Description
Book SynopsisEverything you need to know about living a gluten-free lifestyle As the prevalence of gluten-free dieting continues to growboth from necessity and choicemore and more people are searching for a healthy way to cut gluten out of their lives. Gluten-Free All-In-One For Dummies culls a wealth of indispensable information from six popular For Dummies books, providing you with an all-encompassing, one-stop resource for living and eating gluten-free. From gluten-free cooking and baking to must-have information on celiac disease, this comprehensive and authoritative guide to all things gluten-free is the only reference you''ll need as you navigate your way around a wheat, barley, and rye-filled world.
With nearly millions of households having at least one person who eats gluten-free foods, the need for a trusted and authoritative guide to living gluten-free has never been greater. Thankfully, Gluten-Free All-In-One For Dummies is here to offer expert guidance on
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 2
Where to Go from Here 2
Book I: Getting Started with Going without Gluten 5
Chapter 1: Gluten‐Free from A to Z: The Basics of Being Gluten‐Free 7
What Is Gluten, Anyway, and Where Is It? 7
Discovering the Benefits of a Gluten‐Free Lifestyle 9
Eating isn’t supposed to hurt 10
Abstinence makes the gut grow stronger 10
Making nutrition your mission: Head‐to‐toe health benefits 11
Deciding Whether You Should Be Gluten‐Free 13
Mastering the Meals 13
Planning and preparing 14
Shopping shrewdly 14
Considering your kitchen 15
Cooking outside the recipe box 15
Getting Excited about the Gluten‐Free Lifestyle 16
“A” is for adapting your perspective on food 16
Savoring gluten‐free flavors 16
Getting out and about 17
Raising kids to love the lifestyle 17
Setting realistic expectations 18
Arming yourself with good information 18
Surviving Social Situations 18
Informing family and friends 19
Going out on the town 20
Overcoming the trials of traveling 22
Chapter 2: Glimpsing Good Reasons to Go Gluten‐Free 25
Looking Into the Downsides of Wheat 26
Humans don’t fully digest wheat 26
Wheat is a pro‐inflammatory agent 26
Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome 27
Refined wheat has little nutritional value 28
Wheat may cause wrinkles 28
Wheat may contribute to menopausal symptoms 28
Wheat is one of the top‐eight allergens 29
Wheat can mess up your blood sugar levels 29
Wheat can make you fat 30
Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and don’t know it 30
Recognizing Different Types of Gluten‐Related Problems 31
Allergies to gluten‐containing foods 31
Distinguishing between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease 31
Sorting Out the Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance 33
Pinpointing gastrointestinal symptoms 34
Checking out non‐gastrointestinal symptoms 34
Watching for symptoms in kids 35
Considering Your Options for Testing 36
Looking into tests 36
Going gluten‐free without testing 37
Realizing the Consequences of Cheating 38
Compromising your health 38
Developing associated conditions 39
Understanding How Gluten Affects Behavior 41
Connecting gluten and autism 41
Delving into depression and other mood disorders 43
Chapter 3: Taking a Closer Look at Celiac Disease 45
Exposing One of the Most Common Genetic Diseases of Mankind 45
Pinpointing Who Develops Celiac Disease and Why 47
It’s in the genes 48
Triggering celiac disease: What turns it on 48
Understanding Celiac Disease and What It Does to the Body 49
How your guts are supposed to work 49
How your guts work with celiac disease 50
Gut Feelings: Gastrointestinal Symptoms 51
The gut stops here: Diarrhea, celiac disease, and you 51
Olfactory challenges: Sniffing out the importance of flatulence 53
Abdominal symptoms: Belly pain, bloating, and beyond 54
Reflux and heartburn 55
Indigestion 57
Weight Loss Related to Celiac Disease 57
Weight loss due to active celiac disease 58
Weight loss due to the gluten‐free diet 58
Weight loss due to a coexisting condition 59
Weight loss due to a complication of celiac disease 59
Non‐Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Celiac Disease 60
Rash decisions 61
Mulling over mood, thinking, and neurological issues 61
Feeling fatigued 62
Hormonal (endocrine) problems 63
Musculoskeletal problems 63
Cancer 64
Gynecological and obstetrical problems 64
Other problems 64
Chapter 4: Grasping the Ground Rules of the Gluten‐Free Diet 65
When in Doubt, Leave It Out 66
Defining Gluten So You Can Avoid It 66
Recognizing Gluten‐Free Foods at a Glance 67
Forbidden grains 68
Grains and starches you can safely eat 69
Other foods that are usually gluten‐free 70
Foods that usually contain gluten 70
Exploring Alternative Grains and Superfoods 71
Amaranth 72
Arrowroot 72
Buckwheat (soba) 73
Mesquite (pinole) 73
Millet 74
Montina (Indian ricegrass) 74
Quinoa (hie) 74
Sorghum (milo, jowar, jowari, cholam) 75
Teff (tef) 76
Checking Up on Questionable Ingredients 76
Knowing which foods to research 76
Putting an end to the controversy over certain foods 77
The Buzz on Booze: Choosing Alcoholic Beverages 78
Booze you can use 78
Step away from the bottle 79
Making Sure Your Medications and Supplements Are Safe 79
Using Nonfood Products: What You Need to Know 80
Makeup matters 81
Lotions and potions 81
Dental products 81
Chapter 5: Making Sure It’s Gluten‐Free: Digging a Little Deeper 83
Gluten‐Free Ambiguously: Why It Isn’t So Straightforward 83
Loose labeling terminology 84
What the labeling law does and doesn’t do 85
“Gluten‐free” may not mean 100 percent 86
Contamination risks 86
Mysterious ingredient sources 87
Defining Safe Amounts of Gluten 87
Testing for Gluten in Foods 88
Deciphering Label Lingo 88
Reading Glutenese: Knowing what to look for 89
Avoiding tempting marketing come‐ons 90
Checking with Food Manufacturers 90
Interpreting company responses 91
Getting the most out of your calls to manufacturers 93
Getting product listings from a company 94
Searching for Information: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ludicrous 94
The Internet, for better and for worse 95
Magazines and newsletters 96
Support groups 96
Chapter 6: Loving the Gluten‐Free Lifestyle 97
The Golden Rules of Going Out Gluten‐Free 97
Don’t expect others to accommodate your diet 98
Ask what’s for dinner 98
Fill ’er up before you go 98
BYOF: Bring your own food 99
Bite your tongue when they make a mistake 99
Enjoy the company 99
Dining Out: Restaurant Realities and Rewards 100
Choosing the restaurant 101
Calling ahead 103
Making smart menu choices 103
Talking with the staff: Ask and ye shall receive 104
Having restaurants cook the food you bring 104
Remembering the art of healthy tipping 105
Raising Happy, Healthy, Gluten‐Free Kids 105
Talking to your kids about being gluten‐free 105
Giving your child control of the diet 107
Beating the Blues: Overcoming Emotional Obstacles 108
Recognizing common emotional struggles 109
Dealing with denial 113
Getting back on track when you’re feeling derailed 115
Redefining Who You Are 116
Resisting the temptation to cheat 117
Keeping consequences in mind 119
Book II: Making the Switch without Losing Your Mind 121
Chapter 1: Making Nutrition Your Mission When You’re Cooking Gluten‐Free 123
Appreciating Your Food 124
Feeling Optimal Requires Optimum Nutrition 124
Fueling versus filling 125
Getting enough nutrients when you’re gluten‐free 125
Choosing a Healthier Approach to the Gluten‐Free Diet 127
Dining with cavemen: The Paleolithic diet 127
Comparing caveman‐style to low‐carb diets 129
Reviewing the more healthful approach 130
Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Tuning In to the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load 131
Perusing the glycemic index (GI) 131
Hauling the glycemic load (GL) 133
What do blood‐sugar levels have to do with anything? 134
The high cost of high insulin 134
Avoiding Nutritional Pitfalls on the Gluten‐Free Diet 135
Getting the fiber you need on a gluten‐free diet 137
The whole truth (and nothing but) about whole grains 137
Managing Your Weight When You’re Gluten‐Free 138
Losing or maintaining weight 138
Dealing with (uh‐oh) weight gain 139
Adding some pounds if you’re underweight 139
Chapter 2: Keeping a Gluten‐Free‐Friendly Kitchen 141
Sharing the Kitchen with Gluten 141
Avoiding cross‐contamination 142
Storing foods separately for convenience 146
Decoding Cryptic Labels 146
Understanding label jargon 147
Avoiding suspect ingredients 150
Gathering Basic Foods 151
Filling the fridge 152
Packing the freezer 153
Stocking Shortcuts 153
Using an all‐purpose gluten‐free flour blend 154
Purchasing polenta 154
Using premade products 155
Readying Your Pantry and Fridge for Baking 156
Specialty ingredients to stock 156
Mixes to have on hand 158
Preparing Your Kitchen for Cooking Both Ways 160
Planning your menus for easy meal prep 160
Using appliances to make cooking easier 161
Changing a few techniques in your two‐way kitchen 162
Chapter 3: Shopping within Your Gluten‐Free Lifestyle 163
Knowing What You Want 163
Planning your meals 164
Making lists 165
Deciding What to Buy 166
Checking out gluten‐free specialty products 166
Remembering naturally gluten‐free foods 167
Asking for opinions 167
Deciding Where to Shop 168
“Regular” grocery stores 169
Natural foods stores 169
Farmers’ markets 170
Ethnic markets 170
Gluten‐free retail stores 170
Websites and catalogs 171
Navigating the Aisles 171
Perusing the perimeter 172
Sorting through the health food aisle 172
Planning impulsive purchases 173
Living Gluten‐Free — Affordably 173
Scaling back on specialties 174
Saving on shipping 174
Going generic 175
Eating nutritiously 175
Eating in 175
Using gluten‐free mixes 176
Developing good shopping habits 176
Chapter 4: Cooking and Baking Tips and Techniques 179
Creatively Gluten‐Free: Improvising in the Kitchen 180
Adapting any dish to be gluten‐free 180
Avoiding cross‐contamination when cooking 181
Using standby substitutions 182
Discovering Key Alternative Flours 184
Flours for delicate baked goods 185
Flours for yeast breads and rolls 186
Flours for quick breads 188
Flour weight chart 189
Cooking with Wheat Alternatives 190
Incorporating alternative gluten‐free grains 190
Thickening with gluten‐free starches and flours 192
Cutting out casein, too 193
Adjusting the Dough or Batter 194
Converting traditional dough and batter recipes to gluten‐free 195
Mixing gluten‐free batters 196
Using baking mixes 197
Handling and Baking the Dough 198
Working with gluten‐free doughs 198
Baking and cooling doughs 199
Managing Expectations 201
Flavor differences 201
Texture differences 201
Visual differences 202
Book III: Gluten‐Free Starts for Meals or Days 203
Chapter 1: Breakfast and Brunch, Reimagined 205
Starting the Day the Gluten‐Free Way 206
Chapter 2: Putting Together Appetizers and Snacks That Please 235
Choosing the Right Appetizers for the Occasion 235
Chapter 3: Sensational Salads 259
Serving Salads with Green, Leafy Stuff 259
Dressing it up with dressings 261
Finishing off your salad with some fixin’s 261
Chapter 4: Simmering Soups and Stews 279
No Glutens and Swimming with Flavor 279
Book IV: Main Courses with Meat and Without 293
Chapter 1: Bringing Beef, Lamb, and Pork to the Table 295
Eying the Main Attractions: Beef, Pork, and Lamb 296
Chapter 2: Building Great Dishes from Turkey and Chicken 313
Making Poultry with Pizzazz 314
Chapter 3: Swimming in Ideas for Fish and Seafood 329
Reeling in Compliments with Fish and Seafood Dishes 329
Broiling, Baking, and Poaching Fish 330
Chapter 4: Making Marvelous, Meatless Mains 345
Veggin’ Out with Main Dishes 345
Packing Some Punch with Pastas and Starches 346
Book V: Losing the Gluten, Keeping the Baked Goods 375
Chapter 1: Unique Issues of Gluten‐Free Baking 377
Tricks and Traps 377
Measuring, proportion, and mixing 378
Fixing the lack of structure 379
Getting the ratios right 380
Tools of the Trade 382
Parchment paper and plastic wrap 383
Ice-cream scoops 383
Piping bags 385
Scales 385
Thermometers 386
Quick Bread Issues 387
Keeping it tender when you convert 387
Building structure in quick breads 388
Yeast Bread Issues 389
Understanding the basics of gluten‐free yeast breads 390
Building flavor in gluten‐free yeast breads 391
Pie Crust Issues 392
Building a tasty pie crust structure 393
Getting a flaky or mealy texture 394
Cake Issues 395
Keeping tenderness and moistness 395
Adding more flavor 396
Cookie Issues 396
Making the best gluten‐free cookies 397
Deciding between crisp and chewy 398
Chapter 2: Gluten‐Free Baking Mixes and Sweet Yeast Breads 399
Getting Started with Easy Baking Mix Recipes 400
Working with Yeast 401
Enjoying Easy Sweet Yeast Bread Recipes 401
Chapter 3: Cookies, Brownies, and Bars 431
How to Make the Best Cookies 431
The Keys to Delicious Brownies and Bar Cookies 432
Chapter 4: Pies and Cakes 461
Tips for Making Pies and Pastries 462
Making the Best Cakes and Frostings 463
Chapter 5: Batters, Doughs, Biscuits, and Crackers 505
Making the Best Batters and Doughs 506
Basic Rules for Biscuits and Crackers 506
Biscuits 507
Crackers 507
Chapter 6: Savory Breads and Pizzas 525
Basic Rules for Yeast and Quick Savory Breads 525
Tips for Making Pizzas 526
Index 547
