Gluten-free diet for beginners in India

Protein gluten, commonly found in wheat, is a major topic of discussion these days. Many are gluten intolerant or are going gluten-free to reduce weight. While gluten allergies are common these days, probably because of greater diagnosis or lower immunity, gluten-free diets are a new fad. As a responsible, healthy food brand, we do not recommend excluding a certain food group from your diet. Balance in consumption is essential.

Let us understand what is gluten and who needs to go on a gluten-fr
ee diet before deep diving into a meal plan.

Gluten adds chewiness and structure to the grain. It is commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye. A gluten-free diet is recommended for people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or for people with the skin disorder dermatitis herpetiformis. A gluten-free diet also helps people with irritable bowel syndrome, type 1 diabetes, and HIV-associated enteropathy. People with neurological disorder gluten ataxia may also be recommended a gluten-free diet.

An important point to note here is that self-diagnosis is never recommended and if you believe that you are gluten-intolerant, maintain a food log and once you analyze the trigger see a doctor for tests. Discuss with the doctor the food that caused an allergy. Based on the test results and initial discussions the doctor might recommend a gluten-free diet if they deem fit.

There is a lot of information about gluten-free diets and it can be overwhelming. Many times, the plans are not suitable for the Indian pallet. Here is a simple Indian food list for going gluten-free for beginners.

Salad : 

● Chole Chaat

● Sprouts chaat

● Rajma salad

● Moong dal veggies chaat

Roti/paratha: 

●     Nachni roti

●     Jowar roti

●     Mix millet roti/ paratha

●     Makki ki roti.

Sabji : 

●     Palak paneer

●     Mix veg

●     Handi veggies

●     Paneer pasanda

Sweet / dessert:

●     Moong dal sheera

●     Mango shake

●     Millet sheera

●     Makhana kheer

Isn't it simple to go gluten-free? Simple points to remember are - all vegetables, rice, and salad are gluten-free if you don't add maida, wheat, barley, or rye to it. Going gluten-free once in a while is good. Even if you are not allergic to gluten, it aids in weight loss and gives your gut and digestion a break.

We have come up with a simple gluten-free Indian meal plan, to help you follow the diet if you are new on this journey. As someone who is recently diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, you might feel lost, when it comes to making the right food choices. Follow some basic rules and you are good to lead a healthy life with delicious choices while cutting gluten from your diet.

Food to include in your diet which is gluten-free is quinoa, rice, buckwheat, tapioca, sorghum, corn, millet, amaranth, and arrowroot. Include flours-like corn flour, chickpea flour, soy flour, almond flour, and coconut flour. Fruits, veggies, and nuts are safe. Vegetable oil and ghee, herbs, masala, and spices are safe. Just swap a few ingredients and you're good to go.

These days ready-to-make premixes are also available in gluten-free and even dairy-free variations, as people are now becoming healthy eaters and are more aware of their immunity levels.

To get you started on your gluten-free journey here’s an easy following 7 days gluten-free diet plan

Days	Breakfast /lunch/dinner
Monday	Breakfast: Chia pudding Lunch: Quinoa salad with veggies and paneer Dinner: Tofu veggies spinach millet roti wrap
Tuesday	Breakfast: Poha with veggies Lunch: Millet roti + dal + veggies + salad Dinner: Chole paneer salad
Wednesday	Breakfast: Millet upma Lunch: Beetroot jowar roti wrap with veggies Dinner: Mix dal dosa + sambhar
Thursday	Breakfast: Mix dal uttapam Lunch: Rajma salad Dinner: Vegetable rajma tacos
Friday	Breakfast: Berry smoothie Lunch: Bajra roti +kadhi + rice  + sprouts Dinner: Chickpea pasta + veggeis + cheese
Saturday	Breakfast: Mushroom frittata. Lunch: Millet idli + chutney + sambhar  Dinner: Mixed vegetable fried rice + soup
Sunday	Breakfast: Millet Cake Lunch: Tava pulav Dinner: Millet bread veggies sandwich

Hope you found this diet delicious and easy to follow. There are endless options available. You just need to experiment and make the right choice. Whatever the reasons for going gluten-free, don’t believe that it means dull, bland food. Staying healthy while satisfying your taste buds is possible. It is also the most effective way to follow through with your diet and make it a way of life.