Recently, we frequently come across the term “gluten-free”, or you may hear that someone cannot eat a certain food because he is allergic to gluten. But do you know what gluten is? Should you also avoid it?

Interest in gluten-free diets is growing exponentially. You can find plenty of books, expert opinions, and advertisements that support this idea. But will your health really improve? Or is it just a widely publicized fad?

First, before we go into details, we should know what is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in many grains. Including wheat, barley and rye. Hence, you will find it in foods such as bread, pasta, pizza, and breakfast cereals. Gluten does not provide any essential nutrients to your body.

You will find it in other foods such as: barley, malt vinegar, soy sauce, some salad dressings, sauces or gravies thickened with flour, certain spice blends, flavored chips, beer, certain types of wines and liquors, some processed meats

And since it is used to thicken liquid foods, it is difficult to determine all the products that contain it in abundance.

But which categories of people should avoid gluten and foods that contain it?

People with celiac disease have an immune reaction triggered by eating gluten. They get inflammation and damage to the intestines and other parts of the body when they eat foods that contain it. Current estimates are that up to 1% of the population suffers from this condition.

If you suffer from this disease, It is essential that you follow a gluten-free diet to eliminate inflammation and other symptoms. Grocery stores and restaurants offer many gluten-free food options that rival conventional foods in taste and quality.

You don’t have to be sensitive to gluten to avoid it. In fact, studies have shown that 20% to 30% of the US population follows a gluten-free diet (or has done so in the past).

Avoiding gluten is normal for people with celiac disease or a wheat allergy. There are people who are described as gluten-sensitive even though they test negative for celiac disease (not affected). But when they eat food that contains gluten, They experience symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea or crampy abdominal pain.

What does a “gluten-free” label mean on a product?

If you are working on eliminating gluten from your diet, It can be difficult to tell if a product contains gluten or was accidentally added during processing.

These labels will tell you which products are warranted. However, it does not necessarily mean that gluten is completely absent, but rather in the United States, the European Union and Canada, A product can carry a gluten-free label as long as gluten makes up less than 20 percent (ppm) of the product.

Here are some guidelines for what you can eat in each of the major food groups if you have a gluten-related disorder or intend to eliminate gluten from your diet:

• Fruits and vegetables:

All fresh fruits and vegetables are gluten-free, but sometimes gluten-containing ingredients are added to processed fruits and vegetables. Especially if it has flavor.

regular and frozen products, and canned in water or juice only, or unsweetened and dried are usually gluten-free, But it never hurts to check the labels to be sure.

• Proteins:

Most fresh, unflavored proteins are naturally gluten-free.

such as red meat such as fresh beef, pork and lamb, fresh chicken, turkey and seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes, and traditional soy foods, Like tofu.

• Dairy products

many dairy products, especially those plain, unflavored, or without additives, It is naturally gluten free.

But watch out for flavored dairy, yoghurt, and processed cheese products — especially cheeses, sauces, and ice cream.

• Fats

Almost all fats and oils are allowed. From butter and margarine to oils made from nuts and seeds, but double check cooking sprays and any flavoring or seasoning oils.

Many grains are also gluten-free:

such as buckwheat, millet, quinoa, rice, Oats

Here are some tips to make your daily life easier:

Here are some ways to add more fresh produce to your diet:

Use lettuce instead of bread

Use spiralized vegetable noodles instead of regular noodles

Use roasted potatoes or nuts, fresh fruit or roasted vegetables as a gluten-free side dish. Here are recipes brought to you by Sara PopFit, such as a gluten-free hamburger. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Check your current pantry items and donate any products that may contain gluten.

But this will be difficult in the presence of other family members who have no problem with these foods. In this case, dedicate a section of your pantry to gluten-free items so that you don’t have to find it every time, and this also helps you keep your food away from possible cross-contamination of gluten.

We also recommend that you use your own toaster and wash cutting boards and utensils before preparing your meals.

Try to avoid eating in restaurants, as there are no guarantees of what it contains of materials and additives.

Written by: Mai Majar

Sources:

health

healthline