What do pastrami on rye, barley soup and pasta primavera have in common?
Besides being tempting lunch choices, they all contain proteins called gluten. These proteins are present in foods made with barley, rye or wheat or any crossbreeds of those three. Think BROW: barley, rye, oats, wheat. Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but are usually contaminated because they are rolled in flour.
For most diners, gluten doesn’t cause problems. However, for people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, eating these proteins can cause significant health problems.
Before starting the diet
How do you know if you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity? See your doctor. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.
It is very important to have testing done prior to starting a gluten-free diet as once your symptoms are managed, it’s harder to find evidence of disease/sensitivity. Testing usually includes an endoscopy and blood work for gluten antibodies, and then a possible change in diet. If celiac disease is ruled out, your doctor may recommend an elimination diet to see what the culprit is, and many times that includes gluten.
Those with celiac disease actually do harm to their intestines when eating gluten, even in small amounts, so a radical shift in diet is necessary.
Eliminating gluten calls for more than avoiding the obvious culprits: breads, cereals, pastas and pastries. That’s because gluten is often in unexpected products, such as: granola bars, imitation seafood, baking powder, tortilla chips, cornflakes, dried fruit, soups, salad dressings, seasonings and candy.
Don’t be scared about this change — you will feel better quickly and will find good substitutes for some of your favorite foods.
Spot the gluten
Because gluten is in so many foods, reading every package label is a must.
To go gluten-free, don’t buy products that contain any of these ingredients — barley, malt, rye, starch, triticale, wheat or one of its derivatives: durum, einkorn wheat, emmer or farro, farina, graham, khorasan, semolina, spelt, or wheat berries.
When a food is labeled as gluten-free, you can feel confident that it is safe to eat.
More tips
Avoiding gluten at restaurants is more challenging. Even if you order something that doesn’t contain gluten, your food could be cross-contaminated by pans or utensils that were used to cook something that does. If you still choose to dine out, ask that your meal be prepared using separate, thoroughly cleaned cutting boards, utensils and pans. Use a free app, like Find Me Gluten-Free to search for restaurants in your area that a re safe.
When dining at a friend’s home, bring a home-cooked dish to share. That way, you’ll know there’s something gluten-free on the menu.
Many gluten-laden recipes can be easily switched to gluten-free by using gluten-free flour, pasta, bread or changing just a few simple ingredients. Due to demand, more and more of these ingredients are easier to find at your local grocery store.
A lot of gluten-free products go bad quicker than their gluten counterparts. Store bread and other baked goods in the freezer for a longer shelf life.
Along with foods, some cosmetics (such as lip balm and lotions) and over-the-counter medicines and vitamins contain gluten. To avoid gluten in OTC remedies, skip products with: dextrate, dextrin, pregelatinized starch (or any other starch), and sodium starch glycolate.
If you take prescription drugs, talk to your pharmacist about avoiding gluten.