Gluten-Free Foods

By Babet Koolwijk


There are some people who just cannot take gluten in their regular diets, such as those suffering from Celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders like lupus. This makes gluten-free food choices highly important to their health and nutrition and overall food satisfaction. If you or anyone in your family is allergic to gluten, you need to find the best sources for gluten-free fare.[]

Gluten consists of two main compounds, glutelin and gliadin. Its the substance which gives elasticity to dough and gives the sticky texture to the dough when kneaded. Gluten intolerance causes all kinds of symptoms including: headaches, migraines, exhaustion, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation/diarrhea, joint pain, and anemia, to name just a few. Any processed foods made from wheat, rye or barley should be strictly avoided.

There is one tip that has helped me to fully comprehend gluten-free foods. If the food is in its original natural state, then I will always know what is in it. This way, I do not have to look on the back of the container to find the "Gluten-free" title following a lengthy list of ingredients. When purchasing food, chicken is chicken and broccoli is broccoli. That knowledge simplifies my shopping experience.

After my grocery shopping is complete, I go home and plan my menu. It is easier to cook with basic foods and limit my flour intake. Gluten-free flours are more expensive and do not stick together as well as wheat. I have not completely omitted it from my diet, but do not eat it as much as I did in the past. I use three foods that are naturally gluten-free in my meal rotations. They are protein, vegetables, and fruit. Combining these three foods can offer a great assortment of meals.

Most people who are allergic to gluten need to make a few trips to the grocery stores just to be able to buy the food that does not lead to any sensitive reactions. If you find this quite inconvenient, you can choose to shop for your favorite gluten-free choices on the web. It is an inexpensive, easy, and hassle-free way to find your favorite fare without sacrificing on your nutritional intake or making the wrong choices.

When first going gluten free, many people cannot keep themselves from cheating and eating the way they have eaten their whole lives. That's why it's so wonderful that there are now thousands of gluten free products on the market. Those with gluten intolerance and celiac disease can continue to eat sandwiches, pastas, and baked goods. You just need to know which gluten free products taste good and have a good texture to them.

Whether an individual has just been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, or whether an individual has been living with the diagnosis for years, it's always necessary to be mindful when shopping for gluten-free food products. It's not only the protein found in wheat, barley and rye that can be harmful, but components of the protein called glutens as well. Glutens are widely used as stabilizing, flavoring or thickening agents in a variety of processed foods.

There was once a time in our not-so-distant past when finding specialized food items, such as organic or gluten-free, required a trip to a store that carried such products, usually at a health or natural food stores. If you were lucky, there was one close to where you lived, but often you had to travel quite a ways before you found one.Today, though, it's another story. Our retail grocery store chains are carrying a nice, if limited, selection of products once only found in health food stores. This is good news for anyone who is on a gluten-free diet, because you won't have to travel far to find the foods you need to maintain your health.

Okay, that's it for the lecture. What I'm trying to get at is how to omitting gluten from your diet, which is found in wheat, rye, barley and most prepared, canned or boxed, foods, is a smart diet choice for anyone. Most grocery markets now sell gluten-free products. Check the label. The tricky part is eating out. However, if you search around town, you will be able to find the right Italian restaurant that accommodates your dietary needs. Kalamazoo Italian restaurants are local and understand the want for gluten-free dough in their pizza.With certain diet changes, it is likely you are going to have to cut out specific foods; however, with the unfortunate rise in celiac disease, there has been a rise in the want for gluten-free food. Specific grocery stores are more health conscious than others, so making gluten-free pasta and breads isn't hard to do at home as well.

Some traditional foods found in the grocery store frozen food sections are naturally free of glutens, but shoppers still need to check labels carefully to ensure the absence of ingredients containing them. Frozen vegetables, fruits, fish, meats and poultry with no additives or sauces are safe to eat, as are dessert items like ice cream and sherbets. Some supermarkets offer frozen foods in a special frozen food section, sometimes designated with a "natural foods" sign.While shoppers can feel confident about buying foods produced by companies that specialize in offering gluten-free foods, they need to be wary about conventional food manufacturers jumping on the celiac bandwagon. Some companies label their foods as "wheat-free," a label that holds no guarantee that the foods are safe for those diagnosed with celiac disease to eat. Foods that are labeled "gluten-free" are a safer choice.




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