Foods to eat in Wheat Belly
These are the basic principles that are recommended.
Eat these foods in unlimited quantities: Eat what your body tells you to eat, since appetite
signals, once rid of unnatural appetite stimulants such as wheat flour, will let you know what you
require.

Vegetables
o Choose organic where possible – if not, rinse thoroughly in warm water to
minimize pesticide/herbicide residues
o Eat a variety of vegetables
o Vegetables shouldn’t just be for dinner: have them any time of the day, including
breakfast
o Artichoke hearts, avocados, bell peppers, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, chile peppers, cucumber, dandelions, eggplant, endive, garlic,
green beans, greens, jicama, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peas,
purslane, radish, scallions, shallots, spinach, sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, etc.),
spaghetti squash, squash, tomatoes, turnips, yellow squash, water chestnuts,
zucchini
o Note potatoes and corn should be limited/excluded, see “consume in limited
quantities” below

Dairy products
o Choose organic
o Full-fat cheeses (blue cheese, cheddar, Comte, Crotin de Chavignol, edam, feta,
Fontina, goat cheese, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Neufchâtel, parmesan,
provolone, romano, ricotta, stilton, swiss)

Fish and shellfish
o Fish – e.g. catfish, cod, halibut, mahi mahi, perch, red snapper, salmon, swordfish,
trout, tuna, walleye, white fish
o Shellfish and other seafood – e.g. clams, crab, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters,
shrimp, squid

Meat and poultry
o Try to buy organic meat from grass-fed livestock and preferably those raised
under humane conditions
o Should be uncured and unprocessed and should not contain sodium nitrite
o Meats – beef, buffalo, elk, lamb, pork, veal, wild game
o Poultry – chicken, duck, ostrich, pheasant, quail, turkey
o Uncured sausages and charcuterie such as uncured bacon, Canadian bacon,
chorizo, uncured Italian sausage, uncured turkey bacon
o Don’t fry your meats
o For quantity, eat what your body tells you

Eggs
o

Eggs any kind, including yolks
Fats
o
o
o
o
o
Use healthy oils generously
Avocado oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, extra-light olive oil, flaxseed oil,
macadamia oil, sesame oil, walnut oil
Butter (organic; use lightly)
Cocoa butter (food grade)
Try to minimize heating and cook at lower temperatures; never fry

Raw nuts and seeds
o Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, coconut / shredded coconut / coconut flakes
(unsweetened), filberts, hazelnuts, macadamias, peanuts, pecans, pistachios,
walnuts
o Flaxseeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
o Nut or seed butters – e.g. almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, peanut
butter, sunflower seed butter

Flour alternatives
o Must be wheat-free and gluten-free
o Free of conventional “gluten-free junk carbohydrate ingredients” – no cornstarch,
potato starch, tapioca starch, or rice starch
o Low in carbohydrate exposure
o Nut meals e.g. almond flour, almond meal, chickpea flour / garbanzo bean flour,
coconut flour, ground golden flaxseed (ground regular/brown flaxseed is not as
baking-friendly), hazelnut meal, pecan meal, peanut flour, pumpkin seed flour,
sesame seed meal, sunflower seed meal, walnut meal. Check they are gluten-free
o Be sure to drink plenty of water when you include flaxseed in your recipes
o Must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container to slow
oxidation

Herbs
o

Spices
o

Anise, basil, bay leaf, chives, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley,
rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
Allspice, caraway, cardamom, celery seed, chile peppers, chili powder, glutenfree chipotle seasoning, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek,
garlic, ginger, mustard, nutmeg, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, pepper
(black, red, white), saffron, salt, sea salt, star anise, turmeric, wasabi
Sweeteners
o Stevia (or the stevia isolate rebinia), erythritol, xylitol, sucralose (Splenda). Check
they are pure/gluten-free
o
o
The author says that some people like and trust sucralose, while others do not, and
you should make your own choice
For cooking tips using these sweeteners, see the Wheat Belly Cookbook

Beverages
o Water
o Tea
o Herbal teas / infusions
o Milk alternatives – Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk (in
cartons in the dairy refrigerator)
o Coconut water
o Coffee

Non-sugary condiments
o Chili or hot pepper sauces, horseradish, mayonnaise (note you’re supposed to
avoid soybean and other polyunsaturated oils which are usually the base of
mayonnaise), mirin, mustards, salsa, gluten-free soy sauce, sriracha, tamari,
tapenades, Thai fish sauce, vinegars (white, red wine, apple cider, balsamic),
Worcestershire sauce. Check they are gluten-free

Odds and ends
o Baking – arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, unsweetened or 100%
chocolate or cocoa powder or cacao, cacao nibs, cream of tartar, guar gum, sugarfree hazelnut syrup, vanilla extract, other extracts such as natural almond extract,
coconut extract, peppermint extract, vanilla beans, active dry yeast, xanthan gum
– check they are gluten-free
o Pickled or fermented – olives, pickled vegetables, sauerkraut
o Lemons, limes
o Other – beef broth, chicken broth, canned coconut milk, green curry paste, salsa,
shirataki noodles (made from konjac root), tomato paste, tomato juice

Grocery shopping tips
o Buy single-ingredient natural foods found in the produce aisle, butcher shop, and
farmers’ market that don’t require labels
o Ignore all claims of “heart healthy,” “low-fat,” “low in cholesterol,” “part of a
balanced diet,” etc

For vegetarians
o Strict vegetarians need to rely more heavily on nuts, nut meals, seeds, nut and
seed butters, and oils; avocados and olives; and may have a bit more leeway with
carbohydrate-containing beans, lentils, chickpeas, wild rice, chia seed, sweet
potatoes, and yams
o If nongenetically modified soy products can be obtained, then tofu, tempeh, and
natto can provide another protein source
Foods to limit with Wheat Belly
Consume in limited quantities (½ cup or less of starchy foods):

Non-cheese dairy
o Choose organic
o Cream, half and half, milk, sour cream
o Fresh cheeses – cottage cheese, cream cheese
o Yogurts – Greek yogurt (unsweetened and unflavored), yogurt (unsweetened and
unflavored)
o Cultured milk products – Buttermilk, kefir (unsweetened and unflavored)
o Dairy should be in the least processed form – full-fat, unflavored, unsweetened

Fruit
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Choose organic where possible – if not, rinse thoroughly in warm water to
minimize pesticide/herbicide residues
Berries are the best: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries,
cranberries, and cherries
Other fruits e.g. apples, apricots, oranges – limit to a few wedges
Be careful of the most sugary fruits, including pineapple, papaya, mango, and
banana
Fruit juices – minimize, and if you must drink it, make sure it is 100% juice and
consume it in small quantities (no more than 2-4 ounces)
Unsweetened applesauce and unsweetened fruit butters (included in recipes in
The Wheat Belly Cookbook)
Advice on dried fruit varies between the two books. Wheat Belly advises to avoid
all dried fruit, especially figs and dates, due to the excessive sugar content. The
Wheat Belly Cookbook says you can have unsweetened dried apricots,
blueberries, cranberries, currants, dates, raisins, strawberries; and to always buy
the unsweetened variety.
Nonwheat, nongluten grains
o Limit serving to ½ cup or less
o Use for people who are not carbohydrate-intolerant (uncommon) or kids’ dishes
(as kids tolerate carbohydrates better than adults do)
o Amaranth, buckwheat, chia seeds, millet, oats, quinoa, sorghum, teff, wild rice
o Corn, rice (white or brown) – these are increasingly likely to be genetically
modified and should be consumed cautiously, if at all
o These foods should be avoided during the wheat withdrawal process. If you have
a powerful potential for wheat addiction, you should be careful with these grains
as well

Legumes
o Limit serving to ½ cup or less
o Beans, e.g. black beans, butter beans, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, red
beans, Spanish beans. Note that baked beans in sauce may contain added wheat
flour, as well as high-fructose corn syrup and sugar
o Chickpeas/garbanzo beans
o Lentils
o Dried peas e.g. black-eyed peas
o Carob, mesquite
o Peanuts – Should not be consumed raw – should be boiled or dry roasted; The
label should not include ingredients such as hydrogenated soybean oil, wheat
flour, maltodextrin, cornstarch, or sucrose
o Soybeans
o Minimally processed soy products (which may be genetically modified) – e.g.
tofu, tempeh, miso, natto, edamame, soybeans

Starchy vegetables
o Whole corn (not to be confused with cornmeal or cornstarch, which should be
avoided)
o Potatoes (white and red), yams, sweet potatoes

Beverages
o Wheat-free alcohol: Limit alcohol to 2 glasses of wine, 2 cocktails, or 1 highercarb beer. Gluten-free beer, wine, brandy, cognac, liqueurs, rum, some vodkas
(see below for gluten-containing beverages to avoid)

Other
o
Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
Foods to avoid with Wheat Belly
Factor in your own unique dietary sensitivities
Consume rarely or never:

Gluten, which may be found in:
o Gluten grains: barley, durum, einkorn, emmer, faro, kamut, rye, spelt,
triticale/tricitum, wheat
o Obvious foods containing gluten: wheat-based breads, pasta, noodles, cookies,
cakes, pies, cupcakes, breakfast cereals, pancakes, waffles, pita
o Other foods containing gluten: Baguettes, beignets, bran, brioche, bulgur, burrito,
couscous, crepe, croutons, farina, focaccia, fu (gluten in Asian foods) gnocchi,
graham flour, gravy, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed wheat starch,
matzo, modified food starch, orzo, panko breadcrumbs, ramen, roux (wheat-based
sauce or thickener), rusk, seitan, semolina, soba noodles (mostly buckwheat, but
usually also include wheat), strudel, tabbouleh, tart, textured vegetable protein,
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
udon noodles, wheat germ, wraps, vital wheat gluten, wheat bran, wheat germ,
wraps
Beverages containing gluten: ales, beers, lagers, Bloody Mary mixes, flavored
coffees, herbal teas made with wheat/barley/malt, malt liquor, flavored teas,
vodkas distilled from wheat (Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One, SKYY,
Stolichnaya) or other gluten-containing grains (Belvedere, Finlandia, Van Gogh),
wine coolers containing barley malt, whiskey distilled from wheat or barley (Jack
Daniels, Bushmills, Jameson, etc.)
Breakfast cereals: Bran cereals (All Bran, Bran Buds, Raisin Bran), Corn flakes
(Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Crunchy Corn Bran), Cream of Wheat, Farina,
granola cereals, “healthy” cereals (Smart Start, Special K, Grape Nuts, Trail Mix
Crunch), Malt-O-Meal, muesli, mueslix, oat bran, oat cereals (Cheerios, Cracklin’
Oat Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats), oatmeal, popped corn cereals (Corn Pops),
puffed rice cereals (Rice Krispies)
Cheeses made with cultures that come in contact with bread: Blue cheese, cottage
cheese (not all), Gorgonzola cheese, Roquefort
Coloring/fillers/texturizers/thickeners: artificial colors, artificial flavors, caramel
coloring, caramel flavoring, dextrimaltose, emulsifiers, hydrolyzed vegetable
protein, hydrolyzed wheat starch, maltodextrin, modified food starch, stabilizers,
textured vegetable protein
Energy, protein, and meal replacement bars: Clif Bars, Gatorade Pre-Game Fuel
Nutrition Bars, GNC Pro Performance Bars, Kashi GoLean bars, Power Bars,
Slim-Fast meal bars
Fast food – where oil may be used to fry gluten-containing foods and cooking
surfaces may be shared; also fast-food saurces, sausages, and burritos typically
contain wheat or wheat-based ingredients
Meats: breaded meat/poultry/fish, canned meats, self-basting chicken, deli meats
(luncheon meats, salami), ham, hamburger (if breadcrumbs are added), hot dogs,
imitation bacon, imitation crabmeat, meatballs (if breadcrumbs are
added),pepperoni, sausage, self-basting turkey
Sauces, salad dressings, condiments: Gravies thickened with wheat flour, ketchup,
malt syrup, malt vinegar, marinades, miso, mustards containing wheat, salad
dressings, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce
Seasonings: bacon bits (imitation), curry powder, seasoning mixes, taco seasoning
Snacks and desserts: cake frosting, candy bars, chewing gum (powdered coating),
Chex mixes, corn chips, dried fruit (lightly coated with flour), dry roasted
peanuts, fruit fillings with thickeners, jelly beans (not including Jelly Bellies and
Starburst, which are okay), granola bars, ice cream (cookies and cream, Oreo
Cookie, cookie dough, cheesecake, chocolate malt), ice cream cones, licorice, nut
bars, pies, potato chips (including Pringles), roasted nuts, tiramisu, flavored
tortilla chips, trail mixes
Soups: Bisques, broths, bouillon, canned soups, soup mixes, soup stocks and
bases
Soy and vegetarian products: Veggie burgers (Boca Burgers, Gardenburgers,
Morningstar Farms), vegetarian “chicken” strips, vegetarian chili, vegetarian hot
dogs and sausages, vegetarian “scallops”, vegetarian “steaks”
o

Sweeteners: Barley malt, barley extract, dextrin and maltodextrin, malt, malt
syrup, malt flavoring
Flours
o
o
o
Wheat flours (e.g. all-purpose flour, bread flour, pastry flour)
Cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch, or rice starch
Amaranth flour, teff flour, millet flour, chestnut flour, quinoa flour (excessive
carbohydrate exposure – acceptable when limiting carbohydrate exposure may not
be as important, e.g. for kids)

Unhealthy oils
o Hydrogenated fat, trans fats – in margarine and in many processed foods
o Polyunsaturated oils (especially corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed,
cottonseed, soybean)
o Fried foods, including fried meats. Minimize your exposure to high-temperature
cooking; stay below 450 F (230 C)

Processed foods with multiple ingredients
o Do not buy a processed or prepared food unless you can view the ingredients list
as it may contain hidden gluten
o Processed meats – e.g. bacon, pepperoni, salami, sausages – containing sodium
nitrite
o Gluten-free foods – specifically those made with cornstarch, rice starch, potato
starch, or tapioca starch
o Foods with artificial colorings and preservatives

Sweet foods
o Dried fruit – figs, dates, prunes, raisins, cranberries (note that this is the advice in
Wheat Belly; the Wheat Belly Cookbook allows dried fruit with no added sugar)
o Sugary snacks – candies, ice cream, sherbet, fruit roll-ups, craisins, energy bars
o Sugary fructose-rich sweeteners – agave syrup or nectar, honey, maple syrup,
high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose
o Sugar alcohols – mannitol, sorbitol, maltitol, etc. (erythritol and xylitol are okay)
o Soft drinks, carbonated beverages
o Sugary condiments – jellies, jams, preserves, ketchup (if contains sucrose or
HFCS), chutney

Food packaging
o Minimize exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), found in clear hard plastics with
recycling code number 7 and in the resin lining of cans