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Gluten is the name given to the combination of two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, that are found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley...
Also known as non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, a gluten intolerance can leave you feeling bloated, gassy, or tired after eating gluten.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder, with at least 1 in 100 people thought to be affected.5 With coeliac disease, the immune system treats...
Have you recently been diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity or coeliac disease? Or are you trying to isolate a food intolerance, and think gluten might be the culprit? Cutting out gluten from your diet might feel daunting, but luckily there are many delicious foods that are naturally gluten-free that you can enjoy.
From fruits and vegetables to meat and dairy, here we’ll give you the low down on naturally gluten-free foods that you can add to your diet.
Gluten is the name given to the combination of two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, that are found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley.1 Gluten can also be found in other foods too though, and sometimes where you least expect it.
When mixed with warm liquid, gluten reacts with yeast to form gas pockets which, when baked in a hot oven, expand to create the chewy texture in foods like bread that we all love. It acts almost like glue to hold foods together and adds an elastic quality, giving foods like bread a doughy consistency.
The protein, gliadin, is thought to make up around 70% of the protein in gluten and it’s this that experts believe is to blame for the health issues associated with eating gluten, like coeliac disease.2
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder, with at least 1 in 100 people thought to be affected.5 With coeliac disease, the immune system treats gluten as an invader, and in the process of trying to ‘fight’ gluten, attacks healthy tissues inside the gut.6
Symptoms include short-term gastrointestinal problems such as constipation and indigestion after eating gluten, and more serious longer-term issues like malnutrition and weight loss, because of not being able to absorb nutrients properly.7
As with any allergy, those with coeliac disease must completely avoid all traces of gluten. Even crumb cross-contamination from using the same toaster as someone who makes non-gluten-free toast can cause symptoms for coeliacs.8
Whilst a gluten-free diet might sound restrictive, many foods are actually gluten-free in their natural form.9 Where you need to be careful is when manufacturers and chefs add gluten to previously gluten-free foods for texture or flavour.10
So, if you’re new to a gluten-free diet, you might be thinking what is gluten-free? Here are 8 gluten-free foods that you can enjoy as part of a gluten-free diet.
Gluten can be found in most wheat products, as well as in barley and rye. Gluten-rich foods to avoid include pasta, most bread, flour, cakes, couscous, breakfast cereals, biscuits, pizza, beer, ready meals, and processed soups. There are also several lesser-known grains which also contain gluten, like einkorn, pearl barley, spelt and more.
However, the gluten-free market is growing rapidly, with a 43% increase from 2015 to 2020 which means there has been a huge rise in products such as pasta, bread and cereals that are manufactured specifically to not contain gluten.19
So, there’s more freedom of choice to create delicious gluten-free meals than ever before!
1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/gluten/
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/gliadin
3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21622-gluten-intolerance
5. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/
6. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/about-coeliac-disease/
7. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/symptoms/
8. https://www.coeliac.org.au/s/the-gluten-free-diet/cross-contamination
9. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/living-gluten-free/the-gluten-free-diet/
10. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-is-gluten-and-what-does-it-do
11. https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/meat/
12. https://wakegastro.com/patient-info/patient-education/celiac-disease/
13. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/frequently-asked-questions/2014fddfaq-naturally-gf-foods/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439366/
15. https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/gluten-free-foods/
16. https://nationalceliac.org/celiac-disease-resources/confusing-gluten-free-diet-ingredients/
17. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/treatment/
18. https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/milk/
21. https://ahdb.org.uk/news/consumer-insight-free-from-moves-mainstream-2