GLUTEN – WHAT, WHERE AND WHY NOT
Gluten is the tough, elastic protein that gives
pasta, bread, cakes and other baked goods their chewy texture.
It is found not only in barley, rye,
wheat and related grains, but also in foods you may not realise contain it,
such as oats, food colourings, sauces, gravies, soy sauce and beer.
Many people adopt a gluten-free diet as it is the only
treatment for the serious auto-immune condition known as celiac disease. There
are also people who don’t have celiac disease but may suffer and react
adversely when they eat gluten, due to food allergies and/or non-celiac gluten
insensitivity.
Some people voluntarily remove gluten from their diets
to help relief joint inflammation due to other gut issues and autoimmune system
conditions. However, there is no concrete proof that giving up gluten helps
these conditions.
IN LIEU OF GLUTEN
Gluten-free alternatives to common foods are now widely
available. Many of them use alternative flours and grains. Unfortunately,
gluten-free foods are not necessarily healthy. Check product labels and avoid
those items that are rich in sugar, salts or fat. Hence, instead of focusing on
finding a gluten-free alternative to a traditional food, it is better
to seek out fruits and vegetables, unseasoned meat, fish and poultry, dairy and
non-dairy alternatives, beans, legumes and nuts.
According to Christine Rubi-Cruz, Wellness & Lifestyle Manager
of Cold Storage Singapore, sales of gluten-free items are steadily increasing.
“Superfoods like Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds and Quinoa are among our
best-selling gluten-free products. The latest oatmeal cups from the same brand
are also getting more popular. Other popular gluten-free alternatives are
Almond Dream Milk, Bragg’s Organic condiments and Kallo Rice Cakes. Even if
you’re not on a gluten-free diet, these products are good for you as they are
packed with beneficial nutrients,” said Christine. “You can easily find
gluten-free products, for almost every food you can think of, in the
Wellness4Life section of selected Cold Storage stores.”
If you do not suffer from celiac disease or non-celiac gluten
insensitivity, removing gluten from your diet has no direct effect on your
health at all – unless, of course, you opt for gluten-free foods that also
happen to have great nutritional value.
Gluten-free or gluten-filled, above all, a healthy
diet is of paramount importance. A healthy diet for one is a seriously
debilitating diet for another. The best advice is to simply know your body, and
treat it well.
With thanks to our contributor:
Christine Rubi-Cruz
Wellness & Lifestyle Manager
Cold Storage Singapore