Gluten-free foods are all those that are gluten-free and can therefore be consumed by people with coeliac disease.

At Caña Nature, all our foods are gluten free, either because none of their ingredients contain gluten, such as grated tomato, or because the traditional recipe we use avoids the use of ingredients that could contain it.

For example, salmorejo is normally made with bread, but our recipe replaces this ingredient with rice flour. In this way, we can offer a gluten-free salmorejo with all the flavour that characterises it.

Similarly, none of our guacamoles (original, low in calories or rich in vitamin A) or our fresh gazpacho contain gluten.

What is gluten and why are there gluten-free foods?

Gluten is actually a protein. It is found mainly in the seeds of many cereals. Wheat, barley and other similar foods often contain gluten, as well as other ingredients, of course.

The main function of gluten is to ensure the elasticity of the flour dough. It is responsible for the spongy appearance of bread and other doughs.

However, not everyone can safely eat gluten-containing foods. Some people experience different effects from this protein. The body identifies protein fragments from eating gluten as toxic and reacts to it.

A person with coeliac disease is a person who, due to the ingestion of gluten and other related prolamins, may suffer reactions in different body systems, not just the digestive system. Reactions can range from abdominal pain to anaemia, weight loss or stunted growth, among many others.

In addition, gluten can also cause reactions in people who have a high sensitivity to this protein, without being coeliac, as well as in those who develop an allergy to it.

Gluten-containing foods

Nowadays, every effort is being made to make foods that traditionally contain gluten, gluten-free. However, unless they are labelled as “gluten-free foods”, the following should always be avoided by people who should not eat gluten:

• Bread and wheat flours in general.
• Barley, rye and some types of oats.
• Pasta.
• Wheat semolina.
• Malted foods.
• Chocolates beverages containing cereals in their preparation.

Foods that do not contain gluten.

Some foods are naturally gluten-free. These are foods that can be added to a coeliac diet without any problems:

• Milks.
• Dairy products.
• Eggs.
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Vegetables and pulses.
• Soya.
• Sugar.
• Oils.
• Honey.
• Fresh food (meat, fish or seafood).
• Colouring agents.
• Coffee and tea (natural).
• SaltP
• epper
• Vinegar
• Carbonated soft drinks.
• Rice.
• Corn.
• Chamomile and polenta.

It should be noted that some people with coeliac disease are also lactose intolerant. This problem usually results from low lactase levels as a consequence of a coeliac diet (although it can obviously also develop naturally).

In these cases, double care must be taken to follow a coeliac diet and, at the same time, lactose-free products.