Gluten free foods for a gluten free diet
If you suffer of celiac disease, you know very well what we are talking about! Now we want to introduce the theme of the gluten free foods even for who is allergic to grasses (this is the main period) that should limit or avoid the consumption of gluten in this period of the year. But they are suitable also for who has weaker intolerance or simply digestive problems.
Gluten free diet: where gluten is?
We have already talked about gluten with the article about seitan, one of its derivatives, but now we will see which are the foods that contain it naturally. There is a wide choice and they can be part of a balanced and healthy diet.
All the types of fresh and dried fruit and the vegetables are gluten free, so that legumes, but also dairy products, cheese, butter, yogurt and meat. In these categories you should pay attention to the industrial foods.
Pay attention to industrial food!
The industrial process in fact foresees the addition of gluten, flours and thickening in many products. For example pre packaged creams and puddings, but also diverse type of flavoured yogurts with fruit or other flavours. It is the same for legumes: pay attention to mixed soups or pureed soups that are often thickened with flours. Finally, pay attention also to industrial ice cream, spreadable chocolate creams, cocoa, candies and powdered sugar. Check always the labels of the drinks with gas and super-alcoholics.
Yellow light also for cold cuts and cured meat: here it is possible to find flours, addictive and gluten. It can be inside ham, bresaola and mortadella, but also pre-packaged meat and fish. Useless saying that it is better not to eat breaded food.
Red light for beer and seitan, wheat’s muscle, mopur: sources of proteins in the vegetarian and vegan diets obtained starting from wheat’s gluten.
Cereals
Cereals are something different, because the great majority of them contain gluten.
| Cereals rich in gluten are: | Cereals without gluten are: |
| Wheat
Barley Spelt Oat Kamut Rye |
Corn
Rice Buckwheat Millet Amaranto Quinoa (it is not a cereal but it is often associated to this group) |
Polluted products
You should pay particular attention to the industrial products, pre-packaged dishes and food. Even when you don’t think to find gluten, there can be flours or thickenings.
Gluten free = crossed-ear
A vertical ear with a prohibition sign on it! It is the most common symbol on the food packaging to highlight that the product is gluten free and thus suitable for who suffers of celiac disease and everyone who wants to limit gluten consumption.
In Italy, AIC – Italian Association for the celiac disease has created certified products to verify that they can be eaten by who suffer from celiac disease with a content of gluten below 20 ppm.
AIC worries about writing periodically a guide with all the certified food and it recommends the companies that gained the Gluten Free logo!
