Introduction
Not so many years ago, the gluten-free lifestyle was reserved for an obscure cluster of people who were forced to settle for wannabe foods that resembled sawdust but didn’t taste as good.
Today, the gluten-free lifestyle is sweeping the world with the force of a really big blowtorch, and the ramifications are enormous. Gluten-free products abound (and are a far cry from the foods we used to choke down), labels are far less ambiguous, and people no longer look at you like you have four heads when you ask for a burger without the bun.
Being gluten-free isn’t about being on a diet. It’s about living a lifestyle. Whether you’ve been gluten-free for decades or are only considering the idea of giving up gluten, this book is loaded with information that can affect every aspect of your life, from your health and your bank account to your shopping, cooking, and eating habits.
I live a gluten-free lifestyle, and I have for years. I have no ulterior motives, other than some quirky desire to don a cape, call myself the Glutenator, and travel far and wide to extol the virtues of a gluten-free diet. I have no supplements to sell you and no gluten-free food products that I endorse. What matters to me is that I do my best to tell you what you need to know about living a gluten-free lifestyle so you can make healthy decisions. That’s why I’ve made this book your reference guide for living — and loving — a gluten-free lifestyle.
About This Book
This guide offers clear guidance on how to make the transition to a gluten-free lifestyle. And like all For Dummies books, this one is divided up so you don’t have to read it all at once, or even front to back, if you don’t want to. You can skip from B to R to A and even reread B if you want. You can read it sideways and standing on your head, if you’d like; all you have to do is find a section of interest to you and dig in (how’s that for liberating?).
Conventions Used in This Book
I make up words, but they’re pretty easy to figure out. For instance, glutenated means a product has been contaminated with gluten, glutenous means it has gluten in it, a glutenivore is something that eats gluten, a Glutenator is one who battles the evils of gluten, and so on. It’s fun! In fact, I bet you’ll soon be making up your own glutenologisms.
Here are some conventions that are specific to the recipes in Chapter 7:
If an ingredient appears in a recipe, it’s assumed to be gluten-free. For instance, I don’t specify “gluten-free vanilla” because all vanilla is gluten-free. And soy sauce usually has gluten, but when I call for soy sauce in a recipe, I’m assuming you’ll use a gluten-free version.
Baking with gluten-free flours works best if you use a mixture of flours. (Chapter 5 goes into detail about how to mix gluten-free flours to get the best results.)
Milk substitutes can be used in place of milk in most recipes.
Eggs are large.
Butter and margarine are interchangeable.
All temperatures are in Fahrenheit.
Foolish Assumptions
You spent your hard-earned cashola on this book, which I’m guessing means you want to find out more about the gluten-free lifestyle. Well, good news! I’ve written this book with you in mind — and I’ve taken the liberty of making a few assumptions about you:
You’re considering going gluten-free and plan on using this book to determine whether to take the plunge.
You love someone who’s gluten-free, and you’re so cool that you want to find out more about the lifestyle so you can be supportive.
You’re new to the diet and are looking for the “manual” that can tell you how to live a gluten-free lifestyle.
You’ve been gluten-free for years and want the latest, greatest information about dietary guidelines and state-of-the-art research.
Icons Used in This Book
Some people are more visual than others. That’s why icons are cool. This book uses several icons, and each one has a little tidbit of information associated with it. Here’s what each icon means:
Everyone can use a friendly little reminder. The Remember icon is a quick and easy way to identify some of the more important points that you may want to make note of throughout the book.
Cleverly designated as Tips, these are, well, tips that can help you live (and love!) the gluten-free lifestyle. They include info to help you save time or cut down on frustration.
Text flagged with the Warning icon can keep you out of trouble.
Where to Go from Here
Curl up in your comfiest chair and dive right into the chapter or section that interests you most. Although if you’re new to the gluten-free lifestyle and have tons of questions, you’re probably best off starting at Chapter 1 and working your way through the book in order. Been gluten-free for years? Do yourself a favor and take a look at Chapter 3. You may be surprised by some of the foods now allowed on the gluten-free diet that used to be considered no-nos.
For even more information on living the gluten-free lifestyle, from details on celiac disease and how gluten affects behavior to advice on raising gluten-free kids, pick up the full-size version of Living Gluten-Free For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley), available at your local bookstore or at www.dummies.com.
Finally, if you’re feeling a little down about going gluten-free, I hope my sincere passion for the gluten-free lifestyle and the healthy benefits that go along with it touch you by offering comfort, optimism, and inspiration.