Gluten-free eating is a necessity for the 3 million Americans who have been diagnosed with celiac disease. In people with celiac disease, gluten causes an autoimmune response in the body that destroys the villi in the small intestine, leading to a number of symptoms that may include digestive distress, malnutrition and skin rashes. Other individuals decide to follow a gluten-free diet simply because it helps them feel better -- or lose weight. Gluten-free products accounted for an estimated $2.6 billion in annual sales in 2010 -- a 30 percent compound annual growth since 2006, reports Marketresearch.com. Gluten-free is not synonymous with healthy or low-calorie, however. Before adding gluten-free prepared foods to your diet, understand the nutritional implications.
About Gluten
Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten cannot be separated from grain, which means that any foods containing a derivative of wheat, barley or rye -- including beer, soy sauce and some seasonings -- contain gluten. Typical foods that contain gluten are breads, pasta, pizza, pancakes, cookies, muffins and crackers. Many energy and granola bars, frozen dinners, salad dressings, sauces and even veggie burgers contain wheat or barley as well. If you avoid gluten, you probably already scan package labels religiously for hidden gluten-containing ingredients. Prepared foods labeled gluten-free save you this step and make grocery shopping easier.
Common Prepared Products
There are thousands of gluten-free prepared foods. Gluten-free bread, pasta and pizza dough made with brown rice, quinoa or millet are sold in most major supermarkets. Frozen dinners, ice cream, cookies, salad dressings, beer, cereals, soups and energy bars without gluten are also available. Some companies that make gluten-free prepared foods are now well-known brands. Big-name companies are also beginning to reformulate or create new products to meet the market demand.
Considerations
Gluten-free cookies, breads, cakes and pies are no healthier or lower in calories than wheat-based versions. Limit your consumption of these foods whether you are on a gluten-free diet or a regular diet. In fact, some flours used to make gluten-free foods contain less fiber than whole-grain wheat. Gluten-free prepared foods are also sometimes more calorie-dense than wheat-based foods as well; relying on them for weight loss is not a good plan.
Naturally Gluten-Free
Many prepared foods are naturally gluten-free. They include milk, plain yogurt, frozen brown rice, prewashed lettuce, cut-up vegetables and fruit and frozen cooked shrimp. Although meats are naturally gluten-free, prepared versions, such as rotisserie chicken or deli meats, may contain seasonings or fillers with gluten. Some prepared foods that appear to be gluten-free when you read the label may be processed on the same equipment that processes wheat. The result is that these foods may be cross-contaminated with gluten.
References
- "New York Daily News"; As More Cases of Celiac Disease are Diagnosed, the Market for Gluten-Free Foods is Booming; Rosemary Black; May 2010
- MarketResearch.com; Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S., 3rd Edition; February 2011
- National Foundation for Celiac Awareness: Celiac Disease Facts and Figures
