Karoline Gore

Going To Singapore? These Restaurants Have the Best Gluten-Free Food

Going To Singapore? These Restaurants Have the Best Gluten-Free Food

Singapore’s culinary scene is a melting pot of Asian influences that results in unique flavors and interesting dishes sure to satisfy even the most jaded of palates. And while most tourists may think that going gluten-free in the country may be a challenge, it’s refreshing to see that interest in having a gluten-free lifestyle has increased by a whopping 900 percent in the last decade. Moreover, a growing number of Singapore dining establishments have begun offering gluten-free options and are proving that healthy food can taste so good. If you’re going on a vacation in Singapore, check out these restaurants for the best gluten-free food that will keep you coming back for more.

The Butcher’s Wife – 19 Yong Siak Street

Restaurants in Singapore are known for their diversity and ever-expanding range. This is why it’s common to see hot pot places alongside Italian or Korean restaurants, and it’s perfectly acceptable to have a street food market or hawker stands in front of swanky food joints. The variety of food choices means that every craving is satisfied, and if what you’re craving for is comfort food, then head to The Butcher’s Wife on Yong Siak Street.

This cozy bistro serves up comfort food influenced by Asian and Italian cuisine, and everything on their menu is gluten-free. For starters, try their goat cheese with honey and walnut bread, then for your main course, get The Husband’s Favorite Beef Burger which is served with bacon jam, provolone cheese, and sriracha mayo. End your meal with a sweet treat and order the Lemongrass Pannacotta or the Warm Chocolate Cake, which is served with a rich caramel-miso ice cream and sprinkled with pili nuts.  

Kitchen – 28 Stanley Street

This cafe advocates clean eating and it caters to vegans, vegetarians, and those with food intolerances. Kitchen has menus for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, as well as an organic wine list for those who want to indulge a little while feasting on their offerings. Try going on a Saturday morning for their weekend brunch and enjoy their gluten-free options, such as the Rendang Egg Benedict and Bolognese Sweet Potato Fries.

For lunch, there’s Beef Bolognese made with zucchini noodles, Sustainable Barramundi with Asian Sesame Greens, and the Rebel Pie, which is Aussie Beef Bolognese topped with a sweet potato mash. Pair your food with a glass or two of organic or biodynamic wines, and you can take your pick from a white, red, or a gorgeous rose from their selection.

Summer Palace – Regent Singapore, Cuscaden Road

Finding a Cantonese restaurant that serves gluten-free food can be a challenge, as most authentic Cantonese dishes contain soy sauce, which is made from soy and wheat. But those who are gluten intolerant will be happy to know that Summer Palace, a restaurant situated inside the Regent Singapore, has a special gluten-free menu. Try the Garlic Fried Chicken with Plum Sauce, or their Fried Beef Cubes with Lily Bulbs and Asparagus. Another must-try is their Brown Fried Rice with Wolfberries and Pine Nuts, and this dish pairs well with their meat or fish dishes. 

Singapore is a country that promotes an inclusive eating experience. Check out these restaurants on your next trip and enjoy feasting on delicious, gluten-free meals in the Lion City. 

Is Celiac Disease Destroying Your Teeth?

Is Celiac Disease Destroying Your Teeth?

Research shows that people with celiac disease have a higher chance of developing dental problems, from enamel problems to a dry mouth, when compared to control groups. These dental problems can be so significant that dentists may be able to spot celiac disease before it’s been diagnosed. In most cases, dental problems are believed to be associated with the poor nutritional absorption that comes with celiac disease. Eating an exclusively gluten-free diet and taking supplements can help to improve dental health.

Children’s teeth and celiac disease

Anyone with celiac disease before their permanent teeth are fully developed are at a higher risk of dental problems, whether it’s been diagnosed or not. One of these problems is not having enough enamel on the teeth which can lead to discoloration, cavities, and sensitivity. In severe cases, teeth can appear ridged or pitted with horizontal grooves across them.

While the reasons behind enamel problems in children with celiac disease are unclear, it’s possible it’s due to nutritional deficiencies caused by the destruction done to the small intestinal lining or the immune system damaging developing teeth. Sadly, once the damage has occurred it’s irreversible, which is why it’s so important to diagnose it as early as possible, particularly in children. That being said, dentists can use dental sealants or bonding to help protect the teeth and crowns or dental implants can improve the appearance of teeth for a better look and feel.

An increase in cavities 

One of the earliest symptoms of celiac disease can be a decline in teeth and gum health with people suddenly getting multiple cavities just before getting a diagnosis. Not only is this linked to undiagnosed celiac disease in childhood, but also to low levels of vitamin D.

Depending on where you live, vitamin D is something that some people will always have to supplement to keep their levels up as the skin makes it from sun exposure, but people with celiac disease commonly have lower levels, regardless of location. It’s also possible that other deficiencies play a part, such as calcium, as the small intestine struggles to absorb nutrients from food. Following a gluten-free diet can help to prevent further dental problems related to diet, as well as supplementing vitamins.

Mouth sores and dry mouth

There are many reasons why people develop mouth sores, but one study found a 16% higher chance in children and a 26% higher chance in adults with celiac disease developing them recurrently. Again, it’s not entirely clear why, but experts believe it’s linked to nutritional deficiencies. There’s also a link between chronic dry mouth, known as Sjögren’s syndrome, and celiac disease, with an estimated 15% of people having both conditions. A dry mouth can consequently lead to tooth decay and tooth loss. Fortunately, medications can help to stimulate the flow of saliva, helping to protect teeth, so if you have celiac disease and a dry mouth it’s worth talking to your doctor about Sjögren’s syndrome. 

Following a gluten-free diet when you have celiac disease can improve your overall health, including your dental health. Supplements may be required to help the body get all the nutrients it needs and it’s always worth speaking to a dentist about how they can help with the appearance and functionality of teeth and gums.

How Fiber May Lower Your Baby’s Risk Of Celiac Disease

How Fiber May Lower Your Baby’s Risk Of Celiac Disease

While fiber is known to be a great addition to any diet as it promotes gut health, another unwitting benefit is that it may lower the risk of babies contracting celiac disease. The Norwegian celiac epidemic in children that came about in the late 90s and early 2000s propelled scientists from around the globe to determine whether there was a change in the mother’s diet prior to the epidemic.

A study on 88,000 children found that expectant mothers with a high fiber intake of more than 45 grams were 34% less likely to have children diagnosed with celiac disease.

For moms-to-be, nutrition goes beyond just opting for gluten-free food. 

Fruit and vegetables are high on the list 

Mothers who don’t have celiac and worry that the consumption of gluten may affect their unborn baby can rest easy for a little longer. The Norwegian study further confirmed that there was no known link between the mother’s consumption of gluten and the baby’s chance of developing celiacs. Mothers who are gluten intolerant or who have been diagnosed with celiacs may want to steer clear of certain grains when it comes to boosting their fiber intake. The safest options are fruits and vegetables, gluten-free whole grains, nuts, seeds, lentils, and legumes. 

An easy transition after birth

Keeping up with the fiber intake after pregnancy is still vitally important in terms of maintaining gut health, but it’s also important for nursing moms to keep nutrition up in order for their nursing babies to enjoy all the benefits of their diet. Certain fiber-rich foods are also known to be superfoods for breastfeeding moms and include gluten-free oats, leafy green vegetables and legumes. Once moms are ready to introduce solids into their baby’s diet, the transition is pretty simple and whipping up a baby-friendly puree with these ingredients is fast and simple. 

Nutrition, especially fiber, can easily be overlooked when you’re faced with cutting out a substantial component in your diet. Fiber can easily be replaced for those who’ve needed to make changes to their diets. 

How To Improve Your Sleep After Going Gluten Free

How To Improve Your Sleep After Going Gluten Free

Sleep is one of the best ways to keep our bodies happy and healthy and for those who struggle to get their 8 hours, it can be a serious issue. Those who have been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity are known to struggle with sleep disorders as well. Even well after introducing a gluten-free diet, the symptoms may remain and sleeplessness issues may not get resolved. Allowing the body to naturally get back into a sleep cycle is an important step to restore a healthy sleeping pattern, and a snack before bedtime is just the start.

Restore the Balance with Supplements

One of the reasons our bodies rebel against sleep is because it lacks some important component in the form of nutrition. While a gluten-free diet may increase comfort, comfort is not the only requirement for a good night’s sleep. Those who make the leap to a gluten-free diet will need to fortify their diets with B vitamins and folic acid, as these are often found in enriched grains and bread. Both folic acid and the B range of vitamins are important components of sleep and are often prescribed for insomnia sufferers along with melatonin.

Pay Attention to the Physical Elements

When you experience physical discomfort, such as those brought on by celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it’s easy to overlook other elements of comfort before settling down for the night It’s important to address the sleep elements you can control, and a comfortable mattress is a good place to start. You may need to browse through a number of mattress reviews before settling on the right fit. Other physical elements that can quickly be changed to encourage a good night’s sleep is setting the right tone by softening the lights, having a warm bath or shower, and listening to calming music. Cleaning away clutter will also improve the sense of calm.

Manage Your Stress Levels

One of the fastest ways to improve sleeplessness or insomnia is to manage stress levels. Anxiety and stress are known culprits for a drop in melatonin, and according to research, there seems to be a connection between those with celiac disease and anxiety. Discussing treatment with a healthcare professional is a step towards managing the anxiety, as it’s still unclear at this stage whether the anxiety is a result of the celiac diagnosis, or whether celiac is due to the anxiety.

While managing gluten intake is a step towards a good night’s sleep purely from a comfort perspective, it’s not the only element that needs to be addressed for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

How 3D Printing Is Transforming Gluten-Free Cuisine One Layer At A Time

How 3D Printing Is Transforming Gluten-Free Cuisine One Layer At A Time

Anyone who’s worked in the culinary industry knows how difficult it is to create a truly gluten-free dish in a traditional kitchen. Cross-contamination is too large of a risk, especially when an amount as small as just 0.015 milligrams of gluten can trigger a negative reaction. Could 3D printing be the answer to finding healthy, gluten-free options in restaurants?

3D Printing Food: How Does It Work?

The 3D printer could very well be a staple appliance in the kitchen of the future. Until recently, 3D printed foods were mostly limited to novelty, sugar-based creations. But companies have started exploring making food that you could actually eat on a regular basis. These machines can create delicious, healthy meals by printing them out one layer at a time.

3D printing food makes food preparation easier, more sustainable, and more customizable. The technology allows you to 3D print anything you can purée. Because 3D printed foods are made from pastes, they’re ideal for people who have difficulty swallowing and chewing. 3D printing can also make consumption more sustainable, as it can use alternative sources of meat and “ugly” foods that are rejected based on their appearance alone. And because it simplifies food preparation, it’s easier to customize foods according to a person’s tastes and needs. For people with food sensitivities like celiac disease — something that affects over 3 million Americans — this new technology could be a godsend.

3D Printing Gluten-Free Foods

The risk of cross-contamination can make mealtimes stressful instead of pleasurable — especially if you’re dining in a restaurant. For people with extreme gluten allergies, something as small as a crumb could trigger a serious reaction. Here’s where this new technology could come in.

Organizations like Italian 3D printing company WASP are working on printing gluten-free foods for people with gluten sensitivities. Because preparing gluten-free food in the same spaces used to prepare normal food risks cross-contamination, having a 3D printing machine dedicated to celiac food preparation could make mealtimes much safer for people with allergies. Basically, WASP designed a machine that would let restaurants have a mini gluten-free kitchen within their regular kitchens.

How Does The Gluten-Free 3D Printer Work?

WASP collaborated with gluten-free chef Francesco Favorito to come up with a gluten-free pastry mix. This mix would be piped out by a modified 3D printer pipe, which used a heated extruder to pre-cook each layer as it was extruded. Then, the dish would be taken to a normal oven, where it would finish cooking. This technology isn’t just beneficial for people with gluten allergies, but can also be used for those with other dietary needs.

Gluten-free 3D printing still needs plenty of research and development. WASP, in particular, needs to ensure that their extruder is compatible with sanitary regulations. They also need to design a more intuitive user interface, and possibly create a way to cook the foods without using the main oven in a traditional kitchen. The technology isn’t quite there yet, but gluten-free 3D printing is making huge strides in the right direction.

Creative and Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts

Creative and Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts

Every year Americans eat nearly 3 billion pizzas, which accounts for approximately one-third of the world’s annual pizza consumption. With more than 3.1 million people across the USA following a gluten-free diet, it has undoubtedly become a priority to find delicious alternatives to the typical gluten-laden pizza crust. While crusts made with gluten-free flour are becoming more commonplace (even in the fast-food industry) there are a number of more creative ways to make a pizza that is not only free of gluten, but is mouthwateringly delicious too.

Grilled zucchini pizza slices

If you’re looking for a gluten-free pizza option that is also low-carb, look no further than the humble zucchini. Start by finding a nice, large zucchini and cutting it in slices of approximately ¾ inch thick. Brush both sides generously with olive oil and grill for about 8 minutes. You can now top your ‘pizza bases’ with pizza sauce and the toppings of your choice before returning to the oven and grilling for another 8 minutes. Top with a dollop of gluten-free pesto or sour cream and enjoy!

Cauliflower crusts

Cauliflower makes for a superb base for all things gluten-free, and is not only super-healthy but also neutral enough in taste to allow the various flavors of your chosen toppings to really shine through. Making a cauliflower pizza crust is a lot simpler than it may sound, and generally entails mixing together grated cauliflower with eggs, herb, spices, and mozzarella cheese before shaping and baking it. While cauliflower-only bases are delicious, you can also add mashed potato or grated zucchini to the cauliflower mix for a different taste and texture. You can make the pizzas as big or small as you like, and top them with any gluten-free toppings your heart desires. 

Chicken fillet pizza crust

Unless you are following a meat-free diet, chances are good that you love a pizza topped with chicken as much as the next person. In the world of gluten-free pizza, there are no rules that stipulate that you can’t have a base made out of pure protein. You can make a completely gluten-free pizza crust out of a flattened chicken breast (or ground chicken), that will give even the best pizzas you have had a good run for their money.  Simply prepare your chicken as desired (whether you crumb the fillet or not is entirely up to you), top with a dollop of tomato sauce and other toppings of your choice, and pop it into the oven until done. 

There is no excuse to ever make a boring gluten-free pizza base. With so many enticing options available, you will never run out of scrumptious mealtime ideas again.

Karoline Gore left her job as a nutritionist to pursue her passion of freelance writing. She enjoys the freedom, time with her family and ability to offer her advice to readers.

Adding Smoothies to Your Gluten-Free Diet

Adding Smoothies to Your Gluten-Free Diet

By adding a daily breakfast smoothie to your gluten-free diet routine, you can add immense amounts of nutrients and flavor to your gluten free diet while simultaneously avoiding typical, gluten-filled breakfast foods. Knowing the ingredients that go into the making of a great smoothie can help you maximize the benefits of drinking one and give you the chance to create healthy and creative breakfasts every day. 

Adding Flavor With Fruit

The CDC recommends that adults consume around one and a half to two cups of fruit daily, and between two and three cups of veggies. However, only one in ten adults are actually getting enough produce in their diets, according to a 2017 study.

There are a wide variety of smoothie recipes available that would be a great place to start in resolving this issue. But with the ability to make your own creative smoothies, you can easily increase your daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables without getting bored of your beverage. Try adding berries, which are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, or nutrient-dense bananas, full of potassium, fiber and various vitamins, to make your smoothie both nutritious and delicious.  

Sneaking in Veggies

Smoothies are an easy way to sneak nutrient-dense leafy greens into your diet, as the sweetness of the fruit easily masks the flavors of kale, spinach or chard. Kale and spinach contain high amounts of essential vitamins A, C, E and K. But you can also get creative with other vegetables, like sweet potato or beets. 

Protein

Protein is an important aspect of any breakfast, but it can be easy to forget it in a fruit smoothie. Nut butters can be a tasty way to add protein, but as a smoothie usually requires some kind of liquid, adding a high protein milk like soy milk or hemp milk may be an easier method. Egg whites may also be used to add protein to your smoothie, unless you are vegan.  

Adding a daily smoothie to your diet can be a great alternative to other breakfast options and have amazing health benefits. Not only are smoothies an easy way to increase fruit and veggie intake, but they can help keep you hydrated and are easier on your digestive system, allowing for greater absorption of nutrients.  

Recipes

Karoline Gore left her job as a nutritionist to pursue her passion of freelance writing. She enjoys the freedom, time with her family and ability to offer her advice to readers.

‘Bee’ Kind To Your Body With Honey

‘Bee’ Kind To Your Body With Honey

Honey is an ancient sweetener with recorded uses going back to Egyptian times. It can be part of a gluten free diet and can sweeten and add interest to many dishes that are good for people who are avoiding gluten due to celiac disease. But did you know that honey has many medicinal properties as well? Honey can be used as a first aid treatment and can even be helpful for gut health. Let’s take a look at some of the amazing uses of honey.

Honey and the Gut

Ingested honey works as a prebiotic to help balance out gut microbiota, according to a recent study from the University of Auckland. Honey contains oligosaccharides, which are a kind of sugar that serve as a fuel source for the good bacteria in your gut. It also contains small amounts of polyphenols, which help to make good bacteria thrive while making an inhospitable environment for harmful bacteria. Prebiotics are a fiber substance, which are not used directly by the body for digestion. However, it is now being learned that prebiotics are a fuel source for some of the most beneficial bacteria in the gut, leading to stronger immunity and health.

Honey vs. Sugar

Honey and sugar are both sweeteners, but they are not created equal. Sugar is 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. Honey is only 40 percent fructose and 30 percent glucose. The remaining 30 percent of honey is made up of pollen, water, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. This accounts for some of the health benefits of honey as potassium and magnesium are important minerals which help to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar and nerve function.

Sugar is higher on the glycemic index because of its higher glucose and fructose content.  This means that it will raise your blood sugar more quickly than honey, which raises blood sugar at more consistent rate. A small downside could be that honey has more calories than sugar, but less honey is needed to sweeten a food.

Doctor Honey

Honey has the ability to destroy bacterial infections and aid in healing. Most famously, honey is used to treat a sore throat, but honey can also be used to treat a burn. Always consult a doctor for severe burns, but for minor burns you can apply honey and it will prevent the wound from becoming infected. No need to wash it off, just let the honey sit on the burn and cover with a clean cloth.

Honey can be used as a topical antiseptic for all manner of wounds due to the hydrogen peroxide that honey emits. As a bonus, it will prevent any protective cloth from sticking to a wound. Honey can also reduce allergies. Honey harvested from local plants can help the body fend off allergens.

All of these benefits are not possible though without the makers of honey, the bees. If you have a yard, you can return the favor to the bees by making a hospitable environment for bees that will allow for even more pollination and yes, more honey to be made.

Honey is a superfood that can not only be added to your diet, but can be used in your medicine cabinet as well.  As a gluten-free food source, you can have every confidence that you are doing your body right by including honey in your diet.

Karoline Gore left her job as a nutritionist to pursue her passion of freelance writing. She enjoys the freedom, time with her family, and ability to offer her advice to readers.