Being gluten-free sounds like quite the task, but having a gluten-free lifestyle is by no means impossible. Gluten-free diets are the latest and greatest in food trends. However, there are a lot a people who just can’t eat gluten. There are several different kinds of intolerances to gluten that a person can have. A person can have Celiac Disease, have a wheat allergy, or have a gluten intolerance. What is gluten? Well, gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. It is what allows dough to rise.
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by the gluten in bread and other foods. The disease causes the small intestine to function improperly. A wheat allergy is a condition in which a person has a physical reaction to wheat. This can include breaking out in hives, sudden anaphylaxis, and/or sneezing. If you have a gluten intolerance, then that just means your body cannot handle large amounts of gluten.
Leading a gluten-free lifestyle can be tricky, especially since wheat is in so many foods that you wouldn’t even expect. Why is wheat found in so many foods? Well, gluten is used as a thickening agent in most foods, making it more challenging for gluten-free eaters to find foods that are safe to consume. But no fear because HC BC has got your back!
Common foods that contain gluten:
Below is a list of common foods that typically have gluten in them and therefore they will not be safe to eat if you are leading a gluten-free lifestyle.
- Bread
- Cookies
- Cake
- Crackers
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Candy
- Berry flavored fruit snacks
- Packaged sauce mixes
- Ready to cook rice with flavoring
What kinds of things can you eat?
Here is a short list of basic foods that you can eat while living a gluten-free lifestyle.
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Beans
- Buckwheat
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Garfava
- Job’s tears
- Mesquite
- Millet
- Montina
- Oats
- Potato
- Quinoa
- Ragi
- Rice
- Soy
- Tapioca
- Taro root
- Teff
Not to mention dairy products, eggs, fish, fruit, legumes, meat (including poultry and seafood), nuts, and vegetables!
Gluten-free snacks:
- Mary’s Gone Crackers Curry Sticks and Twigs
- Schar Table Crackers
- By George Brownies
- Corn Chex cereal (comes in a variety of flavors)
- Back to Nature: Multi-Seed Gluten-Free Rice Thin Crackers
- Glutino: Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists
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Gluten-free meals & gluten-free desserts:
Living a gluten-free lifestyle has become a lot easier. There are many people addressing the lifestyle in articles, journals, and online blogs. Below you will find a few links to different gluten-free lifestyle blogs that will help you plan meals, desserts and even nights out on the town! It is still possible to be sociable and eat completely gluten-free!
- This blog has great options for people who are looking to live a gluten-free lifestyle
- Some of my favorite recipe ideas from this blog are:
- Baked Brown Rice
- Quinoa with Butternut Squash and Cranberries
- This blog also provides ways to go gluten free and even a helpful “Cheat Sheet” for gluten-free recipes
- This site provides a lot of great gluten-free dishes that can be made right at home!
- Some of my favorite recipe ideas from this blog are:
- Chili and Gluten-Free Corn Bread
- Basil Shrimp with Rice
- The only drawback to this site is that you unfortunately have to purchase a membership to see the entire recipe
- This site provides some amazing gluten-free options for those with Celiac Disease and any people who wish to go gluten-free
- Some of my favorite ideas from this site are:
- Gluten-Free: Noodles and Dumplings
- Gluten-Free: Pancakes
- A great thing about this site is that it is a collaborative blog. People with Celica Disease and those with a gluten intolerance are the ones posting their recipes on the site. This creates a nice community in which you can interact with other people dealing with similar situations.
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Gluten-free restaurants:
Of course you are going to want to go out with your friends and family from time to time. Never fear, as most restaurants recognize that people may have a problem with gluten and offer gluten- free menus. Some local gluten-free places are:
- The Elephant Walk
- Beneventos
- La Famiglia Giorgios
- Uno Chicago Grill
- Stone Hearth Pizza Co.
- Melting Pot
- Olive Garden
- P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
- City Landing
- Legal Sea Foods
- Joe’s American Bar and Grill
- Blunch
- Franklin Café
- Barlow’s Restaurant
- Back Deck
- Fiore’s Bakery
All of the places listed above offer some kind of gluten-free menu or meal so that they can accommodate people who are living a gluten-free lifestyle! In most cases, when you go to these restaurants you should ask the waiter for the gluten-free menu or inform them that someone in your party is in fact going to be eating gluten-free so that they will be able to accommodate you.
Gluten-free drinks:
If you are looking to go out with your friends for a night of partying, then you might want to know what kinds of drinks have gluten and which ones are safe to order.
Not gluten-free:
- Beer
Gluten-free:
Celiac.com has a great list of gluten-free drinks that will help you when you are out for a night of partying! The list includes:
- Rum, scotch, sparkling wine, tequila and vodka
- Mixes: Club Tom Collins, Diamond Jims Bloody Mary Mystery and Spice Island Cooking Wine
- The site even provides a list of Gluten-free beers
While it may be challenging to some extent living a gluten-free lifestyle, it is possible. There are a lot of tools at your disposal, so be sure to take advantage of them!
Sources:
http://www.celiac.com/articles/222/1/Gluten-Free-Alcoholic-Beverages/Page1.html
http://missvalscreations.blogspot.com/2012/05/this-weeks-blog-post_12.html
http://diaryofanutritionist.com/2010/04/23/rice-white-vs-brown-good-vs-bad/
http://www.bbb.org/blog/2012/02/national-pancake-day-means-free-pancakes/
http://www.vooteraddany.com/gallery.php
http://www.celiac.com/articles/222/1/Gluten-Free-Alcoholic-Beverages/Page1.html
http://www.celiac.com/articles/697/1/Homemade-Pasta–Chow-Mein-Noodles-Gluten-Free/Page1.html