If you or someone you love has been recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, you could be eligible to receive gluten free foods on prescription. Simply select your country of residence, and, if you live in England, fill in your postcode to check if your area is prescribing.
Your country is prescribing gluten free foods*. Request your Glutafin Taster Box by clicking the button below to sign up.
* Please note: local policies are constantly updated, and issuing a prescription is at the discretion of your GP.
Being diagnosed with coeliac disease and told that you have to follow a strict gluten free diet can be quite daunting. You might feel like all of your favourite foods are now off the menu and you’ll be living out of the ‘free-from’ aisle at the supermarket for the rest of your life.
But following a gluten free diet may not be as restrictive as you think. There are lots of tasty foods that are naturally gluten free, from staples like fresh meat and fish, to treats like popcorn and even chocolate. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the naturally gluten free foods that you can still enjoy.
Lots of the basics are naturally gluten free foods, including:
The key here is the word ‘fresh’. All fresh meat and fish, fresh fruit, vegetables and potatoes are naturally gluten free foods. However, if they are processed in any way, you need to check the labels carefully. For example, breaded fish, coated oven chips or dried fruit may use gluten containing ingredients as part of the preparation process.
Don’t worry about buying plain, fresh ingredients, because many of your favourite flavourings are also gluten free foods. For example, pure, single-ingredient versions of herbs and spices are all gluten free, although you should always check for anti-caking agents that contain gluten.
Most of your favourite condiments, including mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard, are also gluten free foods, although you should always check the label just to be sure. Salt and pepper are both gluten free,, and most vinegars are gluten free, with the exception of malt vinegar.
When it comes to snacks, your choice of gluten free foods may be wider than you think. While you do have to avoid gluten containing cakes and biscuits, you can still enjoy many dried fruits and nuts, depending on how they have been processed. Many crisps and corn-based snacks are also safe to eat, but check the label carefully for flavourings and ‘may contain’ warnings..
If you’re off to the cinema, you’ll be pleased to know that popcorn is usually gluten free, especially if you stick to simple salted or sweetened varieties. Always check the label, or ask the cinema for allergy advice if you’re not sure,
Best of all, most chocolate is a gluten free food. Stick to options that don’t have added biscuit, brownie or wafer pieces and look out for ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging… Read more about chocolate here.
Unfortunately, following a strict gluten free diet will mean that most beers and lagers are off the menu, but the good news is that most wines and spirits are gluten free, even if the spirits are originally made from grains. The distilling process removes the problem proteins making these drinks safe for coeliacs. As with most things on a gluten free diet, you should check labels carefully on things like pre-mixed cocktails and wine spritzers,
Tea and coffee are both gluten free, as are the milk and sugar that you add to them. Many artificial sweeteners are also gluten free, but always check the label to be sure. You can also enjoy fresh milk, including all four flavours of McDonald’s milkshakes, as well as plain fresh fruit juices. As you can see, there’s a wide range of naturally gluten free foods that you can still enjoy on a strict gluten free diet. Talk to your nutritionist or dietitian for more information and to make sure you are eating a balanced diet containing all the nutrients you need.
If you or someone you love has been recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, you could be eligible to receive gluten free foods on prescription. Simply select your country of residence, and, if you live in England, fill in your postcode to check if your area is prescribing.
Your country is prescribing gluten free foods*. Request your Glutafin Taster Box by clicking the button below to sign up.
* Please note: local policies are constantly updated, and issuing a prescription is at the discretion of your GP.
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