Gluten Free Diet and Rice
Following a gluten free diet can seem difficult at first. How do you replace wheat? Rice is probably one of the best answers. Why rice? Because it is a staple food throughout a large geographical area, and it is the mainstay for many cultures.
There is no shortage of ideas on how to create fantastic and varied gluten-free meal ideas with rice! Japan, southern China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, south India are examples of countries that use rice as their mainstay. These are countries where you can live an almost perfect gluten-free diet without even trying.
Notice: I said "almost perfectly gluten-free"." There are small amounts of wheat in some of the cooking, found in soy sauce for example. If you have a gluten allergy or wheat allergy, the amount of wheat in soy sauce and other minor ingredients may not be enough to affect you. If you are celiac however, this may present a problem. But with so many cultures, geographical areas and cooking styles following a rice-based diet, you can simply choose a different country, India for example, where they do not use soy sauce and where you can eat rice that is dependably gluten-free.
At home, you can easily modify Chinese and Thai rice-based recopies to either exclude soy sauce (not recommended) or simply cook with gluten-free soy sauce.
Rice is a remarkably versatile food. It can be made into a main course or a desert, the flour can be used for baking, and there are some types of gluten free beer that are made with rice. Rice does have limitations. It is not so easy to make bread with it, although it can be mixed with other flours and xanthan gum to create a loaf.
Using rice four in baking produces excellent results, but goes stale quite quickly. You don't have to use rice for everything, but you can certainly base most of your cooking on it, and eat your yummy gluten-free baking quickly before it can go stale.
By seeking out rice-based recipes, you can follow a tasty and nutritious gluten-free diet with ease.
Help I Am Allergic To Gluten
If you have Gluten Allergy then you suffer from Allergies Type 1, also called Contact Allergies. The Greeks first described this disease in the 2nd Century AD and they called it Koiliakos Disease which means suffering in the bowls. Today the disease is called Coeliac Disease, which is derived from the Greek word Koiliakos.
Coeliac Disease and being allergic to Gluten are similar allergies but not exactly the same. Coeliac disease is a hereditary allergy to gluten that caused damage to the intestinal lining of the small intestine. Gluten allergy does not damage the small intestines but cause many of the same symptoms as Coeliac disease.
Gluten contains a protein that is found in most grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and to a lesser extent oats. When the grains are ground into flower the gluten is what gives the final baked products its strength and elasticity. Without gluten bread is heavy and dense. Depending on the type of grain being tested, different quantities of the gluten protein are found in different grains.
Allergic to gluten symptoms include abdominal cramps, vomiting, irritable bowel, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation. Blood tests can be used to determine if you have an allergy to gluten or if it is possible that you have Coeliac disease. A biopsy of the small intestine is the only way to successfully diagnose Coeliac disease.
Once a confirmed diagnosis is made for a gluten allergy or for celiac disease then the patient must change to a glutted free diet. For the Celica disease suffers, this gluten free diet is for life. There is no cure for celiac disease. Why the immune system attacks the gluten proteins is not known and more testing is required.
Avoidance of gluten-containing foods is the only effective treatment for people who are allergic. Avoidance can be very difficult because gluten protein is often hidden in other foods. Read the label of every food products that comes into your home.
Avoid any food products that have Wheat, Bran, Bread Crumbs, Cereal Extract, Natural Flavoring, Starch, Vegetable Gum, Soy Sauce, Gluten, or Enriched Flower on the label until you know if that particular item will give you an allergy reaction.
For those who are allergic to gluten, following a gluten free diet allows them to take control of their bodies and their life again. The quality of life will be greatly improved with the removal of the allergy symptoms and the health benefits of having the small intestines operating properly.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
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