The word is out that gluten is bad for us. But is it? Many people, even those who haven't been diagnosed with coeliac disease, are steering towards gluten-free products, believing them to be the healthiest option.

Coeliac disease is an allergy, an auto-immune response to the gluten protein. Untreated, it can lead to serious malnutrition. Those who suffer from coeliac disease must stay away from barley, rye, oats and wheat and all derivatives made from these grains. It's an extensive list of foods to avoid yet most adult coeliacs know what they can and can't eat. Unfortunately, the increased awareness and responding deluge of gluten-free products in stores has led some people to think gluten-free foods are better for everyone.

Gluten-free carbohydrates such as rice and potato flour typically have a higher GI than gluten grains, presenting a risk to people managing high blood-sugar levels. Gluten-free products are often high in sugar and other sugar derivatives which make them also high in kilojoules. The important message is this:

• Gluten-free products are not the healthiest choice if your body can tolerate gluten.
• Gluten-free products are not always healthy.

This list gives examples of some good, not so good and pretty bad choices.

Food	Comments	Save, switch or ditch	Comments
Breakfast Gluten-free muesli	Contains rolled rice, sultanas, sunflower seeds, rice bran, maize flour, psyllium, corn, maltodextrin.	Save	A good product for people with gluten allergy — if you don’'t have that allergy, natural muesli made from oats is a better, lower-GI option.
Boutique brand gluten-free muesli (available from health food stores)	You may need a second loan to afford some of these products. Ranging from $10 to $24.50, there's a lot to be said for making your own.	Save (literally)	Great if you can afford it, otherwise make your own.
Ultra rice with psyllium	Contains rice flour, grape juice, maze flour and psyllium.	Save	A healthy choice for coeliacs.
Cornflakes	Although corn is gluten free, some well known commercial brands flakes have malt extract added to sweeeten. Malt extract is made from barley and contains gluten.	Switch	...to a marketed "gluten free" corn flake.
Cocoa Bombs	Marketed as gluten-free, low-fat and high in complex carbohydrates, this product is extremely high in sugar and glucose syrup and contains additives linked to gastrointestinal problems, headaches, high blood-sugar levels, eye and skin irritation in sensitive people.	Ditch	I wonder if cocoa pops are even better than these — they certainly wouldn't be worse! Gluten-free or not, neither provides a healthy breakfast.
Soy flakes	Walk away from these. Marketed as high in fibre, high in complex carbs and naturally occurring vitamins, they contain three additives, one considered a health risk for children, another a health risk during pregnancy and another linked to gastrointestinal problems.	Ditch	You're better off with a gluten-free muesli.
Desserts and treats Gluten-free pudding	If it's not bad enough worrying about gluten, now you have to worry about your weight. The first three ingredients are sugar, not to mention the numerous additives, some with serious health risks.	Ditch	Why not make a delicious baked brown rice pudding with skimmed milk, sweetened with maple syrup or honey and sultanas.
Coconut cookies	Wolf down three small biscuits slightly bigger than a 50c piece and you've increased your energy consumption by 860kj, almost the same as eating four Swiss dark chocolate balls — they're gluten-free too!	Ditch	See recipe below for honey and linseed cookies (serving size one biscuit).
Sauces Honey soy sauce	There's a basic cooking class needed for anyone who buys this sauce. It's an unnecessary and very unhealthy purchase. Anyone can make a gluten-free sauce that contains far fewer kilojoules and no additives.	Ditch	Mix tamari and honey with some garlic and ginger and you've got a delicious stir fry sauce.
Gluten-free flour	There are a number of additives in these gluten-free flours that are best avoided. It's healthier and just as easy to make your own.	Switch	Gluten-free self raising flour: 2 tbs potato flour. Enough white rice flour to make it up to 1 cup ½ tsp bicarbonate soda ½ tsp cream or tartar 1 tsp xanthan gum
Pasta and savoury snacks Rice and vegetable pasta	Good choice — no artificial additives and 94 percent made from brown rice.	Save	Traditional pasta is a better choice if you don't have a gluten intolerance/allergy.
Gluten-free pasta	Good choice if you have coeliac disease, not so good if you don't. Pasta has a relatively low GI and is a good carbohydrate choice for anyone with no gluten intolerance.	Save or switch	The gluten-free grains used to make this pasta will produce a much higher GI product.
Millet cakes	Like rice cakes these are gluten-free, but equally have a high GI and should be consumed in moderation.	Save	Because they have a high GI, these should be avoided by people with high blood-sugar levels. Reduce the GI by adding a low-GI topping, e.g. avocado or cheese.
Rice crackers	Some rice crackers are gluten-free, but many cheaper varieties are not. Avoid those with soy sauce for flavouring and always check the packaging before buying.	Switch	Buy gluten free unflavoured rice crackers or switch to nuts.

Recipe

Gluten-free honey and linseed cookies

½ cup tahini
½ cup honey
1½ cups millet flakes
½ cup linseeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Method:
Mix all ingredients together. Place golf ball-sized on lined tray. Press flat with a fork. Leave plenty of room as cookies will spread. Cook at 180°C (160°C fan forced) for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool on tray for 5-10 minutes as cookies will be soft. Remove when firm and place on a wire rack.

Makes 24 servings

And if you don't yet know which foods contain gluten, here's a quick list.

Foods with gluten

Wheat products, including wheat, white flour, wholemeal and wholewheat flour, wheat bran, wheat starch (used to thicken and bulk up foods), triticale, bread, cakes, pastry, croissants, muffins, crumpets, noodles, including buckwheat noodles, semolina, barley, pearl barley, barley bread, malted drinks, barley malt, beer, oats, porridge, muesli, muesli bars, stock cubes, ice-cream, soy sauce, shoyu, some spice mixes, some cheese spreads, some lemon curd, some mustards, rye and all rye products.

Foods without gluten

Arrowroot, cornflour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, millet, polenta, rice and all rice products, sago, tapioca, quinoa, besan flour, tamari.

It's important to remember that gluten is found in grains — carbohydrate foods. It is not found in any vegetables, fruit, protein foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs or dairy products or fats such as nuts and oils.

And finally, a note to everyone

The easiest, safest and healthiest advice for everyone, gluten allergy or not, is to make your meals at home using fresh natural ingredients and few packaged ingredients.