How to Eat Gluten Free

If you're allergic to gluten, don't worry, you can eat dessert like the rest of us. Just not all the time. Gluten is a substance found in many foods made with wheat flour, which, unfortunately, includes many dessert-like foods. Unfortunately, many people are allergic to gluten, and until recently, this greatly limited their diet. But now, people with gluten allergies no longer have to cut out all cakey and bread-like foods. There are very good gluten alternatives available, and they just need a little seeking out.

Lesser-known flours can be substituted for wheat flour in many recipes. Most of the time, these alternative flours are used in combinations because they can have strong flavors. Some examples of flours suitable for the gluten intolerant include arrowroot flour, rice flours, tapioca starch flour, and soy flour. You may not be able to find many of these gluten-free flours in a traditional grocery store, but health food stores or organic markets will likely carry them.

It is becoming more common for pre-made meals to be made gluten free. Again, look to specialty health-food or organic food stores to find these types of meals. Unless a product says explicitly that it's gluten free, it's important to check ingredients. A meal may seem safe, but it could contain an ingredient with gluten that you can't see. For example, many artificial colors and flavorings contain gluten, as do vitamins, soy sauces, and some starches. It's important to remember the more obvious things that contain gluten too-pasta, yeast, and wheat germ, to name a few. The bottom line-if you aren't sure about a packaged meal, don't buy it. And it's hard to be sure since most everything contains artificial flavorings.

Sorry to say it, but if you're going out to eat, you're probably out of luck. If you live in a big city, there may be a restaurant around that serves only gluten-free food. But if no such establishment exists, beware. It's dangerous to order food from a restaurant that doesn't advertise gluten-free food. Even a vegetable dish, which would seem safe, could contain traces of glutinous products.

The best way to eat if you're allergic to gluten is to use fresh ingredients and cook at home. Almost all vegetables are safe, as are most meats. Rice and beans are good too. And, when you cook at home, you can even make an occasional dessert with flour substitutes.