Eating gluten-free food is often recommended for runners with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. These conditions may cause stomach cramping, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and poor nutrient absorption. Removing gluten prevents symptoms but what about the need to eat foods for performance energy? Runners who are gluten intolerant have many food choices for fuel and training performance.
Here are 14 gluten-free tips for runners and walkers
Provided by Boise State’s Hilary Horton-Brown, RD, CSSD, LD, CPT.
- Add cooked buckwheat, oat groats, steel-cut oats, quinoa, sorghum or wild rice to rice pilaf mix.
- Enrich soups with cooked brown rice, buckwheat, oat groats, quinoa, sorghum or wild rice.
- Boost the nutritional content of brownies, cakes and cookies with one-fourth cup cooked amaranth or teff.
- Sprinkle cooked gluten-free whole grains over mixed green salads.
- Toss cooked gluten-free whole grains with gluten-free pasta.
- Cook whole grains in a slow-cooker overnight for a hearty breakfast cereal.
- Dress your cooked whole grains with pesto or a salad dressing to make tabouleh.
- Blend cooked oat groats or brown rice with black beans or pinto beans to create Southwestern dishes.
- Extend hamburger patties or meat loaf with gluten-free rolled oats or cooked brown rice, quinoa, amaranth or teff.
- Add cooked amaranth, quinoa or teff to puddings for an interesting texture.
- Use quinoa flakes, gluten-free rolled oats or gluten-free whole grain as a breakfast cereal. Good fruit topping too.
- Choose whole grain, gluten-free crackers.
- Choose whole grain, gluten-free baking flours such as amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, sorghum, or teff.
- Enjoy popcorn as a nutritious snack.