Check the labels carefully to avoid gluten.Byline: Sam QI need to avoid foods containing gluten, but I am confused - can I eat spelt spelt Subspecies (Triticum aestivum spelta) of wheat that has lax spikes and spikelets containing two light-red kernels. Triticum dicoccon was cultivated by the ancient Babylonians and the ancient Swiss lake dwellers; it is now grown for livestock forage and used in baked , bulgar wheat or buckwheat buckwheat, common name for certain members of the Polygonaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs found chiefly in north temperate areas and having a characteristic pungent juice containing oxalic acid. Species native to the United States are most common in the West. ? ASpelt and bulgar are both types of wheat, which means they contain gluten. This means any product that contains these ingredients isn't suitable for someone trying to avoid gluten, such as someone with coeliac disease coeliac disease Noun a disease which makes the digestion of food difficult [Greek koilia belly] or a wheat allergy Wheat allergy, also known as Wheat hypersensitivity is a type of food allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from wheat, causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people in the United States. . Other cereals that contain gluten include other types of wheat, rye, barley, oats oats, cereal plants of the genus Avena of the family Gramineae (grass family). Most species are annuals of moist temperate regions. The early history of oats is obscure, but domestication is considered to be recent compared to that of the other , kamut or any variety of these crops. Interestingly, buckwheat isn't a member of the wheat family - even though its name suggests it is - it's actually a seed from a completely different plant. Buckwheat doesn't contain gluten, so it can be eaten by people with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy. Manufacturers by law to list cereals containing gluten as ingredients, but not specifically to mention gluten on the product's label. Some manufacturers do however choose to name it in the allergy advice on a product's label. So, for example, you might see 'wheat' in the ingredients list and 'gluten' or 'contains gluten' in the allergy advice section. When a product doesn't contain gluten the allergy advice section might say 'gluten free' or 'suitable for coeliacs'. If you're not sure whether a food contains gluten, it's best to check whether one of these cereals is listed as an ingredient or choose products that are labelled as 'gluten free'. Sam Montel is the Food Standards * Agency's online nutrition expert and a registered public health nutritionist nu·tri·tion·ist n. One who is trained or is an expert in the field of nutrition. nutritionist Dietitian, see there . She will be answering a different question about healthy eating every week. To find out more about food, visit the Food Standards Agency's website at www.eatwell.gov.uk |
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