Transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle can be a significant challenge. Fortunately, the gluten-free craze of the early 2010s and wide awareness of celiac disease has made it easier than ever to find pre-made, wheat-free meals in stores. And with the global gluten-free market expected to grow to 10.96 billion USD by 2028, newcomers won’t have to wait long for more products.
But what can you do while you wait? Should you be relying on pre-made foods? Pre-made foods are a great start, but they’re often loaded with processed ingredients that aren’t healthy.
Instead, we’ll help you transition to a gluten-free diet with great recipes and the use of spices!
Where to Start Your Diet Transition Journey
Gluten-free cooking has a reputation for being bland, but that could be because we’re so used to cooking a certain way. All gluten really does is bind products better. It doesn’t actually have a flavor on its own. It’s the wheat that tastes good, but only because it’s processed with proteins, starch, lipids (fat), sugars, and enzymes. Basically, gluten is “spiced” to taste as good as it does!
If we follow that logic, then we know it’s 100% possible to spice our own meals with anything from cayenne pepper to rosemary. And fortunately for you, most spices are gluten-free.
But before you become totally gluten-free, here’s what you should know or do:
- What you can and cannot eat on a gluten-free diet
- How to purge your kitchen of gluten-free foods.
- Pick out your go-to recipes (we can help!)
- Learn how to bake (can be challenging gluten-free!)
- Seek out a community that’s also gluten-free
When you have all of these boxes checked off, you can start experimenting with the spices you love! Keep in mind that fresh foods and spices are less likely to be contaminated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buy pre-made ones. Just make sure you read all the labels first!
What Celiacs Need to Watch Out For
While most spices won’t contain gluten, you need to watch out for contamination. If you don’t have celiac disease, then you won’t have to worry, but if you do, the National Celiac Association states that a diet that contains 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten should be safe. Most spices won’t contain anywhere close to that amount, even if you eat them in excess.
But if you want to be extra careful, we recommend avoiding ground spices like turmeric, curry powder, paprika, and cinnamon. These might contain gluten because they were contaminated in a factory, or the manufacturer added gluten-filled flour to prevent the mixture from caking.
How Spices Can Jazz-Up Your Meals
Cooking with herbs and spices is a great idea whether you’re gluten-free or not. Not only do they make your food taste better, but they can also provide health benefits! For example, some herbs like garlic, ginger, and turmeric can reduce inflammation in your stomach and intestines.
Interested in adding a dash of spice to your gluten-free foods? Here are some tips:
- Start With the Classics: While they aren’t too exciting, classics like black pepper and salt can make any meal more enjoyable. Black pepper is also an antioxidant!
- Use Spices as Rubs: When used as rubs, turmeric can make a really convincing tofu egg, and garlic will taste great slathered on freshly baked gluten-free bread.
- Try an Earthy and Aromatic Combination: If you’re a fan of Italian cooking, like pasta and pizza, use a gluten-free variety of each and spice them with cumin and paprika.
- Add More Sweetness to Deserts: Many of these gluten-free dessert recipes would work great if topped with some pesticide-free rose petals, chamomile, or lavender.
- Combine Sweet and Spicy: On chicken or tofu, use ingredients like cayenne pepper and orange peels. This will make any bland meal taste especially zesty!
- Get to Know Some Hidden Culinary Gems: Spice blends like Za’atar and local staples like Urfa Biber, a Turkish chili pepper, are harder to find but are worth the look!
- Fresh Herbs as Tea Leaves: Some tea brands add barley or oats to their herbal teas, so use fresh loose-leaf herbs like peppermint or jasmine for your beverages.
The most fun thing about cooking is the experience of experimenting with different ingredients and spices! If one thing doesn’t tickle your fancy, don’t give up! You’ll find the spice for you.
Gluten-Free Isn’t as Hard as it Seems
If you’re used to eating a gluten-filled diet, we understand that transitioning is difficult. But you don’t have to give up on the dishes you love before you reach the finish line. With our tips, you’ll be able to enjoy gluten-free cooking without compromising your health. Speaking of gluten-free, we have plenty of recipes on our site you can try out, including our tasty Turkey Waldorf Salad. Want to try your hand at baking? Then we’d recommend our Gluten-Free Pumpkin Hand Pies!
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