EditWhat is the Autism Diet?
While there is no diet endorsed by the medical community, a great number of parents are reporting an improvement of symptoms after feeding their children a gluten free and casein free (GFCF) diet (and, in some cases, yeast free). The current belief is that children who suffer from Autism are unable to break-down the proteins in gluten and casein, which causes Autistic symptoms. A urinary peptide test can indicate if proteins are not being digested properly, and blood tests can discern sensitivities.
EditFoods to be avoided on the Autism Diet
It takes diligence to be GFCF.
Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, and anything made from these grains, such as malt, starch, grain vinegar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and natural flavoring. Casein is a milk protein, and is added to many foods. Some, but by no means all, ingredients to be aware of are: ammonium caseinate, calcium caseinate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, caseinate, delactosed whey, galactose, hydrolysates, lactate, lactic acid, lactoglobulin, lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate, sodium lactylate, and whey.
EditWhat Can I feed my Autistic Child on a GFCF Diet?
Foods allowed are rice, quinoa, soy, corn, fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and a number of non gluten containing flours such as amaranth, buckwheat, tapioca, and potato. It is beneficial to use a meal planner such as
MealMixer, to make sure that dietary needs are being met while eliminating gluten and casein.
EditAutism Diet Planning With MealMixer
MealMixer for Food Allergies provides a comprehensive solution for proactively planning and tracking meal time for those with Autism Spectrum. It creates menus for you that follow the GFCF diet, as well as yeast-free and food-dye free diets, and tracks your diet to make sure you're getting your prescribed amount of calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates.