Diet chart
Gluten-free Indian diet chart for celiac disease
In celiac disease, gluten from wheat, barley and rye damages the small intestine, and the only treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Indian food makes this easier than most cuisines: rice, millets, besan, dal and dosa batters are naturally gluten-free. The challenge is hidden gluten and cross-contamination.
Track today with the food diary →
Key goals
- No wheat, maida, suji, dalia, barley (jau) or rye, ever
- Naturally gluten-free grains: rice, bajra, jowar, ragi, makki, besan, quinoa
- Watch for hidden gluten: compounded hing, namkeen, sauces and shared chakkis
- Fibre, iron and calcium from dal, vegetables, millets and dairy
A sample day
Pick one option for each meal. Portions are for an average adult; adjust them to your hunger and weight.
VegEggNon-vegWestern
- Tea or coffee with a fruit, not biscuits or rusks
- A few almonds or makhana
- Idli, dosa, poha, or a besan or moong chilla with curd
- Omelette with a jowar or bajra roti
- Oats labelled gluten-free, with milk and fruit Western
- A fruit, or roasted chana
- Chaas
- Bajra, jowar, ragi or makki roti, or rice, with dal, a vegetable, salad and curd
- Home-made chicken or fish curry, without a wheat thickener, with rice
- Sprouts chaat, makhana or roasted sweet potato
- Home-made snacks instead of packaged namkeen
- Khichdi, or rice with rajma, dal or paneer
- Tandoori chicken or grilled fish with rice and vegetables
- Quinoa or rice bowl with vegetables and paneer Western
- Milk or curd if hungry
Daily targets
- Protein
- 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight (about 48–60 g, 60 kg)
- Fibre
- at least 25 g
- Fat
- under 60 g
- Vegetables
- 3 or more katoris
- Fruit
- 2–3 servings
- Water
- 8–10 glasses
- Fried food
- at most 1 a day
- Sugary food and drinks
- at most 1 a day
- Salty food
- at most 1 a day
Choose more
- Rice, bajra, jowar, ragi, makki, besan, quinoa and sabudana
- Dal, rajma, chana and sprouts
- Milk, curd and paneer, unless lactose is a problem early on
- Vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds
- Oats only if labelled gluten-free
Cut down
- Atta, maida, suji (rava), dalia, sevaiyan and jau
- Bread, biscuits, rusks, cakes, pasta, noodles, pizza and momos
- Samosa, kachori, puri and bhatura
- Packaged namkeen and papad unless labelled gluten-free
- Compounded hing, which often contains wheat flour; use hing labelled gluten-free
Good to know
- Even small amounts of gluten cause damage, even without symptoms
- Use a separate tawa, toaster and sieve, and do not grind gluten-free flour in a shared chakki
- Check labels on sauces, soups, chocolates and spice mixes
- A follow-up blood test shows whether the diet is working
If you also have
Diabetes
Gluten-free packaged foods are often higher in sugar and refined starch. Base meals on millets, dal and vegetables rather than gluten-free biscuits and breads.
High BP or heart disease
Gluten-free packaged snacks can be very salty; check labels.
Kidney disease
Follow your nephrologist's advice on protein, potassium and phosphorus, which may limit some millets and dals.
Pregnancy
Untreated celiac disease affects iron, folate and pregnancy outcomes. Stay strictly gluten-free and take the supplements your obstetrician advises.
Age over 65
Celiac disease can first appear later in life, often as anaemia or thin bones. Ask about calcium, vitamin D and a bone density test.
Track today's food
Tap what you have eaten. The diary compares your day with the chart, shows what is missing and suggests what to eat for the rest of the day.
Your diary stays on this phone only. Nothing is sent anywhere, and it clears itself after 30 days.
This browser is not saving data (private mode or storage blocked), so the diary will reset when you leave the page.
Common questions
Which Indian foods are gluten-free?
Rice, idli, dosa, poha, bajra, jowar, ragi and makki rotis, besan chilla, dal, rajma, chana, curd, paneer, eggs, meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.
Is hing gluten-free?
Pure hing is, but most compounded hing sold in India is mixed with wheat flour. Use hing labelled gluten-free.
Should I go gluten-free without a test?
No. Get tested for celiac disease first, while you are still eating gluten, because going gluten-free beforehand can make the tests falsely normal.
When to see a doctor
See a gastroenterologist for diagnosis before starting a gluten-free diet, and for follow-up if symptoms, anaemia or weight loss continue on the diet.
Other diet charts
General guidance for adults, not a personal prescription. Food values are estimates for a typical home serving. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have been given a specific diet by your doctor, follow that advice.