Elimination guide
The gluten free diet
A gluten free diet means choosing foods that do not contain gluten from wheat, barley, rye, oats, and triticale, or their derivatives. The good news is there is now a wide range of gluten free alternatives, so the switch can be made without sacrificing nutrition or enjoyment.
Gluten-containing grains and their sources
Grains to avoid Avoid
Wheat (all varieties, including spelt, durum, kamut, and dinkel), barley, rye, oats, triticale, and derivatives such as malt.
Common food sources
Breads and cereals from these grains, most breakfast cereals, wheat flour (including wheaten cornflour), wheat pasta and noodles, semolina, couscous, burghul, stuffing, wheat biscuits, cakes, pastry, scones, crumbed and battered foods, pies, and pizza.
Gluten-free grains and starches
Rice (all forms, even glutinous), corn and maize, potato, soy, tapioca and cassava, arrowroot, buckwheat, sago, lentil and pea flours (besan, urid, gram), amaranth, lupin, sorghum, quinoa, and millet. Enjoy
Foods to include and foods to avoid
This table is general. Always check the ingredients of every food to confirm it is suitable. An asterisk means check the label.
| Group | Avoid Avoid | Include Enjoy |
|---|---|---|
| Flours | Wheat flour, wheaten cornflour, bakers flour, spelt, rye, oat and gluten flour, wheat-based custard powder, barley meal. | Rice flour, pure cornflour (maize), cornmeal, soya, potato, arrowroot, buckwheat, sago, sorghum, millet, tapioca, besan, urid, lentil, amaranth, lupin, baby rice cereal. |
| Bread and baking | All wheat and rye bread, flat bread, sourdough, biscuits, buns, pastries, muffins, crumpets, pikelets, croissants, breadcrumbs. | Rice and corn cakes, gluten-free bread, biscuits, cakes and mixes from allowed flours, polenta. |
| Cereals and pasta | Cereals with wheat, oats, semolina, barley, rye, malt, bran, bulgur. Wheat pasta, couscous, gnocchi. | Rice and corn cereals (check for malt), homemade muesli, rice and gluten-free pasta, rice vermicelli, rice noodles, buckwheat. |
| Meat, fish, poultry | Foods floured, battered, or crumbed, sausages, processed meats, meat pies, frozen dinners. | Fresh, smoked, or corned without sauces or crumbs, plain canned fish, ham off the bone, bacon, gluten-free sausages. |
| Dairy | Malted milks, ice cream with cone or crumbs. | Block and cottage cheese, plain milks and cream, plain or flavoured ice cream, most yoghurts (check). |
| Fruit and veg | Commercial fruit pie filling, fritters, canned or frozen veg in sauce, commercial potato salads and hot chips. | Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit and vegetables without sauces, fruit and vegetable juices. |
| Beverages | Cereal-based coffee and cocoa drinks (Milo, Ovaltine), barley water, beer, ale, stout, lager, malt-vinegar drinks. | Water, tea, coffee, cocoa, milk, soft drinks, juices, wine, most spirits and liqueurs, cider. |
| Condiments | Malt vinegar, wheat-based soy sauce, wheat baking powder, mixed seasonings, many yeast extracts, many sauces, pickles, gravies, stock cubes, chicken salt. | Tomato sauce, most vinegars, honey, jam, peanut butter, gelatine, gluten-free baking powder and soy sauce, sugar, golden syrup, gluten-free yeast spreads. |
Frequently asked questions
What grains contain gluten?
Gluten is found in five main grain families: wheat in all its varieties, barley, rye, oats and triticale, along with derivatives such as malt. A gluten-free diet removes these and is used for coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity. Naturally gluten-free grains and starches that can be used instead include rice, corn, potato, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, sorghum, amaranth, tapioca and arrowroot.
Where is gluten hidden in processed foods?
Gluten hides in many processed foods beyond obvious bread and pasta. Common hidden sources include sausages, sauces, dressings and condiments, canned soups, stock cubes, malted and cereal-based drinks, yeast spreads, some soy milk, custard powder, icing sugar, baking powder, beer, and even some medications. Because of this, reading labels carefully and choosing certified gluten-free products is important when following a strict gluten-free diet.
Are oats gluten free?
Oats are one of the grain families this resource lists to avoid on a gluten-free diet. While oats themselves do not contain the same protein as wheat, most Australian oats are not certified gluten-free and are commonly cross-contaminated, and some people with coeliac disease also react to oats. Anyone needing to be strictly gluten-free should only use oats that are specifically certified gluten-free, and check with their practitioner about whether to include them at all.
Reviewed by Rohan Smith, BHSc Nutritional Medicine · Elemental Health & Nutrition, Adelaide. Last reviewed 13 June 2026.
Important: This summary is general information, not personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or a treatment protocol. Speak with a qualified practitioner about your individual situation. Book a consultation →