Monday, June 11, 2012

GLUTEN FREE

GLUTEN FREE - FOODS

Gluten free is a term generally use to indicate a suppposed harmless level of gluten rather than a complete absence. However, the exact level of gluten which is harmless is uncertain and full of controversy. A systematic review tentatively concluded that a consumption of less than 10 mg of gluten per day is unlikely to cause abnormalities.

In a attempt to avoid all problems relating to gluten intolerance, it is therefore best to avoid or reduce intake of foods containing gluten. That is why people with problems that are related to gluten intolerance needs to look for foods that are gluten free. Nowadays, there are many options when attempting to live life without gluten. There are many gluten free foods available in the market. They are also a number of recipes that are gluten free.

To recap, gluten is the protein that present in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains that are closely related to the above-mentioned. Gluten does not exist in corn, rice or oats though gluten normally present in oats when processed. So naturally one should by products (oats) that are certified gluten free.

All processed foods most probably contain gluten for reasons such as a thickener, flavor (e.g., malt), binder or a big part of an ingredient in pizza, pasta, cakes, cookies, bread, you name it. Gluten can be used to stop stuff sticking together like a pre-packed grated cheese. Gluten also presents in many pharmaceuticals, make-up and household products.

Anyone who have celiac disease or a serious case of gluten intolerance can't get even a speck of gluten in their system without causing major serious short term and long term health problems.

Long term health problem associated with gluten intake for gluten intolerance or celiac disease patient includes bowel cancer, alzheimer's, gluten ataxia (similar to Parkinson's) while the short term health problem includes headaches and brain fog, psychosis to pains in the joints, diarrhea constipation or indigestion.

Autism in many cases seems to be a dietary problem. Families with autism kids have discovered that by omitting gluten, casein (a similar protein in milk product), soy and some other things associated with gluten, have manage to help their kids to normalize, enabling them to interact with other kids and do their school studies more easily.

Gluten intolerance is very common and not isolated. Use this quiz to discover whether you are gluten intolerant. The question listed here will give you some information on conditions and symptoms associated with gluten intolerance.

GLUTEN INTOLERANCE QUIZ

Obviously gluten free can be define as foods that are processed or product created of which there is the absolute absent of gluten. There are foods nowadays that are gluten free. This include breads, cakes, candies, cereals, cookies, frozen food and so on. Usually to look for a product that are gluten free, one look at the food label and will know straight away whether the foo is safe to consume or not.

While doing the research for this post, I came across this site. It contains foods that are gluten free. If you have the time, do visit this site at

THE GLUTEN FREE MALL



In the meantime, why not try this recipe

"Walnut mocha chocolate dessert cake"?

100g dark chocolate – melted with 1 Tbs hot water and 2tsp instant coffee granules (15 seconds in microwave 1200 watts)

150g sugar

6 eggs, separated

125g butter – melted

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup potato flour

½ tsp baking powder

1/3 tsp salt

1 tsp Xanthan gum

½ cup plain yoghurt

150g ground walnuts (save 50g whole walnuts for decoration – or about 8)

Icing:

1½ cups sifted icing sugar

125g softened butter

½ tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp coffee granules dissolved in 1 Tbs hot water

Glacé cherries to decorate

Grated chocolate to decorate

Walnuts to decorate

Toasted flaked almonds to decorate sides of cake

Melt chocolate and allow to cool.

Beat sugar and egg yolks together well.

Add melted butter, chocolate/coffee mix and vanilla and beat well.

Fold in flours, baking powder, salt and Xanthan gum that have been sifted together. Add yoghurt to the batter and stir well.

Fold in ground walnuts and stiffly beaten egg whites.

Divide cake batter into three and pour into three lined cake pans

Bake at 180ºC for 20 to 25 minutes (test with a skewer)

When cool, ice layers together, cover with butter icing and decorate.

Icing: Beat all ingredients together very well – you may need more butter and icing sugar since the whole cake needs to be covered with the icing.

GLUTEN FREE SHOPPING GUIDE

No comments:

Post a Comment