Lately there has been a lot of talk about people following a gluten free diet. In fact, I feel like every time I go to the grocery store or Whole Foods, there are more new foods that are marked “gluten free”. When I go to the bookstore, there are cookbooks, books and magazines all discussing gluten free living.
If you are like me, you are probably wondering what all of the fuss is about. Is this the latest health trend or the answer to your weight loss dilemmas?
Actually, neither! Most everyone who follows a gluten free diet does so for medical reasons. This usually involved wheat intolerance, celiac disease or a wheat allergy.
Wheat intolerance is when someone is not actually allergic to wheat but their body responds negatively to it. Very often, they are sore all the time and have skin irritations. Stomach problems are also very common. The problem with diagnosing wheat intolerance is that it can be two or three days from the time that wheat is consumed before the symptoms begin to show. This can make it difficult for people to figure out what is going on.
Individuals that have celiac disease are allergic to gluten protein. This is a serious condition because if it goes undiagnosed, damage to the intestinal track can occur over time.
When someone has a wheat allergy, they are allergic to wheat as well as other proteins that are found in wheat. While those with a wheat allergy often have stomach problems, they may also get classical allergy symptoms, like sneezing and watery eyes. Skin disturbances are also very likely to occur. People with a wheat allergy are generally born with it, where wheat intolerance may develop over time.
The solution for these three conditions is to follow a gluten free diet. The good news is that there are many gluten free cookbooks that can help you with this.
Every day thousands of people worldwide are being diagnosed with Celiac disease. It impacts people of all ages, causing weight loss, chronic diarrhea, and in some cases anemia. The best way to manage Celiac disease is by avoiding gluten. Gluten causes a reaction to wheat proteins in some people. Until only recently almost everything contained gluten, and it was near impossible to find food that didn’t contain it. With more and more people becoming aware of and being diagnosed with Celiac disease, it is a lot easier to find gluten free food at most supermarkets.
If you are suffering from Celiac disease you can still enjoy delicious food. There are gluten free versions of almost every dish you can think of. You can make cookies, cakes, and different types of breads all gluten free. You can even find gluten free beer and wine! There are a number of acceptable starches you can use in gluten free cooking. Some of the starches that are OK to use are tapioca, potatoes, rice, and corn. The main things to stay away from are wheat, barley, and rye. If you are a fan of meat you’re in luck. Almost all meat dishes are gluten free.
When on a gluten free diet it is important to include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your cooking. This is because many people with Celiac disease become deficient in the important nutrients found in most fruits and vegetables. One of the primary things Celiac disease does to your body is prevents the absorption of vital nutrients. So be sure to include as many fruits and vegetables as possible when you cook. It also may be necessary to take vitamin supplements just to be sure you are getting the nutrition you need. Fruits and vegetables also work well in restoring the intestines.
When you first start eating a gluten free diet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the things that you can’t eat or cook now. Following a gluten free menu can be a real time-saver and will probably help preserve your sanity as well!
