Perhaps the only cure for celiac disease, at the moment, is a gluten-free diet. But it is difficult to avoid any trace of wheat, barley, and rye; Because these grains are hidden in almost all foods, from cold cuts to sweets and pastries. Here are some suggestions for a gluten-free diet:
It is not very easy to implement this gluten-free diet, except for wheat, barley, oats and rye; Because it often involves changing established eating habits. It is simply necessary to cook with natural (not artificially prepared) foods and highlight what is allowed instead of thinking about prohibited foods. Wheat flour is used not only in the composition of all kinds of bread and pastries, but also in many prepared dishes (as a binder for sauces).
Foods prohibited on a gluten-free diet
Most sweets contain gluten
In general, bread, pastries, pasta and semolina are prohibited.
– Dairy products are not a problem, except for spreadable cheese and some types of frosting; Caution is advised with chocolate-flavored yogurt.
Cold meats should be avoided.
Fruits can be eaten without a problem (except for dried figs, which may contain flour during drying).
– Fresh meat and fish are allowed, cooked dishes (fresh, canned or frozen) are excluded; Because it contains flour as a binder.
All fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables are possible, but the so-called steamer packages may contain flour.
Many sweets contain gluten, and only “pure sugar” or “pure fruit” sweets and sour candies do not contain gluten and can be eaten.
Where can I find gluten-free products?
If the principle of a diet is simple, it is not easy to apply. Cereals, as we know, form the basis of the diet in many countries, and the exclusion of bread, pasta, semolina, pastries and sweets is not easy, especially in school and community canteens.
Besides common foods, there are guaranteed gluten-free products in supermarkets, but they can be difficult to afford in modest environments.
Asian products, often rice-based, are relatively economical and can be recommended. But be careful, and make sure there is no gluten in the products (as may be the case with some soy sauces for example).
On the other hand, flour can be substituted in preparing cooked dishes with cornstarch or potato starch.
It is often necessary at the beginning of a diet also to exclude lactose from the diet. In fact, lesions of the gastrointestinal mucosa are responsible for the reduced activity of lactase, an enzyme necessary for the digestion of lactose and present on the surface of the mucosa.
The duration of this diet, theoretically, is life.
