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Gluten-free carbs to fuel your training
Carbs are what your harder sessions run on, and going gluten-free does not mean going without. Rice, potatoes, quinoa, buckwheat, certified oats and fruit cover everything you need.
The gluten-free list
Rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes, quinoa, buckwheat (despite the name, it is not wheat and is gluten-free), corn, millet, certified gluten-free oats, beans, lentils and fruit.
Avoid wheat, barley and rye, and anything made from them, such as most bread, pasta, couscous and many breakfast cereals.
How much
Use the plate: about a quarter of it, roughly the size of your fist, at main meals. A little more on days you train hard, a little less on rest days. The plate rule.
Before and after training
For a short morning session you do not need to eat first; a banana helps if you feel flat. After training, rice or potatoes with a protein source refill what you used. When to eat before a workout.
Pick the higher-protein ones
Quinoa and buckwheat carry a bit more protein than rice, and lentil or chickpea pasta (check it is gluten-free) carries a lot more than wheat pasta. Easy upgrades when you are trying to hit your number.
Read the label
Gluten hides in sauces, stock cubes, spice mixes and some oat products. Certified gluten-free is the label to trust if you have coeliac disease.
Everything here is vegan, soy-free and gluten-free. If you have coeliac disease, buy oats and packaged foods labelled certified gluten-free, and always check the label.
