A Guide To Gluten Free Diets

Gluten is a protein found in most grains, such as barley, rye and wheat. Currently being used as a food additive. A gluten-free diet is required for sufferers of coeliac disease. A disease that affects the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food, currently the only medically accepted treatment.

Many people in the UK who suffer from coeliac disease will be on a strict life long gluten free diet . Many of whom will discover that they are in fact a sufferer later in life and will have to make changes to their diet and lifestyle to help accommodate the new approach of gluten-free requirements.

For anyone hoping to achieve a completely gluten free diet , it is still possible to maintain a well-balanced diet without gluten.

The first thing to help identify any foods that do or do not contain anything that can affect any potential allergy is via the allergen labelling. By law, the information will be available on all food products. Therefore it will be visible from simply checking the ingredients list to identify if there are any signs of gluten. However, there will be some ingredients that are made from a cereal containing gluten where the grain is processed in a way that the gluten has been removed, this type of ingredient is safe for anyone with coeliac disease. As a result, is the only exception and not required to be listed.

Planning ahead and setting large amounts of time for shopping is a must. With little options for a quick pick up on the way home, meals should be thought out and planned in advance, to ensure that all labels have been checked and everything is suitable. It will be highly recommended to find books and speak to your GP to help gain an extensive list of the foods that can and cannot be eaten. Not forgetting that there is a wealth of online recipes that can help create exciting and imaginative meals.

Once eliminating all the foods that are no longer considered gluten-free, finding substitutes can be the next option, enabling some of your favourite items not be taken off the list. Take pasta, by replacing this gluten-free pasta made with rice, corn and potato. There is also specially prepared gluten-free bread that is also used when making pizza that's available and will be able to replace the daily use of bread. Many brands are coming on board and helping produce cakes, pastries and gluten free oats to help make the daily life of a coeliac sufferer must more easier and convenient.