There are several reasons a person would need to follow a special diet and cook using gluten free recipes. Allergies, the suspected connection of with autism, and celiac disease are some of these reasons. The degree of suffering varies from very mild to very severe. However, even if symptoms are mild, the increase in energy and decrease in pain and other symptoms make it worthwhile to eliminate from your diet.
Gluten comes from grains like wheat, rye, barley, and other such grains. It is used in many products you might not suspect, such as ketchup, soy sauce, preserved meats, food thickeners, etc. It takes diligence to prevent ingesting it in even small amounts. Many people with the mentioned conditions cannot tolerate even a minuscule amount, even that obtained from cross-contamination with machines used to process other products after processing it.
Many, many foods have been adapted to cook without it and still have a dish similar to the traditional ones. Special flours can be used, such as those made from rice, potatoes, and chickpeas, among others. You can also adapt cooking methods to eliminate thickeners altogether. These may have slightly different textures and tastes, but are still very good.
There is some controversy around oats. Some say they are okay, and others say they are not, that they do contain gluten. The best, and maybe only way, to determine which it is for you is to try them and see. If you can tolerate them, oat flour can help make many dishes very palatable and nearly like standard dishes.
Commercially prepared foods are available without it, but the can be expensive. The best and least expensive way to insure the proper diet is to prepare your own foods at home, using special products. Suggestions are available for all foods categories, from appetizers to main dishes to desserts to salads. Substituting special ingredients is one way to cook safely. Also, revising how you cook to eliminate flour altogether is another option.
Chocolate cake is one example of a food that can be adapted. They can be made with no flour of any kind. Eggs are used as binders or thickeners. They are very tasty, meeting that craving for chocolate. They are spongier than when made the standard way, but very pleasing to the palate. Other foods can be made without the traditional ingredients and still have a pleasant taste and texture.
Gluten free recipes, made with special flour, can also be made using alternate ingredients. Wheat flour gives breads and cakes and such foods the ability to rise, so when it is eliminated, they don’t have that ability. Adding such things as extra egg whites or leavening, and/or xanthan gum can help them rise like traditional recipes.
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