What is a gluten-free, casein-free diet?

Often called a GF/CF diet, this eating plan avoids foods that contain gluten (found in many breads and cereals) and casein (found in milk products). Eliminating gluten and casein may help to change the symptoms and behaviors of autism. Some parents have started their child with autism on a version of the GF/CF diet for a different reason, and later noticed an improvement in behavior, social skills, and learning.

Will a gluten-free, casein-free diet help my child?

A GF/CF diet is not easy to follow. Gluten and casein are a big part of our usual diet. Because the diet does not contain milk products, or many breads and cereals, your child may not get enough:

Calcium, fibre, vitamins A, D, and B complex, calories

Be sure to ask your doctor about calcium and vitamin supplements, and keep regular appointments to watch for proper growth.

How do I start the GF/CF diet?

Start the diet slowly. Don’t try to take out all gluten- and casein-containing foods at once. Add new gluten-free and casein-free foods gradually, about one food every 3 to 7 days. If new food causes a problem, you will know which one it was. It may take 3 months to become fully gluten- and casein-free.

Buy small amounts of new foods. Buy them in bulk only when you know your child likes them.

Read all food labels. Gluten and casein are found in many forms and go by many different names.

Keep a food and behavior journal. Write down what your child eats and any behavior changes that occur. If there is a connection between certain foods and behaviors, keeping a journal will help identify it.

Because calcium and vitamin D are limited on this diet, encourage other calcium-rich beverages, such as:

• Calcium-fortified orange juice
• Calcium-fortified potato milk
• Calcium-fortified rice milk
• Calcium-fortified soy milk

This sheet provides lists that will help you identify sources of gluten and casein.

Foods that contain gluten

• Breads and cereals made with:
• Abyssinian hard wheat, Barley, Barley flour
• Barley malt, Barleyhordeumvulgare
• Bleached all-purpose flour, Bran,
• Bread flour, Brown flour, Durum Flour
• Enriched flour, Fu (dried wheat gluten)
• Gluten flour, Graham flour, Granary flour, Hard wheat
• High protein flour, High gluten flour, Kamut wheat, Oat flour, Rye
• Spelt, Wheat, Wheatflour, White flour, Wholemeal flour, Vital gluten.

Other sources of gluten:

• Alcoholic beverages, Avena
• Beer,  Bouillon cubes or powder
• Bread crumbs, Bulgur (bulgur wheat/nuts), Broth (packaged)
• Cereal extract, Cereal binder
• Chilton, Couscous, Cracker Meal
• Croutons, Dextrin, Durum, Edible Starch, Einkorn wheat, Filler, Galactose, Ghee, Glutamate, Glutamic acid, Gravycubes, Gravy mixes (unless homemade with cornstarch)
• Herbs with wheat fillers,
• Hordeum, Hydrolyzed oat starch
• Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HPV)
• Malt
• Non-dairy creamer (coffee creamer)
• Oats
• Pearl barley (Job’s Tears)
• Nougat
• Seitan
• Simplesse
• Semolina
• Soba noodles
• Teriyaki sauce
• Triticale
• Udon
• Vegetable starch

These foods may contain gluten

If the item is not labelled GF/CF, check with the manufacturer.

• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Chorizo sausage
• Gelatinized starch
• Ground spices
• Hot dogs
• Lactic acid
• Luncheon Meats
• Modified food starch
• Natural flavouring
• Sausages
• Soy sauce (shoyu)
• Surimi
• Miso
• Monosodium glutamate
• MSG
• Rice malt
• Rice syrup
• Vitamins
• Foods that contain casein
• Milk:
• Acidophilus milk
• Buttermilk
• Condensed milk
• Evaporated milk
• Dry milk
• Goat milk
• Low fat milk
• Malted milk
• Milk chocolate
• Milk powder
• Milk solids
• Non-fat milk
• Powdered milk
• Skim milk
• Whole milk

Other sources of casein:

• Artificial butter flavor
• Butter
• Butter fat
• Butter flavoring
• Butter oil
• Caseinate
• Cheese (hard and soft)
• Cottage cheese
• Cream
• Cream cheese
• Custard
• Curds
• Delactosed whey
• Half and half
• Ice cream
• Lactoglobulin
• Lactose
• Lactalbumin
• Lactate solids
• Lactulose
• Pudding
• Rennet casein
• Ricotta cheese
• Sherbet
• Sour cream
• Sour cream solids
• Whey
• Yogurt

These foods may contain casein

If the item is not labeled GF/CF, check with the manufacturer.

• Brown sugar flavoring
• Bavarian cream flavoring
• Caramel coloring
• Chorizo
• Coconut flavoring
• Hot dogs
• Luncheon meats
• Natural chocolate flavoring
• Sausages

What can my child eat?

Many foods do not contain gluten or casein, such as:

• Chicken, fish, meat
• Fruits, vegetables
• Potatoes, rice, infant rice cereal
• Cereal and pasta labelled “gluten-free”

Gluten-free flours:

• Amaranth flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Corn meal flour (and polenta)
• Garbanzo bean flour
• Garfava flour
• Lentil flour
• Millet flour
• Nut flours (such as almond, cashew)
• Potato starch flour
• Potato flour
• Quinoa flour
• Rice flour (brown or white)
• Sorghum flour (Jowar)
• Sweet potato flour
• Tapioca flour or tapioca starch
• Teff flour
• Yucca (cassava flour)
• Milk substitutes:
• Almond milk
• DariFreepotato milk
• Rice milk
• Soy milk

Butter substitutes:

• Use non-dairy margarine such as:
• Hains® safflower margarine
• Mazola® unsalted corn margarine
• Willow Run® margarine
• If a recipe calls for 1 cup of margarine or butter, you can substitute ¾ cup of oil:
• Canola
• Coconut
• Olive
• Safflower
• Sunflower

What else do I need to know?

Gluten is also found in many non-food items, but somebrands are gluten-free.

Stickers, stamps, and envelopes have gluten in the glue. Some medicines and antibiotics contain gluten, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving them.