Foods for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Foods for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle
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Many people are forced to stop eating foods containing gluten because of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine. When a person with celiac disease eats a gluten-based product, an inflammatory reaction occurs in the small intestine, often resulting in chronic diarrhea, fatigue or general stomach discomfort. Many basic foods are naturally gluten free, while many products are manufactured with gluten-free ingredients as a substitute for the real thing.

Foods With No Gluten

While many food products, such as potatoes, vegetables and fruits do not contain gluten, there are a variety of products that do. If you have celiac disease, you cannot eat most breads, cereals and grain-based products. A number of supermarkets and specialty stores now carry gluten-free products that replace gluten with ingredients that your body can tolerate. According to the Mayo Clinic, bread and bagels can be consumed if made with ingredients like rice, potatoes and corn as a substitute for traditional flour. For cereal, gluten-free individuals can consume corn-based cereals such as corn flakes and puffed rice. Gluten-free snacks range from popcorn to rice cakes.

Rice Cereal

Rice Twice cereal is a gluten-free food that is made with a two types of organic brown rice. The result is a fluffy cereal that goes well with milk and is a perfect substitute for any gluten-based cereal that is on the market. In addition to rice, the product is made with honey and brown rice syrup, giving it an added sweet flavor that is enjoyed by kids as well as adults. In addition to being fat free, Rice Twice is also low in sodium and is a fat-free product. While cereal is a good gluten substitute, vitamins and minerals must also be taken to properly substitute for the nutrients that gluten-based products offer.

Tasty Breadsticks

Pizza Flavored Breadsticks, created by Glutino, are free of gluten, sugar and dairy products. Instead of gluten, these pizza-flavored breadsticks are made with potato flour, corn starch, rice starch and concentrated tomato paste. While these pizza-flavored breadsticks are designed to be a complement to a more complete meal, they can also be combined with meats to make sandwiches and sliders. The products also contains some traces of sesame seeds as well as yeast and carob seed flour. To give it an authentic flavor, these breadsticks are infused with dehydrated oregano. These gluten-free breadsticks can be heated in an oven or microwave.

Gluten-Free Bread

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Bread is a gluten-free bread product that is also nut free, wheat free and soy free. This particular gluten-free bread is made with brown rice flour, water, eggs, bean flour and many other products. The bread comes in several different flavors including cinnamon raisin, rosemary and thyme, white and seven grain. Despite the variety in flavors, many of these breads are made with the same essential ingredients to give you a uniform taste and texture that is distinct to this bread. This bread can be directly substituted for any gluten-free bread products that you may have. According to Gluten Free Mall, the bread will last up to six months if frozen.

References

Article reviewed by JudithT Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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