Coeliac Diets Intolerance to gluten is thought to affect around 1 in 100 people in the UK; this is known as coeliac disease. It can affect people of all ages although recently the majority of new diagnosis is in adults. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, and similar proteins found in barley, rye and oats. Gluten can damage the lining of the intestines on people with coeliac disease, which prevents the absorption of nutrients from our foods. This can lead to diarrhoea, bloating, nausea, and weight loss. People with coeliac disease should avoid all gluten. However, wheat is a basic ingredient in many foods in the diet, so avoiding it can be quite difficult. Obvious sources include bread, pastry, biscuits and cakes. To replace these in the diet, special gluten free breads, flour, pasta, cakes and biscuits are now widely available. Gluten is often a hidden ingredient where wheat flours are used in manufactured products as thickeners, for binding and coating. It is essential to read all ingredient lists carefully to check for wheat in prepared products. Gluten free foods Foods and meals can only be labelled as gluten free if they contain less than 20ppm (parts per million) gluten. Foods that naturally do not contain gluten: Potatoes, rice, plain meat and fish, fruits, vegetables, salad, milk, butter, eggs, plain cheeses, yoghurt, cream, oils, nuts, and seeds, tea, coffee and fruit juices Foods to avoid: Bread, crackers, cakes, biscuits, battered and breaded products, pasta, pastry, pies, pizza Foods that may contain gluten: Sausages, burgers, gravy, sauces, dressings, relishes Always read food labels on products to check for ingredients that contain gluten. Diabetic diets Diabetes is a condition in which the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood is too high. When we eat, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin into the bloodstream. The food we eat is digested and sugar from the food is absorbed into the bloodstream. The insulin takes the sugar from the blood to other parts of the body where it can be used or stored as energy. People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin, or the insulin they do produce does not work properly. As a result, the level of sugar in the blood can become too high. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or it does not produce any insulin at all. It is treated with insulin injections and by following a healthy diet and taking regular exercise. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the insulin that it does produce does not work properly. Following a healthy diet and taking regular exercise are the main approaches in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but some people may still need to take tablets or insulin injections. The dietary advice for people with diabetes is to reach and maintain a healthy weight and follow a healthy balanced diet, the same advice that is given to the rest of the population. Catering for People with Diabetes Although a healthy balanced diet is key for people with diabetes, no foods are excluded or restricted and some people may want to stray from their usual eating habits when eating out. However, menu choices that are or can be adapted to be lower in fat and sugar and rich in fruit and vegetables can make it easier for people with diabetes to follow a healthy diet when they eat outside of the home. Diabetic Food It is not recommended for people to buy foods specifically made for people with diabetes because they can be expensive and can cause a laxative effect if eaten in excess. Labelling foods as ‘suitable for diabetics’ undermines the important messages about healthy eating. If people do eat foods and drinks containing added sugars they should do so sparingly, as part of a healthy balanced diet. This advice applies to everyone, not just people with diabetes. Since healthy eating advice is essentially the same for people with diabetes as it is for other people, the idea of special ‘diabetic’ foods is out of date. Therefore, caterers must offer healthier choices within their menus. Vegan and vegetarian diets Any vegetarian diet excludes meat or animal ingredients to some extent but includes plant foods. The most common is the Ovo Lacto Vegetarian who will eat dairy products, eggs and milk. The Lacto Vegetarian will avoid eggs. A large group of people are semi or demi vegetarian and they avoid some animal products, usually red meat. Foods marked as vegetarian in Brakes price lists are suitable for Ovo Lacto Vegetarians. The Vegan diet is an extreme form of vegetarianism as it completely excludes foods of any animal origin. Vegans make up about 0.5% of all vegetarians. Avoiding meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products and even honey, the vegan diet is entirely based on plant foods. From a choice of ingredients such as cereals, vegetables, potatoes, pulses, seeds, nuts and fruit, a nutritionally adequate diet can be achieved within the vegan diet. Lisburn: 221 Hillhall Road, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, BT27 5JQ 028 9266 4231 Dublin: 18 Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12 01 255 8787 Brakes UK | Brakes France | Menigo © brakes 2014