Comfort Foods for a Comfortable Gluten-free Life
People diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance are bound
to steer clear of anything that brings discomfort—anything that contains
wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, green corn, and, to some extent, oats.
To avoid triggering adverse reactions in their body, they automatically
shy away from pasta, cookies, pastries, packaged meats, cereals, beer,
pickled food, ice creams in cones, chocolates, the list goes on. They
sulk in one corner, thinking they are doomed to eating bland,
uninteresting food for the rest of their lives.
If you’re one of these gluten-allergy sufferers, fret no more. The
ever-changing innovative market has become more and more sensitive to
the needs of the consumers that it has stacked supermarket counters with
special gluten-free products in all forms imaginable—bread, flour,
pasta, cereals, health drinks, and many, many more. A crossed-out ear of
corn symbol on the packaging tells you that the product is 100-percent
safe for gluten-free dieters.
Of course, it is still imperative that strict self-management of
one’s diet involves awareness of the contents of food one is about to
incorporate in his or her daily menu. Conscious label reading and a
curious attitude will definitely help in choosing and enjoying
gluten-free goodies. If you are still unsure of what to take in, take
time to drop by the doctor’s or dietician’s office. Let them know your
concerns and, if possible, have them explain everything about gluten
hypersensitivity to allow you to see the bigger picture. This will help
in your meal planning.
Aside from these special gluten-free products in the market, there
are still a wide array of naturally gluten-free foods that people with
gluten hypersensitivity can comfortably eat without a doubt, such as
rice, maize or corn, buckwheat, millet, tapioca, potatoes, yam, soybean,
quinoa, and herbs like amaranth and arrowroot. Also safe to consume are
milk and dairy products, as well as eggs, fish, fresh meats like pork
and beef, vegetable oils, and all types of fruits and vegetables.
Distilled vinegars are also free of any harmful gluten proteins. You can
always whip up delicious and healthy meals from these gluten-free
ingredients. Talk about comfort food.
Bear in mind, though, that all cereals containing gluten and all
foods derived from these cereals should be scrapped in your diet for
good. Although consuming minute amounts of gluten will not immediately
cause negative effects, in the long run, these substances can accumulate
and slowly eat up the linings of the small intestine, which, in turn,
result to irreversible damage in the future.
There is an ongoing debate on whether or not to allow oats in the
gluten-free diet. Some doctors say oats are okay for celiac patients,
while others advise eliminating it from the diet. A few scientific
researches reveal oats themselves are free of gluten. However, during
processing and distribution, they may be contaminated by other
gluten-containing grains. With such conflicting opinions, it is always
safe for gluten-free dieters to stay away from oats.
Please note that people on a strict gluten-free diet might benefit
from vitamin and mineral supplements since the damage in the small
intestine results to decreased assimilation of minerals such as iron and
calcium as well as B-vitamins and folate. Therefore, choosing a
gluten-free vitamin/supplement that also meets 100 percent of the
recommended daily allowances (RDA) is vital to maximizing the benefits
of a gluten-free diet.
Living a comfortable life does not mean having to go through all the
discomforts of choosing which foods are good or bad for you. There are
more important things in life to think about. So worry no more. Special
gluten-free meals are here to comfort you.
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