Monday, October 21, 2013

Gluten-Free Foods

By Ollie M. Buhr


Gluten is a complex compound found in commonly used cereals like wheat, and barley. Some people are allergic to gluten, have a gluten intolerance, or have Celiac Disease. Its estimated that up to 10% of the U.S. population could have some form of gluten allergy.Gluten consumption for gluten intolerant people is extremely bad and could lead to many complex medical conditions. And a large percentage of people, though not gluten intolerant, have difficulty in digesting gluten. Many people in the U.S. are gluten intolerant and don't even know it. And many medical doctors misdiagnose gluten intolerant people all the time, as the symptoms are varied and different from person to person.[]

That was the same question I had when I began my journey. I was extremely confused about what to eat, since it seemed that everything contained gluten! I struggled with this concept until I gained some knowledge after doing some research. Gluten-free foods are those that do not contain flours such as wheat, barley, rye, etc. Once I obtained that definition, it made it a whole lot easier to shop and cook.

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.

Luckily for those who find themselves unable to eat gluten based foods, there are now many gluten free products on the market. Gluten free breads are available that are made of rice, millet, almonds, soy and other non-gluten grains.Rice is a common grain which is known to be devoid of gluten. Rice can be substituted over gluten based foods. Substances like beer and whiskey which are brewed with fermented wheat, are definitely gluten foods and should be avoided. Wine could be an alternate to beer. And there are now some gluten free beer products on the market.

One meal that follows the three food combination is lemon herb chicken with broccoli and seasonal fruit. In the summer, I would serve watermelon and in the winter oranges. Another meal that is very simple and tastes great is baked barbeque chicken with a baked potato and grapes (or any other fruit that tastes luscious). I also like to serve taco meat over a green salad with fresh pineapple. All of these meal combinations follow the protein, vegetable, and fruit concept and are of course all natural gluten-free foods.

Celiac disease, autoimmune conditions, and gluten intolerance can be made more manageable by choosing gluten-free food types. You also don't need to rack your brains on which products to go for and which to avoid, which can be highly inconvenient. There are great gluten-free food choices to be found online, and now you can buy them easily without having to leave home.

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.

Finding these specialized foods, though, can be tricky. They aren't usually placed with their gluten-filled cousins. Instead, they are usually given their own section, which is usually pretty small. If you don't know this, you might spend a lot of time looking from shelf to shelf, trying to find gluten-free alternatives for common foods, such as cereals.Don't hesitate to ask a grocery employee where they keep the gluten-free foods as soon as you get to your grocery store. Doing so will save you a lot of time and frustration.

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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