A gluten-free diet is not easy. Most of the products found on store shelves contain gluten. What’s more, it is not listed on every label, which makes shopping much more difficult. What products are allowed and which are forbidden in a gluten-free diet? What to watch out for and what to avoid?
The basic principle of a gluten-free diet is the exclusion of a particular type of protein, called gluten, from the diet. It is not so simple, because its sources are spelled, wheat, rye, barley and triticale, sometimes also oats. This strict ban on avoiding these types of foods is aimed at people who suffer from celiac disease or a gluten allergy. Each of these conditions is distinct, so it cannot be said that they are the same.
- Celiac disease is not a food allergy, it is an immune-mediated disease. If diagnosed with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet must be followed for life.
- Gluten allergy – a food allergy that may lessen or even disappear over time.
What can you eat on a gluten-free diet?
Sample menu:
- Ha ha,
- The fish,
- Meat,
- Fruit,
- Vegetables,
- Milk products,
- Gluten-free bread and pasta,
- rice cakes,
- corn chips,
- Popcorn,
- Sugar,
- Jam,
- Landrynki,
- Honey,
- Cakes and biscuits made from permitted products,
- jellies,
- Homemade potato flour puddings,
- Cakes and biscuits marked with the symbol of the crossed grain.
Please note that a gluten-free diet is not a slimming diet. The calorific value of gluten-free products is very similar to those that contain it, e.g. a slice of plain bread is 255 kcal, and gluten-free – 242 kcal. So there is little or no difference. Be sure to read labels carefully and carefully, as gluten may be hidden in some products. It is an ingredient that gives the right consistency to products, which is why we can find it even in ready-made dishes, powdered soups, cold meats, canned fish, sauces, delicatessen products, yoghurts, ice cream, drinks, as well as canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Gluten can also be found in some medicines, slimming preparations, vitamin preparations, dried fruits (dusted with flour to keep them from sticking together), as well as some flavorings and vanilla sugar.
It is best to buy food with the mark of the crossed grain, which is the most reliable choice. Safe foods for this type of diet include corn, soy, buckwheat, rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth flours. In addition, the following are allowed: sesame, linseed, gluten-free oats, millet, chickpeas, nuts, lentils, sunflower seeds.