A sly protein hides in your kitchen, acting as the binding agent in many foods and beverages you consume on a daily basis. Many of us take it for granted and know nothing of its presence, while MANY battle against it. Can you guess what it is? Gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that those with a gluten intolerance spend their lives avoiding.
A gluten-free diet is essential for managing signs and symptoms of celiac disease and other medical conditions associated with gluten. A gluten-free diet is also popular among people who haven’t been diagnosed with a gluten-related medical condition. The claimed benefits of the diet are improved health, weight loss and increased energy, but more research is needed.
Following a gluten-free diet requires paying careful attention to food selections, the ingredients found in foods, and their nutritional content.
Allowed fresh foods
Many naturally gluten-free foods can be a part of a healthy diet:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Beans, seeds, legumes and nuts in their natural, unprocessed forms
- Eggs
- Lean, nonprocessed meats, fish and poultry
- Most low-fat dairy products
Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten triggers immune system activity that damages the lining of the small intestine. Over time this damage prevents the absorption of nutrients from food. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. Gluten sensitivity causes some of the same signs and symptoms associated with celiac disease — including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, foggy brain, rash or headache — even though there is no damage to the tissues of the small intestine. Studies show that the immune system plays a role, but the process isn’t well-understood.
Make a gluten-free recipe
Try your hand at gluten-free cooking. Find a delicious, intriguing, gluten-free recipe from the internet and go to town! Up for a challenge? Try baking from scratch with rice or almond flour.
Gluten free bread recipe to try!
- This gluten-free bread recipe only has a few simple ingredients: gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, instant yeast, honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, warm water, room temperature egg whites (from large eggs), and salt.
- Spray a 9″x 5″ bread pan or 9″x 4″ small loaf pan with gluten-free cooking spray. Move the top oven rack to the middle rack. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and instant yeast to a large bowl and stir to combine the ingredients.
- Add the olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar, and warm water to the flour mixture and mix on low for 1 minute. If you are using a stand-up mixer.
- Add the room temperature egg whites and the salt to the dough and mix on medium for 1 minute. The dough will look like a thick cake batter.
- Pour the dough into a greased 9″x 5″ bread pan and cover with cling wrap
- Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow the bread to rise in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. The bread will have risen almost to the top of the pan. Do not allow the bread to rise longer than 30 minutes.
- Place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. The bread will be golden brown and have an internal temperature between 205-210ºF.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the baking pan and place it on a wire rack to cool. If the bread completely cools in the pan, the steam can get trapped and the loaf can get soggy, especially on the bottom.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
