Is it Time to Go Gluten-Free? (Contd.)

There is a difference between a food labeled as being gluten-free and a food that has a label of 100% gluten-free.  And the difference can literally be a matter of life and death.

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Gluten-Free Vs. Trace Amounts of Gluten

There is a big difference between a food that's 100% gluten-free and a food that is labeled as gluten-free.

While these foods may only have trace amounts of gluten in them, this small amount can do a lot of damage. The other problem you will run into when buying packaged and processed foods is that they may very well be gluten free, but they aren't certified that way. So you may end up passing on a food even though it was safe to eat. So be smart, buy raw ingredients and prepare them yourself.

Gluten-Free Specialty Foods

As we covered in our previous article, for people with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance the biggest issue they faced was no longer being able to eat their favorite foods. Imagine never being able to eat a pizza again, or a sandwich, muffin, or pasta. For people who cannot tolerate gluten this is a reality they are faced with.

The good news is that there are a growing number of gluten-free foods that offer an alternative to simply giving up your favorite foods. Breads and pastas can now be made with rice flour or another suitable alternative giving you the ability to enjoy bread again, but also to avoid punishing your body at the same time. While you probably won't like all of the gluten-free foods that are out there, you probably will enjoy quite a few of them if you give them a shot.

The bottom line is that gluten-free foods give people who can't tolerate gluten options. They give them the ability to enjoy foods that they may have thought were forever taken away from them. Any food lover will tell you that the prospect of never again enjoying a bit of their favorite dish would be torture. Gluten-free foods are an alternative that anyone who cannot or does not want to eat gluten should spend the time exploring and tasting.

Going gluten-free, whether by choice or necessity, is much easier today than it was years ago in the past. There is now a large assortment of gluten-free foods made by many manufacturers that can help you to find alternatives that will let you enjoy your favorite foods once again. Going gluten-free is a major lifestyle change. But the good news is that it's a change that is not going to be as hard on you as you might imagine.

Between natural foods that don't contain gluten, and specialty foods, there are a lot of gluten-free foods that you can eat and enjoy so that you have a diverse and satisfying diet.

Read more on this subject here.

Venice Bakery
134 Main Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 322–7357
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Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts and Going Gluten Free

Even with products like gluten-free pizza crusts, how hard is it to go gluten-free? Are there any health risks with going gluten-free?

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Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts and Common Sense

How hard is it to go gluten-free? Gluten is present in a lot of foods in the US. Most people think of gluten as being something that's found only in bread.  However, gluten is found in a lot of different products.

For example, normal pasta has gluten in it, as does soy sauce.  Gluten is also found in some binding agents like bread crumbs, and even some candies.  In fact, because wheat is found in a lot of foods that are part of an average American's diet, going gluten-free requires adopting a whole new diet. Most breads, breakfast cereals, crackers, conventional pastas, and pastry goods would have to go.  Processed foods would also have to be eliminated from  your diet too because they are made with trace amounts of gluten too.

Are There Any Health Risks with Going Gluten-Free?

Are there any health risks with going gluten-free? Any time you start getting rid of whole types of foods that you've eaten before, you run the risk of nutritional deficiencies.  Look at people who are used to being more omnivorous switching to a vegan diet for example.  Without supplementing their diet with some sort of protein and iron source such as lentils, they can run the risk of anemia and immune deficiencies.  The same problem holds true for switching to a gluten-free diet.

Some products that are labeled as being gluten-free are often short of vital nutrients such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, fiber, and other things as well. So, if you're switching to a gluten-free diet,  make sure it is under the orders of your doctor or dietitian.  Eating a healthy gluten-free diet is all about being attentive to what you're eating.  The problem with going gluten-free is that it is pretty much an all or nothing scenario

Eliminating some gluten from your diet isn't an option, like cutting back on fatty foods or sugar. For people with gluten-sensitivity, the smallest amount of gluten can cause intestinal damage.  You also have to watch out for another problem in the area of gluten-free products: price gouging.

A lot of gluten-free pasta and bread for example cost a lot more than the equivalent products that have gluten in them, sometimes as much as three times the cost.  So remember, being gluten-free doesn't mean being dumb.  Check with your doctor to see if you need to be gluten-free, and buy products that are quality such as gluten-free pizza crusts.

Read another article on this subject here.  

Venice Bakery
134 Main Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 322–7357
Contact Us