products contain gluten, not all gluten sources come from wheat. Someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity needs to avoid rye, barley, and contaminated oats in addition to wheat.
Who Should Follow a Gluten-Free or Wheat-Free Diet?
Here are some recommendations on who may benefit from each type of diet:
Gluten-Free Diet
- People diagnosed with celiac disease
- Those with a confirmed gluten sensitivity
- People with unexplained digestive symptoms that improve on a gluten-free trial
- Some cases of irritable bowel syndrome and autoimmune conditions
Wheat-Free Diet
- People with a wheat allergy diagnosed by a medical professional
- Those with wheat sensitivity or intolerance
- Some people with irritable bowel syndrome or autoimmune diseases report symptom relief
- People wanting to avoid wheat for other health reasons
If you have celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is mandatory. Eating wheat or other gluten sources will continue triggering damage and symptoms. People with a wheat allergy also require elimination to prevent allergic reactions. For those with gluten/wheat sensitivity, intolerance or other conditions, eliminating either may provide symptom relief but needs to be implemented in consultation with a healthcare professional.
Gluten Sensitivity vs Wheat Sensitivity
Both gluten sensitivity and wheat sensitivity involve adverse reactions to these food proteins. However, there are some important differences:
- Gluten sensitivity is a reaction to the gluten protein found in wheat, barley, rye. Symptoms are similar to celiac disease but there is no intestinal damage.
- Wheat sensitivity is a reaction to proteins found in wheat and products containing it. It may or may not involve a reaction to gluten specifically.
- Gluten sensitivity requires strictly avoiding sources of gluten including barley and rye. Wheat sensitivity only requires avoiding wheat.
- Diagnosing gluten sensitivity may involve both blood tests and intestinal biopsies. Wheat sensitivity is primarily identified through dietary elimination.
- Gluten sensitivity has clear diagnostic criteria. Wheat sensitivity is more poorly defined.
There can be overlap between these two conditions. Some people may be sensitive to both gluten protein and other wheat components. Working with a knowledgeable physician can help identify which foods to eliminate.
Common Symptoms
Gluten sensitivity and wheat sensitivity share many common digestive symptoms:
- Bloating, gas
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation and/or diarrhea
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Rashes or skin issues
- Brain fog, anxiety, depression
Symptoms of celiac disease may initially resemble wheat/gluten sensitivity but tend to worsen over time if gluten intake continues. Some celiac patients develop severe malnutrition, osteoporosis, infertility and other complications.
People with a wheat allergy can experience immediate, severe reactions including breathing difficulties, vomiting, and anaphylaxis after consuming wheat. Gluten/wheat sensitivity reactions are typically more delayed with chronic digestive and systemic symptoms.
Diagnosis
Accurately diagnosing gluten-related conditions requires specific medical testing:
- Celiac disease: Blood tests for celiac disease antibodies plus intestinal biopsy showing damage. The biopsy is essential for confirming diagnosis.
- Wheat allergy: Skin prick test or blood test detecting IgE wheat antibodies. Oral food challenge may confirm.
- Gluten sensitivity: Elimination diet and challenge to identify symptom response. Antibody blood tests are negative.
- Wheat sensitivity: Similarly identified through elimination diet and food challenges.
There is no specific biomarker for gluten sensitivity or wheat sensitivity like there is for celiac disease or wheat allergy. Working with a knowledgeable gastroenterologist or allergist can help accurately diagnose these conditions.
Is Going Gluten-Free or Wheat-Free Healthy?
For those with celiac disease or wheat allergy, eliminating gluten or wheat is medically necessary. However, there are some considerations for those choosing restriction for other reasons:
- Gluten-free substitute foods are often higher in sugar, fat, and calories compared to wheat-based items.
- Gluten-free diets may lack certain vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, iron, and fiber.
- Wheat elimination diets remove a staple grain source of carbohydrates, protein, and nutrients.
- Highly restrictive diets increase risk for disordered eating patterns.
That being said, eliminating problem foods provides symptom relief and improved wellbeing for many people. Those without celiac disease or wheat allergy have a few options:
- Try a wheat-free diet first as it is less restrictive than gluten-free.
- Stick to naturally gluten-free whole foods instead of processed substitutes.
- Work with a dietitian to ensure nutritional needs are met.
- Periodically reintroduce restricted foods to see if tolerance has improved.
Cooking and Shopping Tips
Following a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, especially a strict one, requires some adjustments to your cooking and shopping habits. Here are some tips to make it easier:
Cooking Tips
- Substitute wheat flours with gluten-free options in recipes. Common choices are rice, almond, coconut, chickpea flours.
- Use corn, quinoa or rice-based pastas and noodles.
- Cook more dishes focused around naturally gluten-free whole foods like meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, quinoa, buckwheat.
- Avoid cross-contamination by preparing gluten-free foods first, using separatecookware, thoroughly cleaning surfaces and utensils.
Shopping Tips
- Buy gluten-free or wheat-free specialty products like bread, crackers, cereals, etc.
- Check labels carefully for any sign of gluten, wheat, barley, rye ingredients.
- Look for “gluten-free” or “wheat-free” designations on packaging.
- Shop perimeter of store for produce, meat, eggs and other fresh foods.
- Certain grains like oats, rice, quinoa, buckwheat are naturally gluten-free.
With practice, following these diets becomes much easier. There are more gluten-free and wheat-free options now than ever before. Getting guidance from a dietitian knowledgeable about food allergies and intolerances can also help.
Takeaway Points
- Gluten-free eliminates all gluten from wheat, barley, and rye. Wheat-free only eliminates wheat.
- Gluten-free is more restrictive but required for celiac disease. Wheat-free may be sufficient for those with wheat allergy or sensitivity.
- Overlap between the two, but neither is interchangeable with the other.
- Work with your doctor to ensure correct diagnosis and dietary needs.
- Focus on naturally gluten/wheat-free whole foods as part of a healthy diet.
Conclusion
While gluten-free and wheat-free diets are often discussed together, it’s important to understand the key differences between the two. Gluten-free requires elimination of all gluten sources including wheat, barley, and rye. Wheat-free eliminates only wheat, along with related grains like spelt or triticale.
Those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity need to follow a strictly gluten-free diet under medical supervision. Wheat allergy and sensitivity patients can benefit from avoiding only wheat. However, some individuals may be sensitive to multiple components of wheat.
Working with a doctor and registered dietitian can help determine your personal sensitivity or tolerance to gluten and/or wheat. This will guide you in choosing the most appropriate elimination diet to improve symptoms and quality of life. While challenging at first, sticking to the necessary dietary restrictions gets easier with time and guidance.