Food is an important part of holiday traditions. Secret family recipes are whipped up to make signature dishes, and merry treats are baked for everyone. However, it can also be stressful for many people, especially when preparing meals for senior loved ones. Gluten is a protein found in grains such as barley and wheat and can pose some health risks to people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Here is a list of sneaky sources of gluten in common holiday foods and how to replace them for gluten-free relatives.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice syrup is a common liquid sweetener for holiday meals. People add it to drinks such as tea or coffee, drizzle it on top of waffles or even enjoy it as a dessert topping on ice cream. Brown rice is naturally gluten-free. However, an enzyme is added to the rice during the syrup manufacturing process to break it down into a liquid. If it's a fungus-derived enzyme, the syrup is gluten-free, but some manufacturers use an enzyme obtained from barley containing gluten. Unfortunately, the syrup ingredient list may not always show this information.
Since one may not easily know whether the brown rice syrup they are buying has gluten or not, the safest bet is using gluten-free alternatives such as dark corn syrup and molasses to prepare holiday meals for senior loved ones in Midlothian.
Gravy
Gravy is an all-time favorite condiment for holiday meals. It is a thickened sauce consisting of seasonings, stock, and meat drippings commonly used in all holiday foods, including veggies and meat. It gets its gluten from the wheat-based flour used to give it the coveted thickness and body. To make a gluten-free alternative, one can use coconut flour or a slurry of arrowroot powder and then add drippings and gluten-free stock.
Processed Meat
Meat is a holiday dinner favorite and can be found in most holiday meal recipes. But, processed meat may contain gluten if it has wheat-based flavorings like malt flavorings or maltodextrin. Also, some processors use starch derived from wheat as a binding agent for the meat. If the product has wheat, manufacturers must share the information on the label, but it can be difficult to see the label if one buys sliced meat from the butcher.
One should be keen to check for a gluten-free label on meat, not just wheat-free. A safer alternative would be purchasing raw meat and roasting it at home while avoiding chemical fillers entirely.
Oats
Oats prepare several holiday foods, such as granola and granola bars. Although oats are gluten-free, cross-contamination with wheat and other gluten-containing grains may occur during harvesting, storage, or processing. The gluten exposure may be minimal but can cause discomfort for seniors in Glen Allen with gluten sensitivity or intolerance.
To prepare granola and granola bars, one should look for oat packages with a gluten-free label. It means the product underwent careful handling to prevent gluten contamination. Alternatively, one can consider different protein-packed snacks such as yogurt or nuts for elderly loved ones.
Choose Healthy Holiday Meals With the Help of Senior Helpers of Richmond West
Everyone should enjoy a healthy and nutritious diet during the holiday season. Senior Helpers of Richmond West has experienced caregivers who can help seniors in Richmond, Midlothian, Petersburg, and Glen Allen choose healthy diet options and help with other tasks such as meal preparation, shopping trips, light housekeeping, etc. Contact us today for further details.