Tasty And Healthy Alternatives To A Diet Containing Gluten
In recent years, the gluten-free diet has become a real trend. More and more people are making a conscious decision to eat gluten-free, be it for health or personal reasons. But what exactly is gluten, what alternatives are there and does it even make sense for a healthy person to eat gluten-free?
Gluten is a natural gluten protein found in many grains such as wheat, spelled and barley. Eating foods containing gluten can lead to serious health problems for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Gluten intolerance is a generic term for intolerance to gluten. Symptoms vary depending on the disease. Among other things, it can be a wheat flour allergy or a gluten sensitivity.
Celiac disease is a specific autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage to the lining of the small intestine . As a result of the damage, the intestinal villi have atrophied. The villi are small folds of skin in the small intestine. These folds increase the surface area over which the body absorbs the nutrients from food.
For people with celiac disease, eating foods containing gluten can lead to serious health problems. Over time, nutrient deficiencies and deficiency symptoms can occur. But people with gluten intolerance also show different symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, tiredness or a weakened immune system.
Healthy gluten-free alternatives
1. Pseudo grain
Pseudo-grains are grains that are naturally gluten-free. These include quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. These varieties can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen and are also real power grains. They contain a lot of protein, minerals and fiber.
Quinoa is suitable, for example, as a basis for salads or as an accompaniment to meat or fish.
Amaranth can be served as a pudding or porridge for breakfast. But the grain is also particularly suitable for savory fillings.
Buckwheat can be processed into patties, noodles or pancakes.
There are also many different types of baked goods and pasta to buy from all three varieties, which can be processed like their gluten-containing product colleagues and taste incredibly delicious. So you don't have to do without bread or pasta even with a gluten-free diet!
2. Millet
Strictly speaking, millet is a grain and not a pseudo-grain. Because it belongs to the family of sweet grasses, just like wheat, rye, oats or barley. In contrast to its family members, however, millet is completely gluten-free. Millet is rich in vital substances and easily digestible. Muffins, bread or pancakes can be conjured up from millet flour. Millet flakes are a good alternative to oatmeal for breakfast. Highly recommended: millet loaves fried in olive oil and garlic, served with potatoes and a green salad!
3. Corn
Corn is naturally gluten-free. Corn semolina polenta is a gluten-free and delicious side dish for main courses. Sweets can also be conjured up from corn semolina, such as a polenta semolina porridge with vanilla or a polenta slice. Corn flour can be used to bake delicious corn rolls or Colombian arepas. Arepas are small round corncakes traditionally made with savory fillings. Due to their neutral taste, they are just as easily eaten as a roll or served as a dessert with sweet fillings.
4. Rice
Rice is also gluten-free and has an incredible number of preparation options. Classic as an accompaniment to meat or fish, as a risotto or as a sweet rice casserole - you can do just about anything with rice and it still tastes good.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes do not contain gluten and can be eaten without hesitation if you have an intolerance. They are not only popular as a classic side dish, but also as fries, potato pancakes, soups, fried potatoes, casseroles or gratins.
Attention: In the case of industrially manufactured potato products, be sure to read the ingredients. Flour is often used as a separating agent or binding agent, which could cause problems in the event of intolerance.
6. Bake gluten-free tarts, cakes and rolls
Popular gluten-free flours for cakes are: rice flour, corn flour, coconut flour, buckwheat flour or almond flour. However, it is not enough to simply swap out the wheat flour in the recipe for gluten-free flour. Gluten-free baking is sometimes tricky at first and requires some practice.
Since gluten-free flours do not contain any gluten, it is important to use a good binding agent. Gluten makes the dough elastic and ensures good cohesion and the necessary stickiness. For baking without gluten, it is best to use psyllium husks, xanthan gum or locust bean gum.
Tip: It pays to be patient! When baking gluten-free, the liquid will take longer to bind and the dough to rise. With bread in particular, it is advisable to leave the dough to stand overnight before processing it further. This gives the binding agent time to build up a stable framework and the aromas to unfold.
How sensible is a gluten-free diet without intolerance or disease?
More and more healthy people tend to switch to a gluten-free diet. The myth of a healthier diet is often the driving force behind it. It is said that the benefits include a reduction in bloating and abdominal pain, weight loss or a positive impact on heart health. But is that true?
"Such a low-gluten diet can harm health instead of promoting it" - Dr. Hasselblatt
dr Peter Hasselblatt is head of the intestinal outpatient department at the Clinic for Internal Medicine II at the University Hospital Freiburg. He confirms that a gluten-free diet is essential for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. However, there is no scientific evidence that a gluten-free diet has a positive effect on health and the body in healthy people. "A long-term change in diet for this reason is not recommended: it is expensive and can even be harmful to health," says the gastroenterologist.
A US study has also demonstrated adverse health effects: In two observational studies with around 45,000 women and 65,000 men, the participants were asked about their state of health every four years over a period of 30 years. People with a particularly gluten-rich diet were just as healthy as the average.
People on a gluten-free diet were more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than the average. The scientists see the reason in the change in diet that resulted from the renunciation of gluten. For example, whole grain products were avoided for the low-gluten diet. However, these have been proven to have a heart-friendly effect on our body.
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