Does “gluten-free” mean less food enjoyment?

Following a gluten-free diet, regardless of your reason for doing so, requires quite a shift in your mind-set and a whole new shopping list when you are buying groceries. The change is not an easy one to make overnight, but if you start making the effort to prepare more of your own food and know which products are available, you can still enjoy and savour each and every bite of food.

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet excludes all sources of gluten. Gluten is the protein component of grains such as rye, wheat and barley and so these grains have to be avoided. There are many processed foods made with these grains, so following a gluten-free diet would require that you refrain from eating them too.

How to adapt your diet

Firstly, it is absolutely necessary to make a habit of reading food labels. Products such as baked goods, gravies, thickeners, soups or stabilisers often contain forms of gluten-containing grains, such as wheat flour. These products will have to be avoided or substituted if you do not want any gluten in your diet. Remember that with an intolerance, unlike an allergy, small amounts of the food can generally still be tolerated. Find out what works for you.

Carbohydrates that you can include in your diet are potatoes, rice, corn, polenta and quinoa, fruits and starchy vegetables such as butternut. There are also many new gluten-free products on the market these days, for example pasta. They may cost quite a bit more, but they are available. So, keep an eye out for them.

Ways to keep your meals interesting

Learn to switch things up a bit by using brown as well as white rice and sweet potatoes as well as normal potatoes. Do yourself a big favour and buy a vegetarian recipe book that’s to your liking – vegetarian meals often have a lot more flavour, texture and colour than regular meals and you can top them up with the meat of your choice and a gluten-free carbohydrate option.

By creating flavours that you enjoy and learning how to appreciate a different style of cooking, you are creating a positive aspect on which to focus instead of focusing on the foods you are no longer “allowed” to eat.

You definitely also do not have to give up baking. Potato, chickpea and corn flours can be used as substitutes and you can still enjoy your own muffins, cakes and tarts. Using one of these flours will change the consistency of the end product so they cannot be used in exactly the same quantities. Rely on a gluten-free recipe or flour substitution guidelines to know how much of and in which ratios these flours should be used.

Sources
blog.kauai.co.za
http://celiacdisease.about.com