The Gluten Free Blog

Genius gluten free bread

Tried a new gluten free bread this week. And it was genius! No it really was. Genius’s gluten free bread tastes just like the real thing and is the brainchild of Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, a mum of three and a professionally-trained chef.

When she discovered two of her children had foods allergies she set about creating the perfect gluten free loaf so her little boy could enjoy toasty ‘soldiers’ with his boiled egg. Not only that, she wanted to create a gluten free bread that the whole family would be happy to eat – not just the ‘gluten frees’.

“It took me three years to perfect Genius Gluten-Free Bread and my children would often come home from school to find 14 different loaves of bread waiting for them to try. I even broke my oven. But finally I got there.” Says Lucinda.

I agree. Genius gluten free bread is soft, bouncy and tasty. And unlike some gluten free breads you can eat this bread without toasting it. I made a fried-egg sandwich yesterday and it was delicious.

Genius gluten free bread is available from all major UK grocery stores. (Sainsbury’s have got it at half price at the moment, so try it!)

If you’re following a gluten free diet you’ll be familiar with the gluten free label on foods. But how free of gluten is ‘gluten free’? Is it possible to have a product totally free of gluten?

Well, no.

In reality, foodstuffs labelled ‘gluten free’ do contain traces of gluten. But it’s in such tiny amounts it’s considered not harmful to a coeliac sufferer. For food to be labelled ‘gluten free’ it needs to have less than 20mg of gluten per kg. In other words 200 parts per million (ppm). (This applies in European Union countries only.)

Food products which contain between 20 and 100ppm can be labelled ‘very low gluten’ and these may suit sufferers who have less sensitivity to gluten. Or are able to eat gluten occasionally.

This two tier labelling system came into affect in January 2009 but manufactures have until January 2012 to comply with the law.

Don’t forget that some mainstream products like crisps (potato chips) and rice cakes are naturally gluten free although the manufacturer may not choose to label it as such. As always, remember to check the label!

Find out more about other gluten free foods.

McDonald's french fries. Image courtesy of cfinke

When you’re on the run, it’s tempting to dash into your local fast food joint and grab yourself a quick bite. But if you’re following a gluten free diet surely your local McDonald’s is off limits?

Not so. There are numerous foods which are gluten free at McDonald’s. (Although we recommend you don’t eat them every day.) Note: these apply to UK McDonalds’s restaurants only.

Meaty stuff
A McDonald’s hamburger, cheeseburger, Quarter Pounder^®, and Big Mac^® are all gluten free IF eaten without the bun. All McDonald’s burgers are made with 100% beef; so they’re not ‘beefed up’ with any cereal, rusk or flour.

And according to McDonald’s they’re happy to serve you just the burger minus the bun if you ask your server when ordering. Apparently, they don’t even mind if you bring your own gluten free bun in with you.

Potato things

• French fries (Note: UK only. It seems that US french fries do have gluten.)
• Potato wedges
• Hash browns

Green stuff

• Fruit bags
• Carrot sticks
• Garden salads

McFlurrys

• Cadburys Crunchie McFlurry andDairy Milk McFlurrys are both gluten free
• But Aero McFlurrys are NOT gluten free

Sundaes

• Strawberry sundaes are gluten free
• But toffee sundaes are NOT gluten free

Drinks

• Regular coffee
• Latte
• But Cappuccinos are NOT gluten free. (The chocolate chips used contain gluten.)
• Hot chocolate
• Apple juice
• Orange juice
• Soft drinks
• Milkshakes

Sauces

• Big Mac sauce
• Heinz Tomato Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Spicy tomato salsa

What else to avoid
The obvious things to avoid are buns, wraps and anything in breadcrumbs. Fish fingers, chicken nuggets and onion rings are also off limits.

But if you’re not sure about any ingredients just ask your server. And if they don’t seem sure ask to speak to the manager. Don’t run the risk of being ill over a Filet-O-Fish^®

Update: Following on from a number of queries we had regarding the fries, we contacted McDonald’s directly. See this post for their reply.

When you’re diagnosed with coeliac (or celiac) disease, or you’ve been advised to follow a gluten free diet, it feels like everything you’ve ever enjoyed is off limits.

But there are numerous foods that are naturally gluten free (although we recommend that you always check the ingredients list.)

Check out our list of gluten free foods.

Proteins

• Fresh meat
• Fish and shellfish
• Poultry and game

Green and fruity

• All fruit
• All vegetables
• Fresh herbs

Carbs for energy

• Rice
• Rice cakes
• Rice noodles (CARE: Some rice noodles have wheat added. Always check the ingredients.)
• Corn tortillas (CARE: Authentic corn tortillas are made without wheat or gluten. But always check the ingredients or ask your waiter.)
• Corn chips (CARE: Authentic corn chips are made without wheat or gluten. But always check the ingredients or ask your waiter.)
• Tapioca
• Pulses, lentils and beans
• Corn flakes
• Millet flakes
• Polenta

Flours for cooking

• Corn flour
• Gram flour
• Rice flour
• Tapioca flour
• Soya flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Millet
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Cottage cheese (not cheese spreads)
• Yogurt (the ones without the wheaty bits added)
• Milk
• Ice cream
• Fromage frais
• Cream

NOTE: If you’ve been recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, you could be lactose intolerant as well.

The body produces lactase which breaks down the sugars found in milk. But if your intestine is damaged by coeliac disease you may temporarily have lactase deficiency. So avoid dairy products for a while, follow a gluten free diet, allow your intestines to repair and slowly reintroduce dairy back into your diet.

Spreads

• Jam
• Marmalade
• Marmite
• Black treacle
• Honey
• Golden syrup
• Peanut butter

Snack attacks

• Nuts (CARE: Some dry roasted, ‘chocolate’ coated or ‘yogurt’ coated nuts contain whet or gluten.)
• Dried fruit (CARE: Some dried fruit coatings such as ‘chocolate’ or ‘yogurt’ contain wheat or gluten.)
• Popcorn
• Jelly

Cooking basics

• Bicarbonate of soda
• Cream of tartar
• Coconut milk
• Dried and fresh yeast
• Dijon mustard
• Horseradish sauce
• Garlic puree
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Tomato Puree
• Tamari Sauce (a wheat free and gluten free soy sauce)
• Vegetable oil
• Sunflower oil
• Olive oil
• Cider vinegar
• Wine vinegar
• Distilled vinegar (not malt vinegar)
• Xantham gum (add to gluten free flours to get delicious breads and pastry)

Drinks

• Coffee
• Tea
• Herbal tea
• Fruit juice
• Fruit drinks (not barley water)
• Alcoholic drinks
• Wine
• Champagne
• Port
• Sherry
• Ciders
• Liqueurs
• Spirits, including whisky, are all gluten-free

Have we missed anything? Let us know.

It wasn’t long ago that the only gluten free foods available were from health food stores. And they weren’t cheap either. These days though, the big chain grocery stores all have their own gluten free products. And there are now whole aisles in our local supermarkets dedicated to food that’s gluten free.

Grocery stores such as Sainsbury’s, Asda and Tesco all have their own ‘Free From’ ranges, as well as carrying other gluten free brands. Definitely worth checking out are Sainsbury’s gluten free muffins: they’re moist and sweet and taste like the real thing. And with Christmas coming up fast, it’s worth stocking up on Sainsbury’s gluten free Christmas pudding and gluten free mince pies. These come highly recommended. Delicious!

Tesco’s is another grocery store with their own ‘Free From’ range. Some of our favourites include the gluten free double chocolate cake. As well as cupboard staples like gluten free brown bread and gluten free pitta bread.

Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free Chocolate Macaroons

Another grocery store with a gluten free range is Asda. We particularly like Asda’s gluten free penne pasta and spirals pasta. These both cook really well and don’t disintegrate into a wallpaper paste consistency like some gluten free pastas.

All the high street grocery stores carry other gluten free brands such as Glutano, Kelkin, Tru Free, Orgran, and Juvela. Don’t forget to try Mrs Crimble as well, now available in most of the major supermarkets. The gluten free chocolate macaroons are amazing. But will you be able to stop at one?

What grocery stores stock your favourite gluten free products? Let us know.