Considering gluten-free?

Apple and boysenberry bake

It’s Coeliac Awareness Week, and a good time to look at some of the misconceptions surrounding gluten.

It’s thought that around one in 100 people has coeliac disease, which is a permanent intolerance to gluten. But there are many more people eating gluten-free for various reasons – gluten intolerance, IBS, and some simply because they think it’s healthier. There are some pitfalls to adopting a gluten-free diet though. Here are some of the classics to watch out for.

Starting a gluten-free diet before being tested

Sometimes people start a gluten-free diet to manage IBS or other conditions. Unfortunately this means you could be unnecessarily restricting your diet, putting you at a greater risk of nutrient deficiency. You could also hinder the process of getting a definitive diagnosis. If you think that gluten may be the problem, the first step is to be tested for coeliac disease – and for results to be useful, you need to be tested while you are still consuming gluten, otherwise you could get a false negative result.

Using unproven methods of diagnosis

Tests such as hair analysis and kinesiology are not recognised as accurate tests for gluten intolerance or coeliac disease. The first step, if you think gluten might be a problem for you, is to get a screening blood test, known as “coeliac serology”, which measures antibody levels in the blood. The next step is a gastroscopy in which biopsies of the small bowel are taken. There are also gene tests available for coeliac disease when other diagnosis hasn’t been clear.

Thinking gluten-free foods are healthier in general

Many people think – perhaps because of the marketing of gluten-free foods – that gluten-free food is generally healthier than ordinary food. While some gluten-free foods can be simpler, less processed and free of additives, that’s not the case for all. In fact, there are plenty of examples of gluten-free foods that are a lot less healthy, particularly in the area of baked goods. Gluten gives a sponginess and tenderness to baking, and as both fat and sugar increase moistness and tenderness, some gluten-free cakes and biscuits can actually have more fat and sugar than similar gluten-containing products, as manufacturers and recipe writers try to create a product that has pleasant texture and mouth feel.

Going gluten-free for weight loss

Avoiding gluten when you don’t need to isn’t likely to have any weight loss benefits, in fact, it’s a pretty hard (and expensive) way to try to lose weight! Gluten-free foods can have more fat, kilojoules and sugar and less fibre, wholegrains and useful nutrients than regular, healthy foods. Just cutting the bread, pasta, oats and other grains and not replacing them could leave you short of important vitamins and nutrients, and simply switching to gluten-free versions of the things you usually eat isn’t likely to leave you any lighter either.

Niki Bezzant is a healthy cooking expert and the editor of Healthy Food Guide magazine, latest issue on sale now.

Do you have a question for Niki? Email [email protected] with SST in the subject line.

APPLE AND BOYSENBERRY BAKE

Here’s a gluten-free treat, from HFG contributor Rebecca Heslop, that’s also low in fat and absolutely delicious.

Makes 15 slices

Oil spray

125g reduced-fat spread

1/2C castor sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1t vanilla essence

1C gluten-free baking mix (we used Healtheries Simple)

1t gluten-free baking powder

1/2C mashed banana

1 1/2C cooked cubed apples

1C boysenberries, frozen or canned (if canned, drain)

Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly spray a baking tray with oil.

In a large bowl beat spread and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in eggs.

Mix in all the remaining ingredients except boysenberries until well combined. Fold through berries and pour into tray.

Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.

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