Love food but need to go gluten-free? One of the biggest challenges of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity is that most people can go through life without knowing they have it in the first place. Experts estimate that 1 out of 70 Australians and 1 in 100 Americans have celiac disease, and as much as 6% of the population could have some other form of gluten sensitivity.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates and researchers, however, we’re now a lot more aware of gluten-related disorders. This means more people are consulting with their physicians and dietitians, and having themselves checked for celiac disease; particularly when they’re having a hard time figuring out whether their symptoms add up to an actual ailment.
So these days, it’s not uncommon for people to find out they have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NSGS) at a later age. And for conditions like celiac disease and NSGS, the only cure is a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life.
So what’s a foodie supposed to do now that wheat, barley, and rye are out of the picture? Just keep living, of course. You can continue to enjoy your favourite foods by making the following adjustments to your lifestyle.
Use Gluten-Free Alternatives
Even if you got rid of all the gluten in your diet, there are a lot of good alternatives you can use when cooking your food and dining out. For foodies, this means that they can now more easily source specialty gluten-free ingredients from supermarkets.
In fact, we’re fortunate enough to live in a time when groceries and supermarkets now have more gluten-free products stocked in shelves, as more companies – big brands and small niche-market players alike – have come up with a wider selection of foods and consumables for those actively doing away with gluten.
Learn to Cook Gluten-Free
Cooking on a gluten-free diet used to be more challenging. But now, with more people embracing the lifestyle, you also see a rise in the popularity of online cooking channels. Gluten-free cooking not only gives you the chance to work with newer, more exotic ingredients but also give a healthier twist on classic recipes and old favourites.
Blogs like My Darling Lemon Thyme, Nutrition Stripped, George Eats and Brown Paper Bag are just a few recipe creators out there who can show you how to cook delicious (and affordable) meals without having to worry about gluten at all.
Check out These Apps
If you’d like to go out for a night on the town, you should be doing your own research looking into where you can enjoy a nice gluten-free meal. More restaurants are now highlighting gluten-free selections in their menu, while also keeping up with the latest food preparation practices in order to prevent cross-contamination.
Find Me Gluten Free, the Gluten Free Restaurants Guide by CeliHack, and Gluten-Free Restaurant Items are only some of the great mobile applications available to help you choose a suitable dining establishment next time you go out for dinner.
To further help you better understand the gluten-free life, have a look at this highly informative infographic from our friends over at Med Alert Help and check out all the food items you can play around with when cooking and baking on a gluten-free diet, as well as viable alternatives to prohibited ingredients.