More choice for gluten-free products

By Norma McGough, HFG expert and dietitian at Coeliac UK

It may seem like the current hype about gluten-free diets and foods has come from nowhere. Some people see it is as yet another fad spurred on by diet-conscious celebrities who give up gluten to ‘beat the bloat’. But for people who have coeliac disease, a gluten-free diet isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. When sufferers eat gluten it damages the lining of the gut and causes a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation, persistent nausea and vomiting, tiredness and/or headaches… to name just a few.

According to recent findings, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, the number of people in the UK diagnosed with coeliac disease increased fourfold between 1990 and 2011. It’s now thought one in 100 people in the UK have the disease – but only 24% have been diagnosed, meaning there are around half a million people who have a gluten intolerance but don’t know it.  ‘It’s a shocking statistic that needs urgent attention,’ says Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK.

However, the rise in diagnoses has resulted in increased demand for gluten-free food – good as more and more products hit the shelves. However, Coeliac UK members report that they have to travel to large supermarkets to find gluten-free products, often visiting more than one store to buy everything on their shopping list.

That’s why this Coeliac Awareness Week (12–18 May), the charity is campaigning to increase availability of gluten-free staple foods in supermarkets. For further information see coeliac.org.uk/gfg.

Heathly Food Guide’s Recipe Collection: Make it Healthy 100 Gluten Free Recipes is out now in selected supermarkets, and available for download from iTunes.

Gluten-free cooking made easier

By Norma McGough

If you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease, adapting to a gluten-free diet can seem daunting at first, but with a few ingredient switches, you can still enjoy your favourite recipes. Try these…

* There’s a lot of gluten-free pasta available now, so you can still enjoy spaghetti bolognese and lasagne if you also use cornflour for your cheese sauce and buy a gluten-free bolognese sauce.

* Try alternative cereals such as quinoa and teff. Quinoa is nutritious (it contains protein, fibre, iron and folate) and ideal as a basis for salads – and teff adds a delicious nutty flavour to biscuits. 

* If you’re ever stuck for ideas in the kitchen, branch out into different cuisines: Mexican meals include a lot of corn and rice, which are both naturally gluten-free cereals, so you could maybe go for corn tacos with chilli, guacamole and salsa; Indian and Thai curry sauces, also served with rice, are usually made with combinations of onions, garlic, ginger and fresh chilli with spices, maybe with coconut milk or ground nuts, so are often gluten free, too. 

* A bit of experimentation, plus speciality flours and baking aids (including gluten-free baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum) can make gluten-free baking a success. It’s the gluten that gives your bread, cakes and pastry the right texture and provides structure, which is why gluten-free bread can be dry and solid, and cakes and pastry a lot more crumbly. But there are many speciality flours available in supermarkets that work perfectly well in your favourite recipes.

Want more help or information? Visit Coeliac UK’s website. Whether you’ve been diagnosed, are seeking a diagnosis or need information to support friends and family with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis, Coeliac UK is there to help. It provides a range of member services to help you understand more about coeliac disease and the gluten-free diet, including access to its Recipe Database, electronic Food and Drink Directory and Venue Guide.