Have you noticed that you have stomach pain, digestive problems, bloating, and other issues after eating foods that contain gluten? If so, you might have a gluten intolerance that you weren’t previously aware of.
Here are a few ways to avoid eating gluten in your diet.
Check the Packaging
First, make sure that you’re checking the packaging of food at your house. There should always be ingredient lists and food labels that indicate which ingredients are used to create a food item. The FDA requires foods to be labeled according to their gluten content, so you should be able to identify if a food item contains gluten or not.
You can also look for third-party gluten certifications, such as the GIG’s Gluten-Free Certification Organization label to help you to find foods with the lowest possible amount of gluten. If you don’t do the grocery shopping for your household, make sure that your parents know how to check the packaging and food labels of items to make sure that they are gluten-free. Here are a few tips for reading food labels when you’re looking for gluten-free foods!
Avoid Contamination
Next, make sure that you’re avoiding contamination in the foods that you’re eating. Some foods might say that they’re gluten-free but they might contain some contamination of gluten products. For example, if a packaged food item is made in a factory that also makes items containing wheat and other sources of gluten, there is a good chance the food item has been contaminated, even if it says it is gluten-free.
You should also make sure that contamination doesn’t occur when you’re storing food and preparing it at home. You should have a separate pantry for gluten-free items to avoid cross-contact. You should also prepare your gluten-free foods using different dishes. Ensure your pots and pans are also thoroughly cleaned before using them to prepare gluten-free food. Make sure that all of your family members and friends are aware of the risks presented by food contamination so they can take appropriate safety measures.
Research Restaurant Menus
Finally, make sure you’re researching restaurant menus when you’re eating out. Eating out with friends can be enjoyable, but you don’t want to have a health emergency because you’ve eaten something with gluten. If a restaurant doesn’t specifically have a gluten-free menu, the staff might not be capable of preparing food that is gluten-free without any cross-contamination. So, make sure that you research restaurant menus and dietary options to find the best places to eat out when you’re trying to avoid gluten in your diet. Restaurants that have many gluten-free options should be trained to prepare your food without contamination or other risks. Make sure you know how to find the best gluten-free restaurants.
So, if you’re trying to avoid gluten in your diet each day, remember this article. Make sure you’re checking the packaging and nutrition labels of foods, avoiding contamination, and researching restaurant menus to stay away from foods with gluten. This will help you to have a clean, healthy diet that won’t cause your allergies or intolerances to flare up.
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