what is gluten?

                                                                                                                                  
Gluten is a protein, which is commonly found in rye, wheat and barley. Gluten is found in most types of cereals, bread and pasta. As well as helping bread to maintain its proper shape, gluten contributes to elasticity which is why mainstream gluten containing bread is so difficult to replicate for gluten free manufacturers. Gluten is also found in some sauces, ketchup and ice-cream where it may be used as a stabilising agent.

                                                           
For people who are diagnosed with coeliac disease eating gluten could damage the lining of the gut, preventing the normal digestion and absorption of food. Coeliac disease can be managed with a gluten free diet.

More information about coeliac disease

Gluten can also affect people who have symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain and headaches, but have excluded coeliac disease or wheat allergy as the cause of their problems.  This condition is known as gluten sensitivity and is thought to affect many more people than coeliac disease.  Gluten sensitivity can be managed by following a gluten free diet.

More information about gluten sensitivity.

What can I eat? DS-gluten free have constructed a table which is a quick reference guide, by category, to the foods that contain gluten versus those that are gluten free.

How can I tell which foods are gluten free? There are several ways you can verify that foods in the "foods to check" column of the "what can I eat" page are safe foods for coeliacs and gluten free.

Avoiding gluten contamination It is important that gluten free foods are not contaminated by gluten during storage and food preparation.

How healthy is a gluten free diet? Within the media there have been questions raised about gluten free diets, claiming that they are unhealthy, lead to a high intake of fat and sugar and just don’t provide the nutrients needed for a healthy diet. This is simply not true!

Travelling abroad gluten free For people following a gluten free diet, travelling abroad can often be difficult. We have a few useful tips that should make your gluten free travels abroad a little easier.