Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including spelt – a European variety of wheat), barley, rye, malts and triticale (hybrids of wheat - triticum). Many people have gluten intolerance such as patients of celiac disease (a diarrheal condition with failure to thrive – possibly hereditary or metabolic), dermatitis herpetiformis or wheat allergy. These patients need a gluten free diet.
Teff - Teff is a grain from a cereal grass grown in Africa. The grains of teff are small; the bulk of the grain consists of the bran and germ.
Since it is not found in India, we don't seem to have a term for it.
A gluten-free diet is a diet completely free of gluten. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden under "malto-dextrine", "dextrine" and "dextrose". A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease and the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis and wheat allergy. For persons with coeliac disease the maximum safe level of gluten in a finished product is probably less than 0.02% and possibly as low as 0.002%. Ordinary wheat flour contains approximately 12% gluten so even a tiny amount of wheat flour can cross-contaminate a gluten-free product. Therefore, intense care must be taken to prevent cross-contamination in both commercial and home food preparation. Following article are arranged in the decreasing order of their gluten content –
Wheat flour, Wheat starch, Dextrin, Maltodextrin, Glucose syrup, Dextrose, Caramel color.
This diet rules out all ordinary Breads, Pastas and many convenience food (ready to use packed food to ease cooking); it also excludes gravies, custards, soups and sauces thickened with wheat, rye, barley or other gluten-containing flour. Non-foodstuffs such as medicines and vitamin supplements, especially those in tablet form, may contain gluten as an excipient or binding agent.
Additionally, a gluten-free diet may exclude oats , however researchers are not sure on whether oats are an allergen to celiac disease patient or they are contaminated during milling or transport by other allergens.
Gluten-free food - Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet. The most frequently used are maize, potatoes, rice and tapioca or sago (derived from casava). Other grains and starch sources generally considered suitable for gluten-free diets include amaranth (Ramdana/ chaulai/ rajgiri), arrowroot, millet (bajra), sorgam(jowar), buck wheat (Kuttu), lupin, quinoa, taro and teff.
Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species are recognized. Amaranth "grain” is termed as "pseudo-grain". They are highly edible by gluten intolerant individuals because they are not cereal (member of grass family) and contain no gluten.
Amaranth grains of three species are used Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruentus and Amaranthus hypochondriacus. In India commonly used variety is Amaranthus hypochondriacus commonly known as chaulai/ chowli/ Ram dana in hindi and Raj giri/raj geera in Marthi language. Its plant is used as a vegetable and flour from its seeds can be used for gluten free food.
Arrowroot or obedience plant (Maranta arundinacea) is a large perennial herb found in rain forests. It is cultivated for a starch obtained from the rhizome (rootstock), which is also called arrowroot.
The lack of gluten in arrowroot flour makes it useful as a replacement for wheat flour in baking. Like other pure starches, however, arrowroot is almost pure carbohydrate and devoid of protien , thus it does not equal wheat flour nutritionally. Arrowroot is used as an article of diet in the form of biscuits, puddings, jellies, cakes, hot sauces etc. and also with beef tea, milk or veal broth, noodles.
Pure arrowroot, like other pure starches, is a light, white crackling powder, odourless when dry but emitting a faint peculiar odor when mixed with boiling water and swells into a perfect jelly on cooking which can be used to make a food for vegetarians.
Buckwheat - Kutu or kuttoo - Buckwheat is herb native to Central Asia and is cultivated as minor grain crop in limited pockets of India. It is not related to wheat and pure buckwheat is an acceptable gluten-free diet. The flour is used for making bread and porridge. The commercial buckwheat products are mostly mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and not gluten free.
The leaves of buckwheat contain Rutin (syn. Hesperidin, Rutoside, Vitamin P). Rutin is a tasteless powder and used to treat capillary bleeding due to increased capillary fragility as in retinal haemorrhages.
Taro is any of several tropical plants used as root vegetables. Most commonly used are Colocasia esculenta (Arbi/ Arvi in hindi), jimmikand, Alocasia macrorrhizos (giant taro) - Mankanda in hindi - this can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx so it requires prolonged boiling before serving or processing as a food.
Various types of bean, soyabean and nut flours are sometimes used in gluten-free products to add protien and dietary fiber.
Gram flour, derived from chickpeas – kala Chana is also gluten-free.
Lupin – Lupin is a legume which includes several hundreds of species. As a legume, lupin is related to peanuts, soybeans, peas, beans and chick peas. If a person is not allergic to legumes their flour can be used in a variety of goods like bread, pastries and biscuits as gluten free food. Several proteins have been identified in lupin to which allergic individuals may react.
Quinoa – Quinoa is grain like nutritious food which is gluten free. It does not come from grass family rather it is closely related to beet and spinach. Its seeds cooked and eaten as a whole or flour can be used in different preparations.
Gram flour, derived from chickpeas – kala Chana is also gluten-free.
Lupin – Lupin is a legume which includes several hundreds of species. As a legume, lupin is related to peanuts, soybeans, peas, beans and chick peas. If a person is not allergic to legumes their flour can be used in a variety of goods like bread, pastries and biscuits as gluten free food. Several proteins have been identified in lupin to which allergic individuals may react.
Quinoa – Quinoa is grain like nutritious food which is gluten free. It does not come from grass family rather it is closely related to beet and spinach. Its seeds cooked and eaten as a whole or flour can be used in different preparations.
Originated in Andes it grows well at altitude upto 4ooo metres.
Teff - Teff is a grain from a cereal grass grown in Africa. The grains of teff are small; the bulk of the grain consists of the bran and germ.
Since it is not found in India, we don't seem to have a term for it.
Chia seed - In tamil and in Hindi it is called as SABJA. In this hindi / tamil name it is available in Chennai supermarkets. It is used in Falooda Icecream more.
Gluten is also used in foods in some unexpected ways, for example as a stabilizing agent or thickener in products like ice cream and ketchup.
Gluten is also used in foods in some unexpected ways, for example as a stabilizing agent or thickener in products like ice cream and ketchup.
People need to follow a completely gluten free diet must check the ingredients of any preparation or medications and vitamins. Some cosmetics such as lipstick, lip balms and lip gloss as well as glues used on envelopes may contain gluten so check before use.
Allergies are due to constitutional problem and need a through constitutional homoeopathic treatment and gluten allergy needs a very careful investigation for the later. Some of the suggested medicines are –
Natrum sulph – 3x or 6x, Natrum mur- 6x, Triticum vulgare in decreasing potencies may be used. Psorinum, Sulphur, Lycopodium, Nux vomica etc. or some other medicine as indicate by the constitution in potencies can bring positive changes.
D.H.M.S., Dip. N.I.H.Research Officer
Sewa Mandir
Mobile" 09829157926
Email: 1.sewamandir@usa.net, 2.manju_mkt2003@yahoo.co.in
D.H.M.S., Dip. N.I.H.Research Officer
Sewa Mandir
Mobile" 09829157926
Email: 1.sewamandir@usa.net, 2.manju_mkt2003@yahoo.co.in
Helo SIr,
ReplyDeletei m trying to find quinwa grain in new delhi...where can i get it?