Gluten-free foods: We have a complete list for you!

Gluten-free foods are most often sought after by people suffering from celiac disease. For them, a diet containing gluten is not good for them and it is often a matter of health for them to be careful about what they consume. But nowadays, many other people who do not suffer from celiac disease are finding that they are better off avoiding foods that contain gluten. So let's take a look at what gluten is, how it can harm our health and which foods contain it. This is the only way we can then move on to gluten-free foods and see which ones we can include in our diet.

What is gluten and celiac disease?

Gluten is a mixture of plant proteins that are indigestible and are found in cereals such as barley, rye, wheat, oats, triticale, kamut or bulgur. If we suffer from celiac disease, our body cannot process gluten properly. The body then reacts to gluten by overreacting, but these reactions can manifest differently each time. Likewise, each individual's reaction to gluten may be different.
The most common manifestations of an allergic reaction to gluten include abdominal pain, sometimes even cramps, a march of the intestinal contentsThe most common symptoms of gastrointestinal upset are: bloated abdomen, chronic fatigue, diarrhoea or constipation, weight loss and muscle loss. Other symptoms may include headaches, bone pain, anaemia and infertility. Rapid mood changes, skin reactions and problems or increased tooth decay. The body reacts most strongly to gluten in the lining of the small intestine, where chronicm inflammation associated with degeneration of the mucosa and other layers of the intestinal wall. This has consequences. A person in whom this degeneration has occurred may have poorer absorption of the variousof vitamins, minerals and other elements that our bodies cannot do without. This then logically leads to other health problems.

What foods contain gluten?

If we want to avoid foods and food in general that contain gluten, we first need to know what all gluten contains, where it is found and what to look out for. Above we have already mentioned specific cereals such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, kamut or bulgur. It follows that we must also avoid other foods that are made from these cerealsthat is, flour, flakes and bran, and of course pastries, wafers, biscuits, bars and other snacks. We must also be careful of foods that we would not primarily look for these foods, but which contain them nonetheless. These include various vegetable protein meat substitutes, some salad dressings, soysoy sauce, and of course various soups and powdered sauces and other convenience foods.
Beware - gluten can also be present in chocolate, candy, etc. We therefore recommend that you always read the package leaflets carefully. Even if there is only a little gluten in a food and you may not have a reaction right away, your body stores it all away so that it can call you when it sees something wrong.
But gluten is also found in various beverages. Beware of drinks that are sweetened with barley malt, especially various instant coffees. And definitely think twice about having a beer, because of course it also contains gluten.
Also read the package leaflet if you buy ready meals that may appear at first glance to be gluten-free. It can be found in dextrin, flavourings, starch, various flavours, the aforementioned malt, etc.

Why (not) eat gluten-free foods?

There is no doubt that people with celiac disease should avoid foods containing gluten. In recent years, many healthy people who do not need to watch out for dietary mistakes have also been focusing on gluten-free foods. Often this is as a result of a classic weight-loss diet. It is said that if we eliminate baked goods, which of course contain gluten, from our diet, we will get less fat and if we lose weight, we will do better. We will not now discuss how true this statement is. The advantage of a diet with gluten-free foods may be, for healthy individuals, mainly that they are more careful about what they eat, their diet is not as monotonous as eating a roll for breakfast, bread for snack and dinner, and then having a sweet treat in between, which is again a pastry. This, of course, has its great advantages. If you regularly keep a varied diet by eliminating gluten, and you actuallyyou can feel better and maybe even lose weight as a result of healthy eating. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages.

Foods with gluten, especially bread - especially wholemeal bread - is a rich source of fibre. If we exclude bread from our diet completely and there is no health reason to do soas celiacs, we may experience a decrease in fibre and subsequent health problems. Bread can also contain B vitamins, which our bodies also need. So if you don't have health reasons for eating gluten-free foods, try just limiting the amount you eat, lessInstead of white bread, reach for wholemeal, and above all, make your diet more varied.

Gluten-free foods

To make it easier for you if you really only need to eat gluten-free foods, we have again put together a summary table for you. Here you will find the basic foods that are gluten-free and therefore suitable for your diet. However, be careful when you buy ready-made food, reach for food in a fast food restaurant or in a restaurant. In most cases today, allergens that may be present in the food are listed, hence gluten. This should be a simple guideline for you. However, if the restaurant does not give the information on the menu, it is better to ask the waiter or cook. It's all about your health.

Gluten-free cereals we have already indicated above. If you have a gluten allergy, some cereals should be avoided, but not all of them should necessarily be eliminated from your diet. For example, corn, buckwheat, rice or amaranth can stay in your diet, as can foods or snacks made from them.
Of course, you can also eat fresh meat, dairy products, eggs and all fruit and vegetables. This is important not only so that you have something to eat as a celiac, but also as a source of important nutrients that your body needs to function. If you buy gluten-free bread mix over and over again in the supermarket and don't eat anything decent with it, you will soon develop other health problems. Therefore, make sure that your diet is really balanced and does not lose fibre or certain vitamins, for example. If you buy meat and sausages, make sure that gluten has not been used in their processing.

As a celiac, you don't have to exclude legumes from your diet. They are also good for our bodies, healthy and full of important substances, vitamins and other elements that are good to supplement regularly.

Be sure to include a variety of nuts and seeds in your diet. Just because you can't put oatmeal in your yoghurt in the morning doesn't mean you can't flavour it nicely, e.g. You can add flax, pumpkin or chia seeds, nuts and almonds to your yoghurt and you can also add fresh or dried fruit. If you need something that will fill you up better, go for a banana.

As a celiac, you'll be deprived of drinking instant coffee or many men's favourite drink, beer, but you can reach for wine or a good quality spirit. Of course, you can drink water, even mineral water, and various juices made from sheep and vegetables.
You don't have to deny yourself certain condiments, such as ketchup or mustard. However, be careful with soy sauce, which may contain gluten.

Of course, you can also use salt, pepper and other spices and sweeten with sugar, ideally cane sugar and various syrups that are not made from cereals. Suitable syrups and sweeteners can again be found in our table.