Shopping Gluten Free Flour for a Gluten Free Diet

Photo by Jodi from { http://knowgluten.me }

When you begin shopping Gluten Free, it may be difficult if you go in without any ideas on brands or types of foods that are suitable for a gluten free diet. There are already many different store bought brands that you should become familiar with as they are trusted and reliable when it comes to their products. The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to be well informed on which brands are the best for your lifestyle.

A great white flour substitute to use in gluten free recipes is Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice Flour. This flour is made entirely of brown rice but does't leave any undesirable tastes behind. Brown rice flour works great with many different types of recipes from sweets & pastries, sauces & stews, or even breakfast pancakes (as shown above). It contains a healthy bran and may add a darker color to most baked goods. The Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour is truly a versatile flour to work with and makes baking a much easier process to those on a gluten free diet. There are more gluten free recipes using this flour on the Bob's Red Mill website as well!

Gluten Free Diet for Celiac Disease

Photo by Meg from Craft Diaries { http://craftdiaries.com/ }

Living with Celiac Disease

What is Celiac Disease exactly?
Celiac disease is an immune system affliction in which people cannot eat/drink/consume any form of gluten because it will cause damage to their small intestine. The body will attack itself each time the afflicted person consumes gluten products. This in turn creates a problem because it causes the body to be unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream - leading to malnourishment.

Who does Celiac Disease affect and what are the symptoms?

Celiac disease affects each person differently. This immune system affliction may be found in child or adult alike - the important thing is to be able to find it in early on stages and begin treating/living with the condition. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for Celiac Disease. Looking out for the notable and telling symptoms below will help you with your diagnosis so that you may request help and tests from your doctor (also following a gluten free diet will help ease some of these symptoms which could be a sign).

• Bloating and/or Abdominal Pain
• Seizures
• Fatigue
• Tingling in Limbs
• Anemia
• Weight Loss
• Vomiting

Self help via a Gluten Free Diet

The best thing you can do for yourself or loved one that is suffering from Celiac Disease is start on a gluten free diet. It's a good idea to go gluten free even in the earlier stages when you only suspect that the affliction is present. When going on the gluten free diet, you will need to avoid any and all wheat, barley, and rye. Always look for products that say gluten free on the packaging or read the ingredient list yourself to make sure there are no hidden gluten ingredients inside. Also check that the facility does not have the risk of contamination with wheat. (This information is usually listed right under the ingredients list.) Another idea would be to create your own snack and meals from recipes listed in gluten free diet cookbooks or on websites. One example of this is a sugar cookie recipe that uses a great flour alternative (shown in photo above).

Going Gluten Free to Promote Health

Photo by Meg from Craft Diaries { http://craftdiaries.com/ }

What is Gluten?
What does it mean to be "Gluten Free"? Essentially it means to have a diet consisting of no gluten. Gluten is a protein that one will find in wheat, barley, and rye as well as triticale (triticale is a combination of wheat & rye). The main ingredients to steer clear of on food and drink products are:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale
• Spelt
• Semolina
• Kamut
• Bulgur
• Durum Flour
• Graham flour

It's a good idea to keep a list with you at all times - especially when first starting out and grocery shopping. 

Who can benefit from going Gluten Free?

Being gluten-free can be beneficial for many people. The most important benefits come to those who suffer from Celiac Disease. (Celiac Disease is a disorder in the small intestine.) Being gluten-free also promotes a healthier living style to those who just want to eat better. 

Eating For Health

No matter what your reason is for choosing to live gluten-free, please know that you do not have to sacrifice taste. There are plenty of trusted and enjoyable recipes out there. Going gluten-free is becoming more popular over the years and even the big name food companies are making new products that are certified gluten-free. It doesn't take too much time and effort to find something great tasting & gluten-free to make for your family and friends. Just by doing a simple search on gluten-free salads that use tuna you may find something like these gluten free recipes.