Globally, wheat is the third largest crop in the world after corn and rice, and has been considered a staple food for as far back as we have recorded history. There is an abundance of grains to choose from when replacing wheat in your diet, especially if you are only replacing wheat and are not concerned with gluten that is found in wheat, rye, barley and some oats. Replacing wheat is a manageable task if you are committed to avoiding certain foods and open to trying new alternatives.

Replace wheat and grains that contain wheat such as semolina, bulgur and couscous with other grains that do not such as rice, millet and quinoa. Semolina comes from the outer coat of the wheat ear and is used in many pastas and to make couscous. Bulgur is wheat that has been soaked, cooked, dried and cracked. Most all products that are made with wheat such as bread, pasta, tortillas and flour are now available wheat-free. For instance, rice flour is on the market and so is bread made from other grains such as millet.

Replace wheat by choosing whole foods rather than processed foods. Wheat can be found in many products besides bread and pasta. Many processed foods contain natural and artificial flavorings and modified food starch, which can contain wheat-derived ingredients. For instance, rather than preparing mashed potatoes from a box, boil the potatoes, season them yourself, mash and enjoy. This process ensures that you are not ingesting the wheat that is hidden in many processed foods.

Replace beer and lager with spirits and wine. Small amounts of wheat may be in beer and lager though some believe that the wheat is removed during the brewing process. Spirits are also made with wheat, though it is removed during distillation -- and wine is traditionally made with grapes so these beverages are wheat-free.

Look for wheat-free labels on the packages of food. If a product is gluten-free, it is also wheat-free but if a product is listed as wheat-free is does not mean that it is gluten-free. For example, barley and rye flour may be wheat-free, but not gluten-free.