6 things to know before going gluten free

When it comes to fad diets picking between gluten and gluten free has always been sticky ground, quite literally! Whether or not you want to opt for a diet free of this sticky protein should really be a well informed decision. Here are 6 things you ought to know before you decide to go gluten free! 

On sticky ground

Gluten is a protein, rather a mix of two types of protein found in certain grains namely – wheat, rye, barley and some types of oats. The word gluten itself is derived from the Latin word – glue, for the simple reason of its sticky texture.

Celiac disease and gluten

Celiac disease and intolerance to gluten are two different things but with similar symptoms and technically gluten intolerance is just one of the symptoms of celiac disease. If you feel discomfort after consuming food with gluten, it is best advised to consult a doctor and define the reason of discomfort before eliminating it from your diet completely.

Get tested

Statistics say that a lot of times people have very mild symptoms and remain usually unaware of their gluten intolerance. The symptoms range from irritable bowels, dizziness, headaches, bloating, weakening of the intestinal tract and inability to absorb nutrients. If you experience any of these over a prolonged period, its time you take note of your diet and get yourself tested. Can’t be too bad to go gluten free for a couple of months and see how your body responds!

Stock up some vitamin B

If you plan to avoid consuming gluten, then one of the things you need to be careful about is getting enough Vitamin B 12 in your system. It is one of the vitamins responsible for keeping your brain sharp and alert and respiratory and cardiovascular system on point and it is abundantly available in gluten.

Dread the bread

Can you make great bread without gluten? The answer is no. Without gluten your bread dough will not have that lovely stretchy elastic texture nor will it rise effectively or be fluffy like good bread is supposed to be. Plus if you have gluten intolerance you should be ditching most kinds of bread anyways!

Go desi

Well, we are never in dearth of that! While across the world people are modifying their recipes to make them gluten free, in India we have tons that are already free of gluten. Most of the sabzis, rice preparations and mithais are free of gluten. When it comes to flat breads you can’t eat a traditional wheat roti, but bhakris, thalipeeths and good old makki ki roti comes to the rescue.

Check out the recipes on Sanjeevkapoor.com